Daniel Nichanian

Vermont and Massachusetts legislation would abolish life without parole sentences, while other states consider that reform for minors.

Buncombe County’s Quentin Miller is the state’s fifth new sheriff to say he will stop honoring ICE detainers since the 2018 elections.

New York coalition pushes for decriminalization for sex work, Utah considers deportation consequences, and more.

Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, a candidate for prosecutor, explains how she wants to fight mass incarceration in Arlington.

Also today: Study measures impact of bail reform in Philadelphia

The Wyoming Senate votes down abolition weeks after it cleared the House, while repeal bills advance in Washington & New Hampshire

Krasner limited monetary payments as a condition for pretrial release. A new study finds that this had no ill effect on court attendance or recidivism.

Youth justice bills introduced in Maryland; Missouri mulls early release; Iowa and Kentucky consider expanding voting rights

California, Michigan, and North Dakota debate the age of youth justice This update is part of the weekly Political Report newsletter. Find more on our legislative round-up page. California A new California law (Senate Bill 1391) bars anyone under 16 from being tried as an adult. But many DAs have challenged it in court. In an interview, Santa […]

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg’s budget request has sparked calls for her office to adopt a policy of declining to prosecute certain cases.

A proposed bill would restrict the Colorado sheriffs’ ability to detain people for ICE and enter deals with the agency.

Bobby Kimbrough announces that he will no longer honor ICE detainer requests nor allow ICE to detain people in the county jail.

Also today: Houston prosecutor’s bid to hire more prosecutors falls short

In St. Louis, Chicago, and Baltimore, prosecutors have announced a policy of not prosecuting marijuana possession or have launched a new expungement program.

South Carolina mulls sentencing reforms, New Jersey adopts police accountability bill, death penalty repeal moves forward in Wyoming, and more Many of the laws that govern the American criminal justice system are set at the state level. Explore the latest developments on criminal justice reform in state legislatures around the country with the Political Report’s interactive […]

Advocates pursue many fronts to push for incarcerated individuals to have electoral voice, two decades Massachusetts restricted the franchise.

In This Edition of the Political Report February 7, 2019: Massachusetts: Lawmakers consider restoring voting rights, but organizers are not waiting Illinois, Maryland, Missouri: Three prosecutors announce new marijuana policies Legislative round-up: South Carolina mulls sentencing reforms, New Jersey adopts police accountability bill, death penalty repeal moves forward in Wyoming, and more You can visit […]

In three GOP-governed states, a push to reform marijuana restrictions, repeal the death penalty, curb driver’s license suspensions

The county’s first deputy DA and chief public defender are running in the May 21 primary.

Tony Cummings, running for sheriff in Jacksonville’s March elections, lays out views on police accountability, civilian review boards, immigration.

In This Edition of the Political Report January 31, 2019: Florida: Candidate for Jacksonville sheriff explains platform on police accountability, civilian review boards, immigration Kansas: Supporters of the Medicaid expansion highlight its link to providing drug treatment Pennsylvania: First deputy DA and chief public defender enter race to replace Northampton DA   Florida, Montana, Wyoming: In […]

An organizer with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee explains why her group is focused on the policing practices of the sheriff’s office, two months from local elections.

A legislative committee in the state House voted 5 to 3 to move HB 57 forward without a recommendation.

State advocates demand that politicians be more attentive to confronting the harm that marijuana prohibition has caused.

In This Edition of the Political Report January 25, 2019: Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey: Advocates explain how marijuana legalization should tackle social and racial justice Florida: A conversation about policing in Jacksonville with organizer Marcia Garcia Kentucky: Poll finds strong support for restoring voting rights post-sentence New Mexico: Bill to end felony disenfranchisement moves forward […]

Activists rally for Arizona and Virginia sentencing reform, Connecticut commission releases recommendations

The latest on reform prospects in Arizona, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, and New York

In This Edition of the Political Report January 17, 2019: California: New laws go into effect, as implementation challenges still lie ahead Maryland: Anne Arundel’s two ICE partnerships come to an end, unexpectedly Legislative round-up: Surveying reform prospects in Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico You can visit the Appeal: Political Report website to read our […]

“We don’t believe local government and local communities should be making money by causing harm to other community members,” said one advocate.

Police transparency, marijuana expungement, and more: Jerry Brown signed a series of reforms that just went into effect, but their implementation hinge in part on local officials.

Can New Mexico provide a new model for ambitious voting-rights reform?

In This Edition of the Political Report January 10, 2019:  New Mexico: New legislation would eliminate felony disenfranchisement Arkansas: Benton and Washington county activists organize against ICE’s 287(g) program Florida, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, and Texas: The 2018 elections have consequences You can visit the Appeal: Political Report website to read our latest analyses of […]

Two counties in northwest Arkansas joined the 287(g) program with ICE more than a decade ago. A coalition of local groups is organizing to end that cooperation.

Aout 500 prosecutors and sheriffs will be elected in 2019, nearly all in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

In This Edition of the Political Report January 4, 2019: About 500 prosecutors and sheriffs will be elected in 2019. The Appeal: Political Report welcomes you to the new year by introducing what’s ahead. Nationwide: Will the 2019 elections do justice to how local politics shapes mass incarceration? Queens, Pittsburgh, Arlington, and more: Where to look in […]

A series of electoral victories signals a nationwide shift.

In This Edition of the Political Report December 20, 2018: Pennsylvania: Spotlight on the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association Missouri: How activists helped change St. Louis Nevada: State prepares to reform its disenfranchisement rules, but will it go further? New Jersey, New York, Oregon: Reviewing legislative debates You can visit the Appeal: Political Report website to […]

As a growing number of reformers run as prosecutors, the PDAA’s public role and rhetoric don’t bear significant traces of these changes.

But it will still retain a system that is harsh by national standards and will disenfranchise large numbers of residents.

“We saw [the prosecutor’s] race as being very pivotal in restoring hope to the community and in changing the course of history.”