Pregnant Women Allege Abuse in Texas Jails
At the same time, state lawmakers are pushing to incarcerate more people pretrial.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg May 28, 2021
Republican Lawmakers Are Using the Capitol Riot to Fuel Anti-BLM Backlash
Some lawmakers are citing the violence in Washington as a reason to pass laws that criminalize protesting, but far-right extremists aren’t the target.
Meg O'Connor Jan 19, 2021
Pennsylvania Democrats Had a Chance to Reject Law Limiting Philly D.A.’s Authority
Lawmakers say Republicans used deceptive tactics to pass the controversial bill. The legislative record tells a different story.
Joshua Vaughn Jul 25, 2019
Spotlight: Incarcerated Women Helped Draft New York Law to Free Domestic Violence Survivors
The content of New York’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act represents a new kind of lawmaking—a process that originates with the people who have the most at stake and is shepherded by a diverse coalition.
Sarah Lustbader Jun 06, 2019
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
A Flurry of Bills Followed Larry Nassar’s Conviction. Here’s Why That’s a Problem.
The history of child sex abuse legislation in the United States follows a well-worn pattern: a chilling incident rouses public anger and fear, to which lawmakers respond with expansive, emotionally charged legislative action. The 1994 Jacob Wetterling Act, the first law to establish federal guidelines requiring states to implement sex offender registries, was named after […]
Natasha Lennard May 25, 2018
Senators call for ending money bail in new bipartisan legislation
Two United State Senators have proposed reforming money bail as a way to lower the incarceration rate in the country. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) are co-sponsoring the Pretrial Integrity and Safety Act, which would “encourage states to reform or replace the bail system.” The U.S. Department of Justice would provide grants […]
Larry Hannan Jul 24, 2017