The Point, an editorial page for the social web, telling the story of how policy, politics, and the legal system shape the lives of everyday people in America through a product focused on getting to … the point.
Molly Greene Feb 25, 2021
The Point Thousands of people are locked inside prisons serving sentences that would never be imposed today. Prosecutors can help right the wrongs of our past by establishing sentencing review units to review and correct… Read More
Nikki Trautman Baszynski Feb 23, 2021
The Point In the Trump administration, criminal justice data was hidden, manipulated, and politicized. If President Biden wants to enact meaningful criminal justice reform, he must fix—and fully fund—the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau… Read More
Molly Greene Feb 22, 2021
The Point States should pass legislation and direct their budgets to programs and services that create real community safety instead of asking law enforcement to respond to problems that armed officers are ill-equipped to solve. … Read More
Nikki Trautman Baszynski Feb 19, 2021
The Point A key part of public safety is making sure the right people respond to the right needs. St. Louis’s next mayor can ensure that trained civilian responders, instead of armed police officers, respond… Read More
Anna Kurien Feb 16, 2021
The Point The goal of traffic enforcement is safety. To keep residents safe, cities should shift enforcement to a civilian agency and increase automated enforcement. There are better ways to promote road safety: Cities should… Read More
Molly Greene Feb 12, 2021
The Point Giving people money so that they can meet their basic needs—food, shelter, clothing—is an old idea that is gaining new momentum. Cities should implement guaranteed income programs. Local officials have the power to… Read More
Molly Greene Feb 11, 2021
The Point One of America’s most populous counties is piloting an income guarantee to young adults who age out of the foster care system, providing much-needed support for vulnerable youth transitioning into adulthood. Other cities… Read More
Nikki Trautman Baszynski Feb 10, 2021
The Point Biden wants to end the death penalty. His first and most important step must be commuting the sentence of every person on federal death row. Biden can take immediate action to end the… Read More
Molly Greene Feb 08, 2021
The Point President Biden is looking to nominate public defenders, civil rights attorneys, and legal aid lawyers to the federal judiciary to offset the current corporate- and prosecutor-heavy bench. Senators should help him do so.… Read More
Lindsey Carlson McLendon Feb 04, 2021
The Point Cash bail punishes the poor, keeps jails overcrowded, and destabilizes people and communities. Illinois just passed a bill to end it; other states should follow suit. Illinois has created a blueprint for other… Read More
Sarah Silins Feb 03, 2021
The Point Public transportation is a critical lifeline—it’s how people get to their jobs, doctors, food, and education. Cities should work to make it accessible and available to everyone, and the federal government must support… Read More
Emily Wonder Feb 02, 2021
The Point In the wake of The San Francisco Chronicle’s revelation that the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) has misspent $2.88 million in restricted funds, State Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager has called for investigations and hearings… Read More
Nikki Trautman Baszynski Feb 01, 2021
The Point Jails across the country are nearing or exceeding pre-pandemic incarceration levels. Government officials—especially judges, sheriffs, and prosecutors—must work quickly to release people inside jails and divert those who are still being booked into… Read More
Matt Ferner Jan 29, 2021
The Point Irresponsible journalism, including at some of the most respected news outlets in the country, has fueled mass incarceration. It’s time to call out these journalists—the ones who routinely fearmonger, mislead, and act as… Read More
Jevhon Rivers Jan 28, 2021
The Point: As many as 40 million people in America are at risk of losing their homes. Judges can play a critical role in stopping the ongoing eviction crisis. Judges have the power to keep… Read More
Seanniece Bamiro Jan 27, 2021
The Point: President Biden and the new Democrat-controlled Congress must provide real relief by sending every person in America a monthly $2,000 survival check until the pandemic ends. One more check is not enough: Instead… Read More
Nikki Trautman Baszynski Jan 26, 2021
The Point: There are thousands of people locked inside federal prisons who don’t need to be there. Through clemency, a singular power and responsibility that the Constitution entrusts to the president, President Biden can return… Read More
