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Vaidya Gullapalli

Vaidya Gullapalli, senior legal counsel at The Justice Collaborative, spent several years as a human rights advocate, public defender, and journalist in the U.S. and India. She worked at the Bronx Defenders and Officer of the Appellate Defender in New York and has been a contributing writer for Solitary Watch.

Life Sentences Lock Away Too Many People And Too Much Potential

Spotlights like this one provide original commentary and analysis on pressing criminal justice issues of the day. You can read them each day in our newsletter, The Daily Appeal. Yesterday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, hundreds gathered to call on state Attorney General Josh Shapiro to “show mercy” and increase his support for clemency. The state’s clemency process allows even a […]

Bail Reform Was Just The Beginning Of What Democrats Were Elected To Do

In November 2018, Democrats won control of the state Senate in New York. And they did so with authority. Vivian Wang of the New York Times reported after the election: “Democrats had needed to flip only one seat to erase the Republicans’ razor-thin majority. They blew past that number, unseating five incumbents and winning three open seats.” […]

A Chance To Repeal A ‘Walking While Trans’ Ban

In 1976, New York criminalized “loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense,” a law that has allowed for policing that targets LGBTQ and immigrant New Yorkers of color. Now, a broad coalition is hoping to repeal the law, as a step towards broader decriminalization.

When Jail Time Comes With A Bill

A case before the Kentucky Supreme Court involves a challenge to the practice of charging people for the time they are held in jail even if they are ultimately not convicted of the charges against them.

Seeing The Humanity Of People Who Sell Drugs

Spotlights like this one provide original commentary and analysis on pressing criminal justice issues of the day. You can read them each day in our newsletter, The Daily Appeal. In 2014, Morgan Godvin’s best friend, Justin DeLong, experienced a fatal drug overdose. She had sold him the heroin he used. The next night, police officers raided […]

Freeing People As A Response To Prison Rape

Spotlights like this one provide original commentary and analysis on pressing criminal justice issues of the day. You can read them each day in our newsletter, The Daily Appeal. Two years ago, the executive director of Just Detention International, an organization whose mission is to end sexual assault in jails and prisons, wrote in an opinion piece for […]

Massachusetts’ Highest Court Is Urged To Address A Crisis In Indigent Defense

What you’ll read today Spotlight: Massachusetts’ highest court is urged to address a crisis in indigent defense Tuesday’s election boosts voting rights for people with past convictions Deadlocked San Francisco district attorney race shows strength of progressive prosecutor movement 39 years after a death sentence, Bobby Moore resentenced to life in prison in Texas In response to Freedom of Information request, Brooklyn […]

People in prison run enormous risks when they speak out. They need to be heard.

What you’ll read today Spotlight: People in prison run enormous risks when they speak out. They need to be heard. Rep. Ayanna Pressley unveils sweeping plan to reshape American criminal legal system The Appeal Podcast: States turn to nitrogen gas for executions, despite serious concerns As Michigan raises the age, advocates vow to press for more change After bail reform, a drop in […]

Democrats Should Deliver On Gun Control That Doesn’t Feed Mass Incarceration

What you’ll read today Spotlight: Democrats should deliver on gun control that doesn’t feed mass incarceration Why prisoners get the doctors no one else wants How district attorney Jackie Lacey failed Los Angeles Philadelphia trauma center closure could mean more shooting deaths—and more tough-on-crime talk Harmless Error: Explained After denying it existed, the NYPD finally destroyed an illegal database of children’s fingerprints Philadelphia […]