What It Means to Spend the Holidays Behind Bars Incarcerated writers reflect on the pain, joy, and other complicated emotions associated with getting in the so-called "holiday spirit" in prison. Chris Blackwell, Antoine E. Davis, Jonathan Kirkpatrick, Aaron Edward Olson & Raymond Williams
Amid Fears of Crime and Mental Illness, States Move to Expand Forced Treatment Advocates of assisted outpatient treatment say it could reduce homelessness and mass shootings. Critics call it incarceration by another name. Caleb Brennan
The Movement That Is Upending Landlords’ Power Over Tenants There has been a ‘parabolic increase’ in cities and states giving tenants a right to counsel to help fight evictions. Abigail Savitch-Lew
The Movement to Guarantee Legal Help for Struggling Renters Is ‘Taking Root’ in Connecticut Only 7 percent of tenants in the state have legal representation in eviction proceedings. A bill in the Connecticut house is trying to change that. Bryce Covert
Children Can Be On Their Own When Grilled By Police. The Push for Protection is Growing Several states, including Maryland, are considering bills to protect minors from abusive police interrogations. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Most Tenants Facing Eviction Don’t Have a Right to an Attorney. Lawmakers Want to Change That Numerous city councils and state legislatures are debating giving renters a right to counsel, which can make the difference between stability and catastrophe. Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Tarra Simmons, Candidate for Washington State Legislature, Is Fighting To Give People A First Chance The attorney, who is a person formerly convicted of a felony, has attracted support and praise from people around the country. Eoin Higgins
Coalition’s Efforts Amid Coronavirus Derail Plans For New Women’s Prison The onset of COVID-19—and the need for social distancing—gave an unexpected boost to efforts against plans for a new prison in Washington. Victoria Law
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. Jessica Pishko
Their Juvenile Records Were Sealed. Decades Later, They’ve Reappeared. The Washington State Patrol has added thousands of old sealed juvenile records to a database it shares with law enforcement agencies across the country—erasing for many their chance of a clean slate. Tori Marlan
Chicago’s Top Prosecutor: Clearing Marijuana Records Will Be ‘Life-Changing’ Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is partnering with a technology nonprofit to expunge tens of thousands of minor marijuana convictions. Other jurisdictions could follow. Kira Lerner
How a D.C. Lawmaker is Challenging the Racist Roots of Prison Voting Restrictions Right now, only the whitest states—Maine and Vermont—allow prisoners to vote. Washington, D.C., could change that. Kira Lerner
When Running Away From Home Means Getting Locked Up Washington detains more children for status offenses such as truancy and running away than any other state in the country. State lawmakers want to change that. Charlotte West
ICE Is Using Driver’s License Applications To Arrest Immigrants More states are giving undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses, but many DMVs are sharing their information with ICE. Debbie Nathan
Man Convicted Of Obstruction For Refusing To Open His Door For Police If his conviction stands, it could criminalize people who refuse to do things like unlock their phones or garages at police request. Levi Pulkkinen
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
Man Sentenced As ‘Career Criminal’ Gets His First Chance At Freedom In 48 Years Despite a 2015 Supreme Court ruling limiting the mandatory minimum law, few people are seeing relief. Levi Pulkkinen
The Family Of An Unarmed High Schooler Shot By Police Begs For ‘Real Change’ The King County Sheriff's Office told reporters Tommy Le had a knife. He was actually holding a pen. Levi Pulkkinen
