In rhetoric reminiscent of the ‘superpredator‘ scare of the 1990s, the New Orleans District Attorney warned of ‘a brazen population of delinquent teens.‘ But advocates and crime analysts alike say the data doesn't support his fearmongering claims about kids and crime.

Mike Hayes Jun 27, 2019

Media Frame: Time to Ban Ride-Along Police TV

Reality shows like ‘The First 48,’ ‘Live PD,’ and ‘Cops’ are interfering in legal cases, exploiting people of color, and threatening lives.

Adam H. Johnson Jun 24, 2019

Fremont Police Said a Man Wielded a Deadly Weapon When They Shot Him. But Records Reveal He Waved a Tent Pole.

The police union’s newly elected vice president led the investigation into the shooting that cleared Officer William Gourley of any wrongdoing.

Darwin BondGraham Jun 21, 2019

The Carceral Feminism Of Linda Fairstein

A nearly 30-year-old New York Times Magazine profile of the infamous prosecutor may reveal as much about Linda Fairstein as Ava DuVernay‘s acclaimed new Netflix series.

Meaghan Ybos Jun 19, 2019

Media Frame: Using Gun Fears to Demagogue Bail Reform

Adam H. Johnson Jun 14, 2019

Spotlight: Prosecuting Lifesavers Exposes Deep Problems With Laws and Their Enforcement

Sarah Lustbader Jun 11, 2019

A Troubled Virginia Jail Looks To Add Guards, But Advocates Push For Decarceration

As the Hampton Roads Regional Jail proposes spending $7 million for 113 new guards, advocates renew calls for officials to improve conditions—and an Appeal analysis suggests that the jail could save millions by incarcerating fewer people with mental illness.

Aaron Morrison, Jonathan Ben-Menachem

Body Cameras And Tasers Rake In Billions For Axon, But They’re No Panacea For Police Violence

The popularity of Axon’s tech soared after the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014, but it may be doing more harm than good in protecting people from excessive force.

Jonathan Ben-Menachem Jun 10, 2019

Data Raises Questions About Harris County D.A.’s Push for More Lawyers

Records show Kim Ogg’s office appeared to misrepresent felony prosecutor caseloads in its $21 million budget request.

Keri Blakinger

Media Frame: Stoking Panic Over ‘Flood’ of ‘Juveniles’ in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

The sensationalist coverage of a handful of fights highlights local media’s misplaced priorities.

Adam H. Johnson Jun 07, 2019

Pleading Guilty to Get Out of Jail

The criminalization of poverty in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has led to a staggering increase in incarcerated people, all at a huge cost for defendants and taxpayers alike.

Joshua Vaughn Jun 06, 2019

Spotlight: Supporting Solitary for Manafort Means Supporting It for Everyone

Vaidya Gullapalli Jun 05, 2019

Indefinite Solitary Confinement in New York Is Finally Put to the Test

Court challenges and a sweeping reform bill are offering hope to men trapped in isolation for decades.

Joshua Manson Jun 03, 2019

New Orleans Police Appear to Use Surveillance to Initiate Investigations

City officials say its vast network of cameras are simply a tool when responding to 911 calls and complaints of criminal activity. But several cases suggest the system serves an additional purpose.

Mike Hayes

An Alabama Woman Got Pregnant While In Jail. She Has No Memory of Having Sex.

Since 2017, LaToni Daniel has been incarcerated pretrial in a capital murder case. During that time, Daniel became pregnant, and she just delivered a baby boy. But as she brings in new life, she also faces the death penalty.

Lauren Gill May 31, 2019

The Appeal Podcast: Criminal Justice Reform Hits Roadblock in Arizona

With Caroline Isaacs of the American Friends Service Committee

Adam H. Johnson May 30, 2019

It’s Time to Make Chicago Police Pay For Their Misdeeds—Out Of Their Own Budget

Chicago hands out millions in settlements and legal fees for police misconduct. Its newly inaugurated mayor should take a dollar from the department’s budget for every dollar the city spends settling with its victims.

Jonathan Ben-Menachem May 29, 2019

Commander Of Major California Narcotics Task Force Fired For A String Of Thefts And Lies

Newly released records show that task force members faced allegations of theft and questionable overtime, all under the watch of a commander later fired for lying as the misconduct was investigated.

Darwin BondGraham May 23, 2019

D.C. Shows Mercy For People Who Committed Crimes As Children, But Prosecutors Are Fighting Back

U.S. attorneys in D.C. have opposed the resentencing of all 14 people who have petitioned for early release under a local law.

Kira Lerner

New Data Reveals the Racial Disparities in Pennsylvania’s Money Bail Industry

Despite accounting for less than 12 percent of the state’s adult population, roughly 40 percent of all bail bonds were issued in cases involving a Black defendant.

Joshua Vaughn May 22, 2019

New York Prisons Offer ‘Tough Love’ Boot Camp Programs. But Prisoners Say They’re ‘Torture’ And ‘Hell.’

Prisoners can shave time off their sentences by participating in shock incarceration programs. More than a dozen former shock prisoners say that comes at a steep cost.

Keri Blakinger May 21, 2019

State Trooper Said Man Took Bag From Fentanyl Supplier, But Video Demonstrated That The Deal Never Went Down

Trooper testimony inconsistent with video and misconduct among state and local law enforcement in New Hampshire and Massachusetts have caused at least 15 drug cases to unravel.

Zachary A. Siegel May 20, 2019

Johns Hopkins University’s Private Police Force Would Bring More Cops To An Overpoliced Baltimore

A former Baltimore officer says the Hopkins plan should be viewed skeptically because campus police have a history of deadly force and its officials come from troubled Baltimore Police units.

Larry Smith May 16, 2019

Incarceration Is Always a Policy Failure

Instead of building ‘humane jails’ to replace Rikers Island, let’s push the NYPD to cut down on arrests.

Jonathan Ben-Menachem May 15, 2019

Bronx Cops Celebrated A Copwatcher’s Arrest. They Had No Idea They Were Caught On Tape.

New York City just paid Jose LaSalle of the Copwatch Patrol Unit nearly $900,000 over claims of false arrest related to the 2016 incident, but his fight for justice is far from over.

Ashoka Jegroo May 09, 2019

A White Woman Was Caught On Tape Selling Heroin, But Police Arrested A Black Woman Instead

In a case of mistaken identity, Jada Noone was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police, spent 15 days in jail and faced a felony drug case before charges were dismissed. She’s now suing over her false arrest.

Joshua Vaughn May 07, 2019

Police In California Are Killing Sleeping People

The fatal shooting by Oakland police of an unconscious man as he woke is putting pressure on the California department to rethink its deployment of force.

Darwin BondGraham May 02, 2019

‘They Sent Him to His Cell to Die’

Rashad McNulty entered a guilty plea in a series of federal gang indictments in New York that have been criticized as racist and overly punitive. But before McNulty was even sentenced, he died in jail. Now, his family is seeking justice.

Aaron Morrison May 01, 2019

Deputies ‘Tortured, Then Killed’ Man At Georgia Jail On ‘Taser Tuesday,’ Attorneys Say

Antonio May, a 32 year-old father of three, died in the Fulton County Jail in September after deputies pepper-sprayed and shot him with a Taser.

Aaron Morrison Apr 25, 2019

Houston Cop Who Led Botched Drug Raid Overwhelmingly Arrested Black People

After a drug bust involving Houston narcotics officer Gerald Goines turned deadly, questions are being raised about how he operated during his time on the force.

Mike Hayes Apr 23, 2019

‘It Was Almost Worse Than The Incident Itself’

New NYPD data show that in 2018 the department closed nearly 500 rape cases due to an alleged lack of participation from victims and had a declining clearance rate for rape, raising questions over its handling of sexual assault.

Meg O'Connor

California Cities Have Shredded Decades of Police Misconduct Records

Police union lawsuits delayed many local governments from complying with a new transparency law. In the meantime, some cities have destroyed files.

Darwin BondGraham Apr 17, 2019

‘They’re Trying To Kill Us In Here’

At Virginia’s Hampton Roads Regional Jail, reform has been slow even after high-profile tragedies including the death of mentally disabled man incarcerated who allegedly stole $5 worth of snacks.

Aaron Morrison Apr 16, 2019

‘Cage The Bastards’

Former prosecutor and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro inspires Trump’s rhetoric of dehumanization and incarceration.

Kyle C. Barry Apr 10, 2019

Alabama Woman Faces Life Sentence For Killing Man Who Allegedly Raped Her

In 2018, Brittany Smith killed a man who she said brutally raped her. Smith was charged with murder and she now faces life in prison as well as challenges getting adequate treatment at a state psychiatric hospital.

Lauren Gill

‘Please Help Me, Sir’

In September, Marcus Smith experienced a mental health crisis and begged Greensboro, North Carolina police for help. Instead, they tied him with restraints. Moments later, his body went lifeless.

William C. Anderson Apr 09, 2019

Houston Homicide Under New Scrutiny After Misconduct Allegations About DEA Agent Emerge

In 2000, Lamar Burks was convicted of murder and given a 70-year sentence. But the federal indictment of a DEA agent and witnesses who say Burks is innocent have raised new questions about his case.

Mike Hayes Apr 03, 2019

Did Baltimore Cops ‘Conspire’ To Suppress Evidence, Leading to a Wrongful Murder Conviction?

Attorneys for a man exonerated in a Baltimore murder say detectives suppressed exculpatory evidence and that the police’s homicide unit has a pattern and practice of similar conduct in decades of cases.

Amelia McDonell-Parry Apr 02, 2019

Black Mississippians Say Sheriff’s Office Deputies ‘Terrorize The Community Like A Gang Would’

Attorneys and advocates call for change in Madison County after the deaths of three Black people at its jail and because of what they allege is a system of roadblocks targeting Black residents.

Aaron Morrison Mar 27, 2019

Florida Woman Faced 10 Years For ‘Meth’ That Was ‘Just a Rock’

A scandal of falsified drug arrests is spreading at a Florida sheriff’s office that has also spent more than $1.33 million settling excessive force lawsuits and is at the center of the increasingly troubled Robert Kraft case.

Meg O'Connor Mar 26, 2019

In El Paso Jails, Immigrants Are Incarcerated Far Past Their Release Dates

In the deep blue home of Beto O’Rourke, attorneys and advocates are questioning the county’s multi-million-dollar contract to detain migrants and refugees.

Debbie Nathan Mar 20, 2019

Women Say Pennsylvania Cop Committed Sexual Assaults, Recorded Them on Body Camera

Their claims are part of a federal lawsuit; other women say they, too, were assaulted and the officer now faces a raft of criminal charges.

Joshua Vaughn Mar 19, 2019

Miami Police Arrest Thousands of Homeless But Leave Rapes, Robberies Unsolved

In 2017, over 2,000 homeless people were arrested on charges including drinking in public and panhandling. That same year, roughly 1,400 people were arrested in Miami-Dade County for rape, murder, and robbery.

Meg O'Connor Mar 18, 2019

Federal Prisons Official Used Prison Labor For Work On His Church

The Bureau of Prisons’ South Central regional director utilized incarcerated people from a Texas prison to work on a landscaping project at his church.

Lauren Gill Mar 12, 2019

In Texas, D.A. Who Promised Reform Now Faces Challenge From The Left

Audia Jones pledges to tackle ‘brokenness in the system’ by unseating Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Roxanna Asgarian Mar 07, 2019

Confession Throws Prison Uprising Trials Into Chaos

A judge excluded a confession that exonerated defendants in one trial related to a Delaware prison uprising, but a pair of defendants were nonetheless acquitted, promising further problems for prosecutors.

Ella Fassler Mar 05, 2019

Police Unions Fight To Rescind Parole For Former Black Panther

In April 2018, Herman Bell was paroled after spending 45 years in prison in a case involving the shooting deaths of two police officers. Now, New York police unions and the widow of one of the slain officers are challenging the decision in court.

Victoria Law Feb 26, 2019

Chicago Cop’s Sentence For Killing A Black Teenager Is ‘Exceptionally Short’

Jason Van Dyke’s sentence for the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald is approximately half the average sentence for a person convicted of second-degree murder in Cook County, Illinois.

Rob Arthur Feb 25, 2019

Inside ‘The Stop-And-Frisk Capital of America’

Claims including sexual assault of a woman with mental illness to lying in reports haunt the Miami Gardens police; payouts in federal lawsuits have cost the city's taxpayers at least $3.5 million.

Meg O'Connor Feb 21, 2019

California Police Unions Fight New State Law Promising Transparency on Misconduct Records

Senate Bill 1421 requires law enforcement agencies to make public investigative records of officer-involved shootings and uses of force resulting in great bodily harm. But law enforcement unions argue that the law threatens the privacy of their members.

Darwin BondGraham Feb 20, 2019

Justice in America Episode 16: A Conversation with Kim Foxx

Josie and Clint talk to Cook County's head prosecutor.

Josie Duffy Rice, Clint Smith

Man Exonerated In Murder, But Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer As He Awaited Freedom

William J. Richards was cleared in the death of his wife. But he says he was the victim of medical neglect while he was behind bars, which led to a cancer diagnosis becoming terminal. Now he's suing.

Erika Stallings Feb 19, 2019

Justice in America Episode 15: Crime, Justice, and the Media

Josie and Clint discuss the power and pitfalls of crime reporting with Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post.

Josie Duffy Rice, Clint Smith Feb 13, 2019

Bail Activist Jailed For Trying To Help When Cops Confronted Man In Mental Health Crisis

Colorado-based attorney and bail activist Elisabeth Epps was just released after serving a short jail stint related to a 2015 encounter with Aurora Police. The experience gave her a new understanding of the experiences of the people she has bailed out.

Aaron Morrison Feb 12, 2019

I Arrested A Man On Marijuana Charges. Then He Took His Own Life.

A former Baltimore Police officer says it’s time for the department to stop wasteful, harmful marijuana arrests, especially after Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s announcement that her office would not prosecute cases of possession.

Larry Smith Feb 11, 2019

Sentenced To Life At 16 In Slaying Of Man Who She Said Pulled A Gun On Her

In 1996, Michele Benjamin was sentenced to life without parole for killing a man who she said solicited her for sex and menaced her with a weapon in New Orleans. A Supreme Court decision led her to be re-sentenced to life with a chance at parole in 2016. Today, a parole hearing brings the possibility of freedom.

Josie Duffy Rice

Cops Claimed She Set Up A Drug Deal. Now She’s Being Prosecuted For Manslaughter.

A Florida woman with substance use disorder allegedly brokered a drug sale that ended in a fatal overdose; she faces 15 years in prison.

Zachary A. Siegel Feb 05, 2019

‘I’ve Made My Share Of Wrongs, But I Haven’t Killed No One’

California amended its felony murder law, which holds accomplices responsible for murder. But reform won’t reach a man sentenced to death in a deadly robbery—even though he was never accused of firing a shot.

Maura Ewing Feb 04, 2019

‘I Feel The Oxygen Going Out Of My Mouth’

In October 2018, Marshall Miles was taken into custody by Sacramento County sheriff‘s deputies outside a convenience store. About 14 hours later, he was dead.

Aaron Morrison Jan 31, 2019

Incarcerated Transgender Women’s Lives Must Matter

As Kamala Harris begins her presidential run, her move to block gender affirming surgery for an incarcerated transgender woman deserves scrutiny, especially as new cases highlighting the struggle for the rights of imprisoned trans women emerge.

Zoé Samudzi Jan 28, 2019

Expansion Of Largest Jail System In The United States Must End

Los Angeles County’s jail system incarcerates tens of thousands of people at a multi-billion dollar cost. The communities most impacted by mass incarceration have had enough.

Patrisse Cullors, Lex Steppling Jan 23, 2019

Man Charged With Homicide For Sharing Drugs With Woman Who Later Died

Under Pennsylvania’s drug delivery resulting in death statute, a man faces up to 40 years in prison for sharing heroin with a woman who overdosed.

Joshua Vaughn Jan 15, 2019

The ‘Failure to Appear’ Fallacy

Prosecutors denounce bail reform efforts when people miss court dates, but ‘failure to appear’ rates obscure the fact that many who miss court aren’t on the run.

Ethan Corey, Puck Lo Jan 09, 2019

Disabled Prisoners Decry Treatment in New York’s Prison System

Prisoners in the state’s Regional Medical Units allege that they are being denied access to essential programs and services like law libraries.

Keri Blakinger Jan 08, 2019

Caging Kids Is An American Tradition

Trump didn’t start it, but we can end it.

Ethan Brown Jan 03, 2019

Overdoses, Riots, And Escapes Roil A Rural Kentucky Jail

The Boyd County Detention Center has been consumed in chaos, even as the DOJ investigates it. Now, the community is pinning hopes for reform on a new jailer.

Zachary A. Siegel Jan 02, 2019

In 2018, Activists Transformed ‘Tough on Crime’ from Asset to Liability

A series of electoral victories signals a nationwide shift.

Daniel Nichanian Dec 24, 2018

Back-to-Back Jail Deaths Rock Small Utah County

Two women died at the Duchesne County Jail in the span of about one week in 2016. Now their families are suing in federal court.

Lauren Gill Dec 20, 2018

Oklahoma Governor Releases 21 Prisoners Shut Out Of Drug Sentencing Reform

But more than 1,100 others are still serving sentences that voters decided were too harsh.

Kira Lerner Dec 19, 2018

Is The NYPD’s Special Victims Division Prematurely Closing Sexual Assault Cases?

Advocates say victims are being pressured to sign ‘withdrawal’ forms to quickly close investigations and protect the department from legal liability.

Meg O'Connor Dec 17, 2018

Pennsylvania Man Charged With Homicide Wasn’t Even Present When Victim Was Killed

Darius Jacob Taylor wasn’t in the state when a robbery he was allegedly involved with ended in murder. But because of the felony murder rule, he’s charged with criminal homicide and faces life imprisonment.

Joshua Vaughn Dec 13, 2018

Black Lives Matter DC’s Battle to End Stop-and-Frisk In The Nation’s Capital

Advocates say the city has dragged its feet on legislation meant to ensure transparency on the police practice, and that data released so far—from 2010 to 2016, nearly 82 percent of stops involved Black people—signals that it’s time to end stop-and-frisk entirely.

Ella Fassler Dec 03, 2018

Immigrant Who Fled Gangs and Torture Challenges ICE Detainers

Attorneys for a Honduran woman are suing over the widespread jailhouse practice of honoring ICE requests to hold incarcerated immigrants for pickup.

Debbie Nathan

Georgia Woman Endured Arrest, Million-Dollar Bond, and Months of Jail Over ‘Meth’ That Was Actually Cotton Candy

A notoriously unreliable roadside drug test administered by Monroe County sheriff's deputies led to Dasha Fincher being charged with methamphetamine trafficking.

Lauren Gill Nov 27, 2018

In a Pennsylvania County, Black Children Are Disproportionately Charged in Adult Court

In 2016 and 2017, more than 80 percent of children charged as adults by the Allegheny County district attorney were Black.

Joshua Vaughn

Black Men Disproportionately Represented On Sex Offender Registries

Even though it’s unlikely that they commit sexual assault at higher rates than other ethnic or racial groups, nearly one of every 100 Black men is on a sex offender registry, a rate double that of white men.

Debbie Nathan Nov 15, 2018

The Appeal Podcast: Real Reform vs. Faux Reform

With Appeal senior staff reporter, and co-host of the Justice in America podcast, Josie Duffy Rice.

Adam H. Johnson

Is A Philadelphia Agency’s Seizure Of Vehicles A New Form of Civil Asset Forfeiture?

The city’s experiment with civil asset forfeiture was supposed to end, but the practices of its parking agency and some in state law enforcement suggest that police may be turning to other forms of property confiscation.

Ryan Briggs Nov 14, 2018

Boston’s New D.A. Pushes Back Against Prosecutors’ ‘Punishment-centric’ Point of View

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’s promise to decline to prosecute several offenses is a rejection of the punitive tradition of prosecutors and perhaps signals a new kind of reform that spurns criminal justice as a solution to public health problems.

John Pfaff

North Carolina Sheriff Criticized For Unleashing K-9 Dogs On Black People Faces Re-Election

Advocates say that Sheriff Donnie Harrison is unfit for a fifth term because of such abusive practices as well as his office's cooperation with ICE.

George Joseph Nov 02, 2018

A Trump Favorite For His Hardline Anti-Immigration Stance, Maryland Sheriff Now Faces Re-Election

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins seeks a fourth term as critics blast him for a record that includes poor jail conditions, in-custody suicides, and the deaths of two young people at the hands of his deputies.

Raven Rakia Oct 31, 2018

Solitary Confinement, Jail Deaths Rock Race For Sheriff in California

In Santa Clara County, incarcerated people, and a former undersheriff challenging six-term sheriff Laurie Smith, have turned conditions of confinement into a potent electoral issue.

Victoria Law Oct 29, 2018

Advocates Say Brooklyn D.A.’s Office Is Prosecuting Transgender People In Self-Defense Cases

Decision-making by prosecutors in such cases, says one attorney, ‘compounds, entrenches, and ultimately authorizes the initial act of violence by prosecuting the victim.’

Aviva Stahl Oct 24, 2018

Secretive Campus Cops Patrol Already Overpoliced Neighborhoods

Campus police forces have become more professionalized, but critics say they operate behind a veil of secrecy and often exceed their jurisdiction.

Ryan Briggs Oct 15, 2018

Cash Bail Yields A New Casualty

A Texas jail suicide involving a woman who couldn’t make bail in a shoplifting case highlights of the plight of pretrial detainees with mental illness.

Lauren Gill Oct 12, 2018

The Appeal Podcast: The Cruelty of Felony Murder Laws

With Appeal contributor Katie Rose Quandt.

Adam H. Johnson Oct 04, 2018

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Won’t Seek A Third Term. These Movements Are A Big Reason.

Protesters blasting everything from punitive prosecutors to police brutality should be remembered for their role in upsetting the Windy City's political status quo.

Kelly Hayes Oct 02, 2018

‘Worse Than Guantánamo’

Dozens of former detainees at the Gwinnett County jail in Georgia claim they were subjected to brutality at the hands of its Rapid Response Team.

Kira Lerner Oct 01, 2018

Claims of Racism and Brutality Dog Los Angeles County Sheriff ‘Deputy Gangs’

A lawsuit brought by a Compton resident detailing an alleged beating by deputies is just one of nearly three dozen federal civil rights lawsuits alleging brutality and racial bias at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

George Joseph, Raven Rakia and Ethan Corey Sep 28, 2018

House of Cards

‘Cold case’ playing cards were just introduced into Delaware prisons in hopes of producing tips on unsolved homicides—but critics warn that informants cultivated behind bars can be dangerously unreliable.

Lauren Gill Sep 27, 2018

In One Pennsylvania County, Rape Victims Rarely Find Justice

Since 2015, police in Adams County have taken dozens of reports of rape, yet charges were filed in just two cases.

Joshua Vaughn Sep 25, 2018

Capital Punishment in the United States: Explained

Jessica Brand, Callie Heller Sep 24, 2018

In Washington State, It’s Nearly Impossible To Prosecute Police Killings

This fall, however, an initiative goes to voters that would change the law on deadly force by the police, which has led to no officer there being convicted of wrongfully killing someone in the line of duty in more than 30 years.

Mike Faulk Sep 20, 2018

The Incalculable Costs of Mass Incarceration

Prisons carry enormous, perhaps impossible to measure social costs—but when assessing the system fiscally, reformers should focus on staffing salaries instead of the number of incarcerated people.

John Pfaff

The Appeal Podcast Episode 14: The Prison-to-School Pipeline

With activist and scholar Danny Murillo.

Adam H. Johnson Sep 13, 2018

A Grand Jury Indicted An Alabama Police Officer For Murder. Then A Mayor Came To His Defense.

Jeffery Parker was shot to death by a police officer in his Huntsville home. A grand jury handed up an indictment for murder, but the mayor and City Council appear to be throwing their support behind the officer.

Lauren Gill Sep 10, 2018

A New Power for Prosecutors is on the Horizon—Reducing Harsh Sentences

Legislation in California would provide a direct route to resentencing, and a new tool for activists.

Kyle C. Barry Sep 07, 2018

Louisiana Attorney General May Run For Governor By Fearmongering Over Criminal Justice

Attorney General Jeff Landry has taken a number of extreme positions on policing and sentencing in response to reform.

Kira Lerner Sep 06, 2018

New York Woman Imprisoned For Defending Herself From Abuser Seeks Mercy

Jacqueline Smalls was sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing a boyfriend whose ‘hands were his weapons.’ She now joins the ranks of criminalized survivors seeking clemency from Governor Cuomo.

Victoria Law Sep 05, 2018

Pennsylvania Prosecutors Pursue Charges For People Who Fall Behind On Rent-To-Own Payments

The state’s “theft of leased property” statute allows prosecutors to seek felony charges for Pennsylvanians who miss payments on rental items.

Joshua Vaughn

Justice In America Episode 7: The New Progressive Prosecutors?

After Tuesday’s primary victories for reform candidates, defining a progressive agenda for prosecutors is more pressing than ever. Rashad Robinson joins Josie and Clint.

Josie Duffy Rice, Clint Smith

The Endless Punishment of Civil Commitment

Prosecutors can subject those convicted of sexual offenses—and sometimes, those with no conviction at all—to an indefinite period of civil punishment at the end of their criminal sentence.

Guy Hamilton-Smith Sep 04, 2018

As National Prison Strike Continues, Incarcerated People Face Retaliation

Now in its second week, a strike staged by prisoners over poor conditions, low wages, and other issues is resulting in consequences, including harsh conduct reports and placements in solitary confinement.

Raven Rakia Aug 31, 2018

In Pennsylvania, Defendants Pay A Fee Just To Plead Guilty

The ‘plea fee’ stems from a state law passed in the 1980s and can cost nearly $200, depending on the county.

Joshua Vaughn Aug 29, 2018

Case Of Intellectually Disabled Teen Falsely Accused of Sex Offense Reveals Registry Flaws

Before Edgar Coker was exonerated in a rape case, he underwent therapy meant to prevent sexual reoffenses. Thousands of kids involved in sexual offenses are forced into therapies like “relapse prevention” that experts say are ineffective.

Joseph Darius Jaafari Aug 27, 2018

Prosecutor Pursues Murder Charge For Woman Who Defended Herself From Abuser

Jacqueline Dixon shot her husband to death in Alabama, "Stand Your Ground" state, after she said he charged at her. He had a history of domestic violence.

William C. Anderson Aug 23, 2018

Notoriously Brutal, Racist Plainclothes Policing Makes A Return In Baltimore

After the Gun Trace Task Force scandal rocked the police department, plainclothes policing was spurned. But a recently resigned commissioner championed plainclothes units, a decision the department seems to be sticking with.

Larry Smith Aug 22, 2018

A Troubled Federal Prison Unit Gets New Life In A Different State

Instead of changing its conditions and practices, The Bureau of Prisons is simply moving a problem-plagued federal prison unit in Pennsylvania to Illinois.

Victoria Law Aug 21, 2018

Defund The Baltimore Police

A former Baltimore cop questions how a department with a nearly half-billion-dollar budget that is riven by rampant corruption and brutality, bloated overtime spending, and unaccounted for patrol officers can continue to justify its existence

Larry Smith Aug 15, 2018

Milwaukee Candidates Clash In Race to Succeed The Infamous Sheriff Clarke

Several candidates are vying to become Milwaukee Sheriff in the wake of Sheriff David Clarke's resignation last fall. But will they truly spurn his legacy of jail deaths and cooperation with ICE?

Raven Rakia Aug 10, 2018

St. Louis County Could Oust The Prosecutor Who Helped Ignite Ferguson Protests

His opponent in Tuesday’s primary helped establish new police accountability and court reforms in Ferguson after the police shooting of Michael Brown.

Amanda Sakuma Aug 06, 2018

Failure-to-Comply Arrests Reveal Flaws in Sex Offender Registries

In one Pennsylvania county, more than three times as many people on the registry were charged in 2016 with failing to follow registry requirements than were charged with a new sexual offense

Joshua Vaughn Aug 01, 2018

Justice in America Episode 2: The 94% — Plea Deals

A podcast from The Appeal, featuring Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith III.

Josie Duffy Rice, Clint Smith

After Hearing Concerns about ICE, Texas Sheriff Ran Apparent Traffic Sting That Led to Deportation Proceedings

A community group met with the Bastrop County sheriff in an effort to build trust between the sheriff’s office and the immigrant community. Then, the sheriff ran a sting that led to more than one dozen arrestees being handed over to ICE.

Michael Arria Jul 31, 2018

US Attorney’s Office That Prosecuted Inauguration Day Protesters Has History of Misconduct Findings

Prosecutors on the "J20" case faced grave allegations of misconduct after withholding exculpatory evidence contained in videos from defense attorneys. But this is far from the first time that this office has found itself in hot water.

Jessica Brand, Ethan Brown Jul 30, 2018

New Orleans Woman Sentenced to Life In Prison For Killing Abusive Husband Is Granted New Trial

Catina Curley suffered physical abuse at the hands of her husband for more than a decade. When she turned a revolver on him, she was charged with murder and sentenced to life. Now, thanks to a court ruling, she has a chance at freedom.

Josie Duffy Rice Jul 27, 2018

Drug Testing Organizations Save Lives, So Why Haven’t Rave and Concert Organizers Embraced Them?

Groups like the Loop and DanceSafe test drugs like Ecstasy and warn users of high dosages and adulterants, but federal legislation from the early 2000s has live music promoters wary of their brand of harm reduction.

Zachary A. Siegel Jul 25, 2018

Justice in America Episode 1: Justice for the Rich, Money Bail

Introducing a new podcast from The Appeal, featuring Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith III.

Josie Duffy Rice, Clint Smith

A Pennsylvania Man Survived An Overdose Only To Be Charged With Homicide

York County resident Aaron Hinds overdosed on heroin with a friend. The friend died, and Hinds now faces a 'drug delivery resulting in death' charge and a 40-year prison sentence.

Joshua Vaughn Jul 24, 2018

Former Baltimore Police Officer Criticizes The Department’s Gang Database

A onetime gang liaison for the Baltimore Police Department writes that its database is racist and error-ridden.

Larry Smith Jul 23, 2018

Pretrial Detainees Are Being Billed For Their Stay in Jail

In jurisdictions across the country, people incarcerated before they've ever been convicted of a crime are charged a daily fee just for sitting in jail—and several courts have ruled that the practice is legal.

Steven Hale Jul 20, 2018

California Bill Would Deem Children Under 12 Too Young for Court

Legislation passed in Massachusetts and pending in California would set a minimum age for children to enter the juvenile justice system.

Jeremy Loudenback Jul 17, 2018

How Fines and Fees Criminalize Poverty: Explained

Jessica Brand Jul 16, 2018

The Appeal Podcast Episode 7: What Abolitionists Mean When They Talk About Abolition

With William C. Anderson, journalist and co-author of As Black As Resistance.

Adam H. Johnson Jul 12, 2018

Prosecutors and Judges in Pennsylvania County Hammer Defendants in Low-Level Drug Cases

In overdose-wracked Franklin County, Pennsylvania, a small-time dealer is denied bail, while the number of drug induced homicide cases has skyrocketed.

Joshua Vaughn Jul 09, 2018

The Criminalization of Homelessness: Explained

Bidish Sarma, Jessica Brand Jun 29, 2018

The Baltimore Police’s ‘Summer Surge’ Scam

A former Baltimore Police officer says that a plan to flood the streets with local and federal law enforcement is likely to yield more of the same ineffective 'broken windows'-style arrests.

Larry Smith

A Black Man Called The Cops Nazis–And Was Charged With A Hate Crime

A Pennsylvania hate crime statute is being used by law enforcement to punish angry arrestees.

Joshua Vaughn Jun 28, 2018

Cuomo the Merciless

New York's Democratic governor has granted only a trickle of commutations, fewer than many of his Democratic and Republican predecessors.

Victoria Law Jun 20, 2018

Responses to Violence Must Move Beyond Policing

The solution to problems like unsolved homicides, especially in communities of color, cannot be reinvestment in institutions that wage violence against them.

William C. Anderson Jun 19, 2018

Eric Holder May Be Considering a Presidential Run. But Has His Time Passed?

As voters begin to realize that prosecutors in the world's most incarcerated nation may not be the best people to run the government, the era of the prosecutor politician could be on its way out.

Chase Madar

The Appeal Podcast Episode 4: How Prison Reform Was Co-Opted to Sell More Prisons

With journalists Raven Rakia and Ashoka Jegroo.

Adam H. Johnson Jun 15, 2018

Alice Marie Johnson is free. Now it’s time to free thousands more prisoners with unjustly long sentences.

Kim Kardashian's successful campaign to free a 63-year-old grandmother serving a life sentence in a drug case is a reminder that we need to go big on clemency. A 52-year-old grandfather named Euka Wadlington, also doing life in a drug case, would be a great place to start.

Shaun King

Louisiana’s Love Affair With Locking Up Kids For Life

Years after two landmark Supreme Court rulings, prosecutors in Louisiana are still overwhelmingly seeking life sentences for children.

Victoria Law Jun 13, 2018

Santa Clara County Public Defender Explains What Judge Persky’s Recall Means For His Clients

The judge who sentenced Brock Turner brought much-needed compassion to the bench, says public defender Sajid Khan.

Paul DeBenedetto Jun 11, 2018

A Melee Broke Out On The Subway—and then the Bronx DA Prosecuted One Of Its Victims

Walliris Velez thought the worst was behind her after she was slashed in a subway car, but then came an arrest and an attempted murder charge by the Bronx DA.

George Joseph, Simon Davis-Cohen Jun 07, 2018

Criminal Justice Reformers Get A Chilly Reception In California

Across the state, most incumbents successfully fended off progressive challengers during the June 5 primary.

Max Rivlin-Nadler Jun 06, 2018

The Appeal Podcast Episode 1: District Attorneys Are The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of

With Josie Duffy Rice, senior staff reporter at The Appeal.

Adam H. Johnson May 31, 2018

Bill Challenging ‘Safekeeping’ of Tennessee Teens in Adult Prisons Could Soon Become Law

Victoria Law May 18, 2018

The Perverse Incentives of Punishment

John Pfaff

Crime Victims Backing Philly DA Larry Krasner Don’t Want Tougher Sentences — They Want Fair Ones

Maura Ewing May 15, 2018

Louisiana Prosecutor Testifies in Favor of Jury Law Rooted in White Supremacy

Shaun King May 14, 2018

Rhode Island Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Faces an Unusual Foe: A Democratic Attorney General

Daniel Denvir May 10, 2018

Elections matter: Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit

Larry Hannan

Law Enforcement Takes Unearned Victory Lap for Capture of One of Their Own — The Golden State Killer

Amelia McDonell-Parry May 09, 2018

Lawyer for Pedro Hernandez Says Bronx DA’s Office Is Still Withholding Key Evidence

Max Rivlin-Nadler

The LAPD Has a New Surveillance Formula, Powered by Palantir

George Joseph May 08, 2018

How Walmart is Helping Prosecutors Pursue 10-Year Sentences for Shoplifting

Jessica Pishko

‘We Can Make Him Disappear’: The Power of County Sheriffs

Josie Duffy Rice May 07, 2018

Louisiana Held a Man in Jail for Over 8 Years Without Ever Convicting Him of a Crime

Shaun King May 03, 2018

How Naming a Drug Operation for a Fallen Trooper Endangers His Alleged Killer’s Fair Trial

Jessica Brand, Ethan Brown May 01, 2018

New Federal Prison Policies May Put Books and Email on Ice

Lauren Gill Apr 27, 2018

The Power of Prosecutors

Shaun King Apr 24, 2018

FOSTA Backers to Sex Workers: Your Work Can Never Be Safe

Melissa Gira Grant

Prosecutors Aren’t Just Enforcing the Law — They’re Making It

Josie Duffy Rice Apr 20, 2018

Public Defender Foils Prosecutor’s Murder Charge in Drug Overdose

Zachary A. Siegel Apr 19, 2018

Why Public Defenders Matter More Than Ever in a Time of Reform

John Pfaff Apr 18, 2018

Data Shows Police Brutality in America is Getting Worse — 2018 Could Be the Most Deadly in Years

Shaun King Apr 17, 2018

In Louisiana, Threatening to File a Complaint Against Police Can Lead to a Five-Year Prison Sentence

Michael Stein

The Secret Story of Corruption Behind Meek Mill’s Incarceration

Jessica Brand, Ethan Brown Apr 16, 2018

Advocates Fight Texas Statute Delaying Transgender Prisoners’ Ability to Change Their Names

Aviva Stahl Apr 12, 2018

A Letter to Jay-Z: Don’t Keep This Promise

Andrea Armstrong Apr 10, 2018

Cascade of Overturned Cases May Emerge In Wake of Philly DA’s ‘Bad Cop’ List

Maura Ewing, Daniel Denvir Apr 09, 2018

As Reform Stalls in New York, Defendants Plead Out Because They Can’t Afford Cash Bail

Max Rivlin-Nadler Apr 06, 2018

As Deadline Approaches for Homeless Ex-Offenders in Florida, County Threatens to Jail Them

Steven Yoder Apr 05, 2018

Traffic Stop Begins Man’s Kafkaesque Journey Through A Texas County’s Bail System

Melissa Gira Grant Apr 03, 2018

‘You’re Breaking the Law As Soon as You Stop Walking’: How Colorado Cities Criminalize Homelessness

Bryce Covert Apr 02, 2018

Jailhouse Informant In High-Profile Texas Murder Cases Comes Under New Scrutiny

Max Rivlin-Nadler Mar 30, 2018

Houston Police Chief Who Called Michael Bennett ‘Morally Corrupt’ is Quiet on Police Brutality

Jessica Brand Mar 28, 2018

Can Police Opposition Overturn Parole Reform?

Victoria Law Mar 27, 2018

In an Upstate New York Community Wracked by Overdoses, Prosecutor Pursues Users in Homicides Cases

Zachary A. Siegel Mar 23, 2018

Do Conviction Integrity Units Work?

Josie Duffy Rice Mar 22, 2018

Despite Leaders’ Progressive Promises, NYC Remains ’Marijuana Arrest Capital of the World’

Shaun King Mar 20, 2018

NY Gov. Cuomo’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Plan to Protect Your Kids

Guy Hamilton-Smith Mar 19, 2018

Texas’s First Death Sentence of 2018 Crystallizes the State’s Longstanding Capital Case Crisis

Lauren Gill Mar 16, 2018

In Louisiana, Defendants Facing the Death Penalty Face a Wait List for An Attorney

Max Rivlin-Nadler Mar 15, 2018

Columbus Activists Turn Out to Support ‘Black Pride 4’ Protesters During Sentencing

Prince Shakur

Anti-Online Trafficking Bills Advance in Congress, Despite Opposition from Survivors Themselves

Melissa Gira Grant Mar 14, 2018

Pennsylvania Democratic Attorney General Shuts Down Bids for Freedom

Daniel Denvir Mar 13, 2018

A National Push For Victims’ Rights is Now Hitting Florida. But Critics Are Fighting Back.

Meaghan Ybos Mar 12, 2018

Eyewitness to Bronx Murder Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct, Makes Eleventh-Hour Recantation

But the witness may have flipped again, leaving the future of the conviction up in the air.

Simon Davis-Cohen, George Joseph Mar 09, 2018

The Black Love Bail Out Aims to Free Poor Defendants — And Teach Others To Do The Same

Bryce Covert Mar 08, 2018

Kim Foxx Just Released Six Years of Data — Most Prosecutors’ Offices Remain Black Boxes

Josie Duffy Rice Mar 07, 2018

Movement to Reform New York’s Discovery Statute Faces A Familiar Foe: Prosecutors

Jake Offenhartz Mar 06, 2018

Five Ways the Media-Driven Rape Kit ‘Backlog’ Narrative Gets it Wrong

Meaghan Ybos, Heather Marlowe Mar 05, 2018

San Antonio DA Nico LaHood, an Anti-Islam, Pro-Death Penalty Democrat, Faces Former Pal in Primary

Alex Hannaford Mar 02, 2018

As Bail Reform Moves Forward in California, Defendant Who Advanced It Remains Incarcerated

Max Rivlin-Nadler Mar 01, 2018

How Zombie Crime Stats, Phantom Stats and Frankenstats Paint a Misleading Picture on Crime

John Pfaff

Court Watch NYC Is Here To Hold New York City’s ‘Reformer’ District Attorneys Accountable

Max Rivlin-Nadler Feb 27, 2018

Activists Fed Up with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Silence on Safe Injection Sites

Zachary A. Siegel

NYC Transgender Activist Says She Was Criminalized For Defending Herself Against Abuser

Her former partner assaulted her in her home. When the police arrived, she was arrested and he walked free.

Emma Whitford Feb 26, 2018

Montana Prosecutor’s Crackdown on Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs Could Harm Women’s Health

Raven Rakia Feb 23, 2018

A National Campaign to Crack Down on Massage Businesses May Harm the Women it Wants to Help

Melissa Gira Grant, Emma Whitford Feb 22, 2018

Protesting ICE Courthouse Arrests Doesn’t Get NYC Prosecutors Off the Hook for Everyday Injustice

Nick Encalada-Malinowski

Louisiana Denies Parole to Man Behind a Supreme Court Ruling Limiting Life Sentences for Children

Aviva Shen Feb 21, 2018

Over 100 Pennsylvania Prisoners are Held in Solitary Confinement — With No End in Sight

Maura Ewing, Matt Stroud

Louisiana Denies Parole to Man Behind a Supreme Court Ruling Limiting Life Sentences for Children

Aviva Shen

How ‘El Chapo’s’ Attorney is Fighting For His Client’s Right to a Fair Trial

Lauren Gill Feb 20, 2018

Philadelphia City Council’s Vote in Favor of Ending Cash Bail Bolsters Citywide Push

Bryce Covert Feb 16, 2018

NYPD Agrees To New Rules Limiting Its Seizures of New Yorkers’ Property

Max Rivlin-Nadler

The Biggest Winners in Trump Budget: The DEA and the War on Drugs

Zachary A. Siegel Feb 15, 2018

New Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner Hits Reset on the Office’s Troubled Conviction Review Unit

Christopher Moraff

In Portland, A Mother Sues For Answers About Why The Police Killed Her Son

Max Rivlin-Nadler Feb 14, 2018

Countering The NYPD’s Neighborhood Policing Scam

Josmar Trujillo

The single most important person to reform the criminal justice system is not…

Shaun King Feb 13, 2018

Tennessee Sheriff: Solitary Confinement for 16 year-old Girl is No Different Than a ‘Private Room’

Meaghan Ybos

Police Accountability and Public Defender Groups Demand Transparency on NYPD Gang Policing

Max Rivlin-Nadler Feb 12, 2018

New Orleans Strip Club Workers Battle ‘Age Ban’ In Federal Court

Melissa Gira Grant

Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office Has A New Interim Leader — And She’s Never Represented Indigent Clients

Emma Whitford Feb 09, 2018

How a Case of ‘Restorative Justice’ Was Actually Just Business As Usual For the New Orleans DA

Victoria Law

The False Promise of Bail Reform in Dallas County: Debate Continues While People Languish in Jail

Rebecca McCray Feb 08, 2018

13-Year-Old Charged with First-Degree Murder in Oklahoma Faces Life in Prison

Raven Rakia Feb 07, 2018

13-Year-Old Charged with First-Degree Murder in Oklahoma, Faces Life in Prison

Raven Rakia

Why Prosecutors Keep Cheating: The Catherine Fuller Murder and the Failure of the Brady Rule

Thomas Dybdahl Feb 06, 2018

The Sentencing of Larry Nassar Was Not ‘Transformative Justice.’ Here’s Why.

For those of us who believe our “justice” system must be transformed, moments such as this one are a test of conviction.

Kelly Hayes, Mariame Kaba Feb 05, 2018

Pennsylvania Man Dies In Jail After Guards Allegedly Ignored His Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

Zachary A. Siegel

The Misguided Call for Harsher Punishments at the Heart of the Judge Persky Recall Effort

Shon Hopwood Feb 02, 2018

As New York Decarcerates, The Number of People Under Supervision of Parole Rises

Victoria Law Feb 01, 2018

Florida Prisoners are on Strike to Protest Price Gouging and Their ‘Current Slave Arrangement’

Bryce Covert

Pennsylvania’s Death Row Prisoners Argue That the Right to Execute Does Not Include the Right to Isolate

Maura Ewing Jan 31, 2018

Did Prosecutorial Misconduct Result in the Indictment of an African-American Louisiana Couple in a Federal Drug Case?

Max Rivlin-Nadler Jan 30, 2018

After New York Sues Opioid Manufacturers, Drug Policy Experts Warn That Legal Action Won’t Save Lives

Zachary A. Siegel Jan 29, 2018

Cyntoia Brown and the Years Lost by Juvenile Lifers

Colin Miller

Proposed Federal Trafficking Legislation Has Surprising Opponents: Advocates Who Work With Trafficking Victims

Melissa Gira Grant Jan 26, 2018

Massachusetts and New York Prosecutors’ Bail ‘Reforms’ Permit Business as Usual

Jessica Brand Jan 25, 2018

Philadelphia to Make History with Nation’s First Supervised Injection Facility

Christopher Moraff

California Ruling Could Give Accused Gang Members a Chance to Clear Their Names

Maura Ewing Jan 24, 2018

Jury For White Man Who Killed Black NFL Player Has One Black Person

Aviva Shen Jan 23, 2018

Federal Court Hears Constitutional Challenge to a New York Statute that Incarcerates Working Class People of Color

Jon Campbell

Death by Prosecution: Was There a Bigger Player in Drug Case Involving Man Who Killed Himself After Federal Indictment?

Zachary A. Siegel Jan 22, 2018

Broken Covenant: A Homeless Youth Organization’s Assault on Trafficking Is Making Women More Vulnerable

Melissa Gira Grant

How Philadelphia’s Social Media-Driven Gang Policing Is Stealing Years From Young People

Max Rivlin-Nadler Jan 19, 2018

Even With A Governor’s Pardon, Jesus Aguirre, Jr. Is Still a Gang Member According to Orange County

Jessica Pishko Jan 18, 2018

Inertia and the Death Penalty

Lee Kovarsky Jan 17, 2018

New DOJ Report Demonstrates Stunning Disingenuity on Cases Involving Sexual Exploitation of Children

Guy Hamilton-Smith

Philadelphia Media Slam Newly Elected DA Krasner for Firings but House Cleaning Advances His Promise of Equal Justice

Daniel Denvir Jan 16, 2018

Stop and Frisk Apologies Prove that the Mic Must be Passed to People Most Affected by the Police

Josmar Trujillo Jan 15, 2018

How a Group Policing Model Is Criminalizing Whole Communities

Max Rivlin-Nadler Jan 12, 2018

For New York Prisoners, a Package Policy that Effectively Pits TV Against Books

A little-known New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision policy has limited access to books in at least nine prisons for years.

Rebecca McCray Jan 11, 2018

“Murder Every Day but the Spotlight on Bike Life”: Amid 343 Homicides, Baltimore Police Crack Down on Dirt Bikes

Brandon Soderberg Jan 10, 2018

Disrupting and Re-imagining the Role of Prosecutors: A New Focus on Re-entry and Rehabilitation

Courtney Oliva Jan 05, 2018

I was Raped. And I Believe The Brock Turner Sentence Is a Success Story.

Meaghan Ybos Jan 04, 2018

I was Raped. And I Believe The Brock Turner Sentence Is a Success Story.

Meaghan Ybos

Not in Vain: Our Failure to Curb Misconduct Undermines John Thompson’s Legacy

Bidish Sarma Jan 03, 2018

In Justice Today: Justice system predictions for 2018

In Justice Today Jan 02, 2018

In Justice Today: Justice system predictions for 2018

In Justice Today invited leading thinkers in criminal justice reform to answer the question, “2018 is the year….” This is what they said.

In Justice Today

The Top Criminal Justice Wins of 2017

John Legend, Carimah Townes Dec 26, 2017

Philly’s Gang Violence Strategy Doesn’t Work. Here’s Why.

Philadelphia implemented the “focused deterrence” model of gang policing, which includes the promise of critical social services. The reality is much different.

Maura Ewing Dec 21, 2017

How a Dallas District Attorney Reached Her ‘Nixon in China’ Moment

Faith Johnson’s recent indictment of a Mesquite police officer for shooting an innocent man follows years of work by community activists.

Rebecca McCray

These NBA and NFL Stars Want Prosecutors To Stop Seeking Life Without Parole For Kids

Anquan Boldin, DeAndre Levy, Tobias Harris, Anthony Tolliver, Stan Van Gundy

In Justice Today

Washington’s Largest County Bans Solitary Confinement For Kids in Adult Jails

Carimah Townes Dec 20, 2017

Civil Rights and the White Manel

Lee Kovarsky

Amid Opioid Crisis, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Advocate for War on Drugs

Zachary A. Siegel

New Ruling May Force Louisiana To Stop Using Poor People To Bankroll Its Courts

Aviva Shen Dec 19, 2017

Jail Policies Restrict Legal Representation in North Carolina

Public defenders in Charlotte say restrictions on communication hinder their ability to help jailed clients.

Jessica Brand Dec 14, 2017

Kentucky’s Heroin Bill Was Meant to Ease the State’s Opioids Crisis; Instead It’s Increasing the State’s Prison Population

Michael Arria Dec 13, 2017

Sex Registries as Modern-Day Witch Pyres: Why Criminal Justice Reform Advocates Need to Address the Treatment of People on the Sex Offender Registry

Guy Hamilton-Smith Dec 12, 2017

The Trials of Keith Davis, Jr: How Baltimore Prosecutors Pursued a Police Shooting Victim

Brandon Soderberg Dec 11, 2017

Are Harris County Officials Trying to ‘Sabotage’ Bail Reform with Misleading Data?

Bryce Covert Dec 08, 2017

America Had Fewer Executions In 2017 Than In 23 Of The Last 25 Years

Why Execution Numbers Continue To Fall Off A Cliff

Lee Kovarsky Dec 07, 2017

The Truth About Predictive Policing and Race

Andrew Guthrie Ferguson

Not A Cardboard Cut Out: Cyntoia Brown and the Framing of a Victim

Mariame Kaba, Brit Schulte Dec 06, 2017

Will the Most Controversial Rule of Evidence be Reformed?

Anna Roberts

Jay-Z, Meek Mill Friends to 21,000 Concert Fans: Vote for Judges, Prosecutors, and Councilmen Who Want CJ Reform

“We have the power to replace these people.”

Maura Ewing Dec 05, 2017

Discredited Shaken Baby Science Sent This Father to Jail for 15 Years. His Ordeal Could End This Week.

Vince Beiser

More Than 50,000 Californians Can Get ‘Back on the Road’

Alameda County Superior Court reversed license suspensions for 54,000 people who were punished for their inability to pay fines.

Rebecca McCray Dec 04, 2017

‘Progressive DA’ Fights to Put Innocent Man Back in Prison

Meet The Prosecutor Turned Reality TV Star Who Runs One Of The Worst Offices In America.

Under District Attorney Steve Wolfson, prosecutors in Las Vegas have led the nation in new death sentences, repeatedly engaged in racist jury selection, and maintained a secret bank account to pay witnesses for their testimony in criminal cases.

Dec 01, 2017

Cyntoia Brown Case Reveals Entrenched Problems with Tennessee Juvenile Justice

State law makes it easier to throw Brown away than consider traumas youth face and offer them hope of rehabilitation.

Demetria D. Frank

Starving The Beast: Chicago’s Fight Against Police Expansion is Everyone’s Fight

Josmar Trujillo Nov 30, 2017

For Victims of Corrupt Chicago Police, An Unusual Taste of Justice

Fifteen men had their tainted convictions vacated by State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, but this isn’t the norm when it comes to prosecutors.

Rebecca McCray Nov 29, 2017

As Incidents of Police Misconduct and Abuse Pile up Nationwide, Justice for their Victims Remains Fleeting

Shaun King

Tennessee Sheriff Launches ‘Busted Bingo’ To Round Up People With Warrants

“Kiss your boyfriend goodbye.”

Carimah Townes Nov 27, 2017

Ditching the Bondsman is Only Part of the Battle for Bail Reform

The five states that have done away with commercial bond outlets still struggle with inequity when it comes to cash bail.

Rebecca McCray Nov 22, 2017

Memphis Police Failed to Properly Investigate “Hundreds” of Rape Cases, Says Former Memphis Police Sex Crimes Detective

Melissa Gira Grant Nov 21, 2017

Is Mark Gonzalez The Reformer He Promised To Be?

So far, the report card on the “Mexican Biker” prosecutor is mixed.

Carimah Townes

Cryptocurrency is the Next Frontier in the Quest to Abolish Cash Bail

A new app seeks to liberate people from more than “liberal malaise.”

Rebecca McCray Nov 15, 2017

Free Meek Mill, Philly cops panic over their new DA, LAPD caught planting drugs, 14 year old boy killed on reservation

In Justice Roundup is my weekly debrief rounding up the justice news you need to know.

Shaun King Nov 14, 2017

Commentary: Cy Vance was Re-Elected. Here are Some Ways You Can Hold him Accountable.

Josie Duffy Rice

What’s Said Is Not What’s Done: How Reagan-Era Drug Warrior Politics Dominate in Progressive Massachusetts — and What We Can Do About It.

Kade Crockford Nov 13, 2017

Commentary: Meek Mill’s Sentence Reveals Problems with Pennsylvania’s Extreme Use of Court Supervision

Reggie Shuford

Despite ‘Public Health’ Messaging, Law Enforcement Increasingly Prosecutes Overdoses as Homicides

Zachary A. Siegel Nov 08, 2017

Dispatch: A Light at the End of the Tunnel for Juvenile Lifers in Pennsylvania

Glenn E. Martin Nov 02, 2017

Hawaii Law Enforcement “Power Couple” Faces Criminal Charges

Larry Hannan Nov 01, 2017

Can a Prosecutor-Led Program Tackle Recidivism?

Community members are cautiously optimistic, but wary of the program’s emergence during election season.

Rebecca McCray Oct 31, 2017

New Data Throws Fuel on the Fire for Nashville Bail Reform

The majority of people who face misdemeanor charges remain behind bars just because they are poor

Larry Hannan Oct 27, 2017

Oklahoma Sheriffs Prepare for a Showdown Over Criminal Justice Reform

Will the state with the second highest incarceration rate get its act together?

Carimah Townes

New Study Supports Larry Krasner’s Pledge to End Cash Bail in Philly

The City Controller’s report calls on the DA’s office to “dismantle the current cash bail system”

Larry Hannan Oct 26, 2017

Cuomo Talks Justice Reform, But Clings to Archaic Knife Law

A law that results in disproportionate arrests and prosecutions of black and Latino New Yorkers will stand.

Rebecca McCray

Despite Public Outcry Over Pay-to-Play Justice, Prosecutors Just Don’t Get it

Jessica Pishko Oct 25, 2017

Indiana prosecutor takes “a hard line” on opioid dealers

Larry Hannan Oct 23, 2017

California jail hunger strikers: “We’re seeking humanity”

Alameda and Santa Clara County jail detainees round out the first week of a hunger strike for better conditions.

Rebecca McCray Oct 20, 2017

NYPD is one delete button away from losing its civil forfeiture records

Criminal charges are absent from 85 percent of all forfeiture cases in the city.

Carimah Townes

How to Make Change Happen

Shaun King

#ByeCy: Organizers call for embattled Manhattan D.A.’s resignation

A movement to oust Cyrus Vance gains steam.

Oct 19, 2017

New Orleans DA bullies public defenders for doing their job

Aviva Shen Oct 18, 2017

Prosecutors: What Makes a Reformer?

Rory Fleming Oct 17, 2017

Chicago Activists Say #NoCopAcademy; Hospital Says No Kidney For Son of Justice-Involved Dad … and more

Rory Fleming

Louisiana sheriff’s comments reflect more than racism

Heather Schoenfeld

This $2.75 gateway to jail targets New York’s poorest black neighborhoods

Rebecca McCray

Dispatches from the Still Raging Drug War

Matt Henry Oct 16, 2017

Dallas Doobies in Doubt

Jessica Pishko

This week’s top justice system stories in New York

Max Rivlin-Nadler Oct 13, 2017

Spotlight on juvenile life without parole

Matt Henry

A county in North Carolina wants to give its bail system a serious makeover

A local solution to a national problem.

Carimah Townes

Injustice Roundup: My Weekly Roundup of Stories on Abusive Police Officers, Prison Guards, and Prosecutors

Shaun King

Cy Vance’s Double Standard

Melissa Gira Grant Oct 12, 2017

Salt Lake County DA under fire after finding fatal shooting by police justified

Rebecca McCray Oct 11, 2017

No Backlog: Why the Epidemic of Untested Rape Kits Is Not a Symbol of Insufficient Police Budgets But Instead a Failure to Investigate Rape

Meaghan Ybos

Changing the Politics of Mass Incarceration

Udi Ofer Oct 10, 2017

Municipal courts in Colorado are a mess, and they’re not alone

Rebecca McCray Oct 06, 2017

Federal monitors go where they’re not wanted: Juvenile Court

Memphis critic says Juvenile Court Judge’s resistance to reforms has ‘emasculated’ Department of Justice

Wendi C. Thomas Oct 05, 2017

We Can Hold Youths Accountable Without Life Without Parole

Eric Alexander Oct 04, 2017

Money bail system challenged in Jacksonville, Florida

Larry Hannan

When Some People Are Below The Law

Roy L. Austin Sep 28, 2017

Prior Conviction Impeachment: Is Reform Finally Afoot?

Anna Roberts Sep 26, 2017

A Step Toward Justice: Facing Race and Fear in the Criminal Justice System

Vincent M. Southerland Sep 25, 2017

What Donald Trump Can Learn From Colin Kaepernick

Shaun King Sep 23, 2017

Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution

Glenn E. Martin Sep 22, 2017

Contra Costa County will stop forcing families to pay for incarcerated kids

The decision was unanimous.

Carimah Townes Sep 21, 2017

Alameda County arraignments head back to Oakland

Rebecca McCray Sep 20, 2017

Sessions scales back federal reform as police-community relations continue to crumble

Rebecca McCray Sep 19, 2017

Florida’s gross criminalization of disaster relief

Shaun King Sep 18, 2017

Safety in numbers: Will District Attorneys support saving lives?

Jessica Pishko Sep 14, 2017

Utah County to Create A Prosecutor Watchdog Group

Larry Hannan

Louisiana’s death penalty prosecutor takes aim at his legal opponents

Aviva Shen Sep 12, 2017

Can Marilyn Mosby still make good on her progressive promises?

Rebecca McCray Sep 11, 2017

Congress should leave marijuana to the states

Jonathan Blanks Sep 07, 2017

Justice is now further out of reach for Alameda County residents

Rebecca McCray Sep 06, 2017

#SwipeItForward & the Decriminalization of Farebeating in New York City

Activists in New York City are engaging in profound acts of resistance against over-policing in the subways. Politicians are listening, but are they really hearing them?

Jocelyn Simonson Aug 30, 2017

Life sentence thrown out for Wyoming juvenile over prosecutor objections

Larry Hannan Aug 29, 2017

Oregon makes drug possession a misdemeanor over prosecutor objections

Aug 25, 2017

Will Contra Costa County’s next District Attorney commit to criminal justice reform?

Rebecca McCray Aug 23, 2017

California’s district attorneys at odds with voters over criminal justice reform

District attorneys want to keep an outdated system alive.

Carimah Townes

ACLU of FL urges reforms to reduce Escambia County’s high incarceration rate

Larry Hannan Aug 21, 2017

Trapped — Brave New Films presents The Bail Trap game

Robert Greenwald

Father of five arrested for leaving kids unattended while at work

Rebecca McCray

American Bar Association endorses multiple criminal justice reform proposals

Larry Hannan Aug 18, 2017

Basic constitutional rights still denied in misdemeanor courts

Rebecca McCray

A chance at freedom, barely

Jessica Pishko

Does childhood end at 18?

Jessica Pishko Aug 17, 2017

New head of Louisiana District Attorney’s Association no friend of reform

Larry Hannan Aug 16, 2017

Cook County prosecutor fights to keep a new mom out of jail

Larry Hannan Aug 15, 2017

Marin County teenager tried as adult gets new hearing under Prop. 57

Larry Hannan Aug 11, 2017

Even in the deep red South, death sentences are on the decline

Rebecca McCray Aug 10, 2017

A Deal with the Devil: What It Truly Costs to Make a Plea Deal

Mehak Anwar

Life sentence for Louisiana man convicted for juvenile crime found to be unconstitutional

Larry Hannan Jul 28, 2017

Life sentence for Louisiana man convicted for juvenile crime found to be unconstitutional

Larry Hannan

Bail bond industry fights back against reform

Alex S. Vitale Jul 27, 2017

To fix the justice system, shrink and reform community supervision

Michelle S. Phelps

Court holds that retroactive extension of sex offender registration is punitive

Bidish Sarma

Why is the Bronx District Attorney holding Pedro Hernandez at Rikers Island?

Nick Encalada-Malinowski Jul 24, 2017

Davidson County, TN’s cash bail system under scrutiny

Jul 19, 2017

Dear Jeff Sessions, prosecuting guns more aggressively won’t make us safer

Benjamin Levin

New documentary explores the false freedom of life on parole

Rebecca McCray Jul 18, 2017

Manhattan D.A. pledges to curtail prosecutions of subway fare jumpers, but it’s complicated

Larry Hannan Jul 17, 2017

Judges matter when it comes to treating kids like kids

Larry Hannan Jul 11, 2017

California Supreme Court finds “discriminatory bias” in prosecution’s use of peremptory jury strikes

Larry Hannan Jul 05, 2017

Bail reform embraced by Cook County State’s Attorney

Larry Hannan

Police and Prosecutors Should Do More to Protect Immigrants

Edgar De Leon Jun 30, 2017

The sad, stupid and tragic fall of Seth Williams

Larry Hannan Jun 28, 2017

Los Angeles Can Take Further Steps to Protect Its Immigrant Neighbors

Dallas County prosecutors will not charge police in teenager’s tasing death

Larry Hannan Jun 27, 2017

Austin prosecutor declines to retry couple locked up for over 20 years

Larry Hannan Jun 23, 2017

In Mississippi, a Lost Second Chance for Gerome Moore

“You look like a cold-blooded monster.”

Rebecca McCray Jun 22, 2017

Michigan man’s exoneration after decades in prison shows importance of holding prosecutors accountable

Larry Hannan Jun 16, 2017

Policing Northeast Commentary

Media Frame: Stop Quoting Bill Bratton

For far too long, the press has leaned on wrong-headed tough-on-crime officials like the former NYPD commissioner when reporting on the criminal legal system.

Jonathan Ben-Menachem Jul 22, 2019

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