Jessica Pishko
Jessica Pishko
Articles by Jessica Pishko
Why Do People Keep Dying in Harris County Jail?
The Texas jail is bursting at the seams as officials push for more pretrial incarceration.
The Defund Movement Aims to Change the Policing and Prosecution of Domestic Violence
Though domestic violence is often cited as a reason to maintain the carceral status quo, advocates say there are more humane—and effective—alternatives.
Washington Sheriff Faces Recall Efforts for Endangering Public Health
The Snohomish County sheriff is among a string of officials nationwide who have combined a refusal to enforce lockdown orders with broader policies of increased policing and arrests.
When Sheriffs Choose to Help ICE
When people are arrested and booked into a local jail, they often end up on ICE’s radar. Sheriffs are a major reason why.
Policing Coronavirus
As infections and deaths mount, state leaders and law enforcement are turning to tough-on-crime tactics in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak.
What Sheriffs Can Do To Slow the Coronavirus Outbreak
Sheriffs wield enormous power, and they can direct it in ways that will help contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect incarcerated people.
Prosecutors Across U.S. Call for Action to Mitigate Spread of Coronavirus in Jails and Prisons
In a joint statement, they emphasized the need to reduce the number of people currently incarcerated in order to contain the deadly COVID-19 virus.
Cash Bail Is Creating a Crisis in Rural Jails
A federal lawsuit alleges lack of due process in a rural Tennessee county, and reform advocates say its jail is hardly an outlier.
Why Has Jackie Lacey’s Conviction Review Unit Exonerated So Few People?
Critics say there may be systemic problems with how the unit is run within the Los Angeles County DA’s office.
What Kim Ogg Gets Wrong About Work, Poverty, and Crime
The attitude behind the Harris County district attorney’s message to ‘put down your gun and pick up an employment application’ is outdated.
When a Sheriff’s Jail Is Emptied
New York sheriffs are fighting the state’s cuts to pretrial detention. But bail reform can push sheriffs to embrace shrinking jails.
Los Angeles County Democratic Party Endorses George Gascón for District Attorney
The former San Francisco DA got the nod over incumbent Jackie Lacey, whose tenure advocates and activists have long criticized as lackluster.
How District Attorney Jackie Lacey Failed Los Angeles
On a host of issues—including police shootings, bail reform, marijuana legalization, and the death penalty—critics say Lacey, once seen as a reformer, has sought to preserve the status quo.
How Sheriffs’ Power and Autonomy Make Them Central Players for Policing Reform
Our ongoing series on the role of sheriffs turns to a site of heated political battles: policing powers.
In Liberal California, A Crusader Against Criminal Justice Reform
Assemblymember Jim Cooper is pushing to roll back changes that have successfully reduced incarceration.
America’s New ‘Sheriff of the Year’ Pushed to Allow Teachers to Carry Weapons in School
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri of Pinellas County, Florida, is one of the state’s most controversial lawmen.
An Infamous Louisiana Sheriff Is On His Way Out. Now What?
Louis Ackal has said he isn’t seeking re-election. But advocates fear that may not be enough to bring change.
The Opioid Crisis and the Elected Sheriff
Sheriffs often control access to treatment in jail and shape law enforcement attitudes toward the opioid crisis. What are their roles?
Are Sheriffs Necessary?
Advocates are pushing to abolish the office in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
Hundreds Stuck in California Prisons as Prosecutors Seek to Block New Law
Senate Bill 1437 virtually eliminated the ‘felony-murder rule,’ but district attorneys aren’t ready to let it go.
Jail Deaths and the Elected Sheriff
Jail deaths happen with alarming regularity. The Badge probes the responsibility of sheriffs.
How A No-Knock Raid in Austin Turned Into a Lethal Shootout
‘There were explosions everywhere ... I had no idea who was in the house.’
At Angola Prison, ‘People Are Suffering. People Are Dying’
Trial begins in class action suit alleging medical neglect by Louisiana State Penitentiary.
Caretaker Faces Deportation Over Dubious ‘Shaken Baby’ Conviction
After being released from prison, her only chance is a pardon from the governor.
Expert: Crime registries turn people into pariahs with ‘very little to lose’
New types of registries are being created around the country, despite research showing they don’t work.
Why This Mother And Daughter Were Jailed Without Being Charged With A Crime
A teenage girl spent weeks in jail, and her mother is still locked up on a $150,000 bond.
Is The Yolo County District Attorney Betraying CA Voters?
By charging shoplifters with felonies, Jeff Reisig is circumventing Prop 47, intended to reduce CA prison populations.
Why Would Prosecutors Refuse DNA Testing?
In this Oregon capital case, it could ensure that the state doesn’t execute the wrong man.