Political Report Newsletter The Appeal: Political Report’s newsletter, written by Daniel Nichanian, casts a light on the local politics of mass incarceration and criminal justice reform. It focuses on elections, policies and decisions to reveal the political choices sustaining mass incarceration, and on alternatives that call those choices into question. Sign up for the newsletter here. You can also find The Political Report, a vertical of The Appeal that contains articles and stories, interactive tools, and ongoing series with which to follow these issues, here.
Two Mayoral Elections May Shape Policing Next Week The Appeal: Political Report’s April 2 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Apr 02, 2021
Efforts to Abolish the Death Penalty Triumph in the South for the First Time The Appeal: Political Report’s March 25 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Mar 25, 2021
Debates Around Criminal Justice Reform Take Center Stage in a Slate of Red States The Appeal: Political Report’s March 11 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Mar 11, 2021
Mandatory Minimum Reform Derails in Virginia but Legislature Tackles Other Bills The Appeal: Political Report’s March 4 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Mar 04, 2021
Cash Bail, Death Penatly, Pot: A 12-hour Span Brings Reform Milestones The Appeal: Political Report’s February 25 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Feb 25, 2021
Conflicts over Prosecution and Policing Ramp Up in California The Appeal: Political Report’s February 18 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Feb 18, 2021
In New York, Local Elections Heat Up, Amid New Moves Against Criminalizing Sex Work The Appeal: Political Report’s February 11 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Feb 11, 2021
Lawmakers Address the Size of Policing, the Death Penalty, Sex Work The Appeal: Political Report’s Feb. 4 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Feb 04, 2021
2021 Brings Movement Against the Death Penalty and for Voting Rights in States The Appeal: Political Report’s January 28 newsletter. Daniel Nichanian Jan 28, 2021
D.C. Adopts a “Second Look” Law, and More Local Races Loom on 2021 Horizon The Appeal: Political Report’s January 21 newsletter Daniel Nichanian Jan 21, 2021
Our New Interactive Tool to Follow Tuesday’s Criminal Justice Battlegrounds Daniel Nichanian Oct 29, 2020
California Legislature Passes Series of Reforms, and Prosecutors Roll Out New Policies Also today: Cooperation with ICE is at stake in Louisiana's October elections. Daniel Nichanian Sep 19, 2019
Federal Judge Rebukes the Willie Horton Strategy Also today: Michigan advocates push for expungement reform Daniel Nichanian Sep 13, 2019
Illinois Banned a Prized ICE Program. Why Are So Few Blue States Doing the Same? Also today: How an attorney general candidate wants to reform criminal justice Daniel Nichanian Sep 06, 2019
Joe Arpaio Is Running for Sheriff, Again Also today: A Q&A with Jim Hingeley, a longtime public defender who is running for prosecutor to fight “family separation” Daniel Nichanian Aug 29, 2019
Reform Prosecutors Respond to U.S. Attorney General, Announce New Drug Policies Also today: Can Louisiana continue reducing its incarceration rate? Daniel Nichanian Aug 22, 2019
Prosecutor Sends Staff to Prison, U.S. Attorney General Attacks Reform DAs Also today: Colorado organizers prepare for the 2020 legislative session Daniel Nichanian Aug 15, 2019
Challengers Defeat Two Virginia Prosecutors, Hint at Reform Coalition Also today: Colorado's Democratic governor opposed banning ICE contracts Daniel Nichanian Jun 13, 2019
Virginia’s Primaries Could Overhaul Prosecution, and Three States Reform Their Drug Laws Illinois is legalizing marijuana, while Colorado and Oklahoma confront drug possession. Daniel Nichanian Jun 06, 2019
Big Week for Reform: States Abolish the Death Penalty, Expand Voting Rights Spotlight on Colorado, Nevada, and New Hampshire Daniel Nichanian May 31, 2019
Pittsburgh’s Punitive DA Wins Primary. Reformer Ousts the Philly Sheriff. Also today: Montana, North Dakota, and Washington State adopt reforms. Daniel Nichanian May 23, 2019
Pennsylvania Primaries Are a Week Away Also today: What is sheriffs' role toward the opioid crisis? Daniel Nichanian May 16, 2019
Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders and Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap Discuss Prison Voting In voting rights special, we also bring you the latest on rights restoration reforms nationwide Daniel Nichanian May 02, 2019
Illinois Reform Part of a Wave of Challenges to Age Cutoff of Youth Justice Also today: Criminal justice reform bills advance in Montana, Oklahoma, and elsewhere Daniel Nichanian Apr 25, 2019
New York’s DA Elections Will Shape Prosecutorial Practices, and a Virginia Candidate Discusses His Platform Also today: Officials announce criminal justice reforms in Texas, Virginia, Utah Daniel Nichanian Apr 18, 2019
New Jersey’s Sheriff’s Elections Take Shape, While a Key New York Race Goes Uncontested Also today: Key legislative developments from Virginia, South Dakota, and Iowa Daniel Nichanian Apr 11, 2019
Durham Connects Transportation and Criminal Justice Reform, New York Tackles Discovery and Bail Also today: An interview with a candidate for DA in Pittsburgh Daniel Nichanian, Joshua Vaughn Apr 04, 2019
DA Elections Take Shape in Pennsylvania, and Boston DA Announces New Reforms Also today: The Political Report revisits efforts to reform rights restoration in Mississippi Daniel Nichanian Mar 28, 2019
A Nationwide Push for Expungement Reform, and New Marijuana Policies in the Twin Cities Also today: The Political Report launches a new series on the powers of sheriffs Daniel Nichanian Mar 21, 2019
Delaware Attorney General Issues Reforms, and States Move to Halt the Death Penalty Also today: Jacksonville, Florida Prepares to vote for Sheriff Daniel Nichanian Mar 14, 2019
Stage Is Set for 2019 Mississippi DA Elections, and a Hawaii Voting Rights Proposal Stalls Also today: an interview with Shani Curry Mitchell, candidate for Rochester District Attorney Daniel Nichanian Mar 07, 2019
Vermont Reformers Target Life Imprisonment, and a North Carolina Sheriff Restricts Ties with ICE Also today: A review of legislative developments in Indiana, New York, and Utah Daniel Nichanian Feb 28, 2019
States Consider Death Penalty Repeal, Virginia Candidate Explains How She Would Fight Mass Incarceration, and More Also today: Study measures impact of bail reform in Philadelphia Daniel Nichanian Feb 22, 2019
North Carolina Sheriff Restricts Ties with ICE, but Colorado Sheriff Strengthens Them Also today: Houston prosecutor’s bid to hire more prosecutors falls short Daniel Nichanian Feb 13, 2019
Prosecutors announce new pot policies, & Massachusetts organizers push to expand voting rights Daniel Nichanian Feb 07, 2019
Jacksonville Sheriff Candidate Discusses Police Oversight, Northampton County DA Race Takes Shape, and More Daniel Nichanian Jan 31, 2019
Advocates’ Case for Equity in Marijuana Legalization, a Conversation about Policing in Jacksonville, and More Daniel Nichanian Jan 25, 2019
California Reforms Go into Effect, Anne Arundel’s ICE Contracts Come to an End, and more Daniel Nichanian Jan 17, 2019
New Mexico Bill Would Eradicate Felony Disenfranchisement, Arkansas Activists Take on 287(g), and More Daniel Nichanian Jan 10, 2019
Prosecutors and Sheriffs Elected in 2018 Take Office, and Plenty Will Be Elected in 2019, Too Daniel Nichanian Jan 04, 2019
What Pennsylvania’s DA Association Stands for, Spotlight on Disenfranchisement in Nevada, and More Daniel Nichanian Dec 20, 2018
North Carolina’s largest counties quit ICE program, what it means to run as a nonpolitical prosecutor, and more Daniel Nichanian Dec 13, 2018
Punitive turn looms on Florida court, New Jersey limits ICE cooperation while postponing some decisions, and more Daniel Nichanian Dec 06, 2018
How Medicaid expansion & criminal justice reform intersected, spotlight on disenfranchisement in Mississippi, and more Daniel Nichanian Nov 29, 2018
New momentum for bail reform, marijuana legalization, and resistance to ICE Daniel Nichanian Nov 09, 2018
Marijuana prosecutions are in the spotlight in Minneapolis and Birmingham Daniel Nichanian Nov 01, 2018
Nashville considers implementing an independent police oversight board, and more Daniel Nichanian Oct 25, 2018
Four states could legalize marijuana, and other initiatives on the ballot next month Daniel Nichanian Oct 18, 2018
New California laws will help thousands have old convictions vacated, expunged, or reduced Daniel Nichanian Oct 04, 2018
Bergen County sheriff resigns after racist remarks. What’s next in New Jersey? Daniel Nichanian Sep 27, 2018
7 progressives defeat NY senators. Two discuss criminal justice reform. Daniel Nichanian Sep 20, 2018
Eight legislative reforms await the California governor’s signature, and more Daniel Nichanian Sep 13, 2018
Trio of Massachusetts primaries will shape state’s criminal justice system Daniel Nichanian Aug 30, 2018
David Clarke’s chief deputy ousted in Milwaukee, two states debate marijuana, and more Daniel Nichanian Aug 16, 2018
A transformative moment in St. Louis County, and Wisconsin elections around the corner Daniel Nichanian Aug 09, 2018
The Ferguson protests are resonating in St. Louis County’s Aug. 7 elections, and more Daniel Nichanian Aug 01, 2018
As the governor reforms sheriff payments, all eyes on the legislature and on elections in Etowah and Morgan counties Daniel Nichanian Jul 23, 2018
