In January, for instance, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in United States v. Comstock, about whether Congress has the constitutional power to authorize the continued confinement of people convicted of sex crimes after they have completed their criminal sentences.

Then there are conservatives who worry about government seizure of private property said to have been used to facilitate crimes, an issue raised in Alvarez v. Smith, which was argued in October.

"A joint on a yacht, and the whole thing is forfeited," said Paul Cassell, a law professor at the University of Utah and a former federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush.

Some religious groups object to prison policies that appear to ignore the possibility of rehabilitation and redemption, and fiscal conservatives are concerned about the cost of maintaining the world's largest prison population.

"Conservatives now recognize the economic consequences of a criminal justice leviathan," said Erik Luna, a law professor at Washington and Lee University.

This article sets up well two events taking place in Michigan next week.  The Constitution Project, Grand Rapids Chapter of the Federalist Society, Prison Fellowship, State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan Campaign for Justice are hosting forums in Grand Rapids and Lansing to talk about the constitutional right to an adequate defense in court.  National reports point to Michigan as a failure in upholding this constitutional right, and a coalition just like the one referred to in the article is forming now to fix it.

Monday, November 30, 2009
12 - 1:30 p.m.
Cooley Law School - Grand Rapids Campus, Room 529
111 Commerce Ave., SW
Grand Rapids, MI

And

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
12 - 1:30 p.m.
Anderson House Office Building
Mackinac Room, 5th floor
124 N. Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI

The events are free and open to all.

Contact info@mijustice.org for more information.