Murder Rates Are Plummeting. What Should We Make of It?
In data from over 200 cities, homicides are down a little over 19 percent when compared to a similar time frame in 2023.
Crime
Migration and the "Military-Age Male" Fallacy
Don't fall for scaremongering about "military-age male" migrants crossing the border. They are actually less dangerous than native-born citizens of the same age and gender.
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
This Elderly Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Burglar in Self-Defense—for Carrying the Gun Without a License
Vincent Yakaitis is unfortunately not the first such defendant. He will also not be the last.
California Cops Locked an Innocent Man in a Sex Offender Unit for 3 Days
Victor Manuel Martinez Wario was jailed for a total of five days, spending three of those in special housing for sex offenders.
Alabama Woman Arrested for Refusing To Give a Cop Her I.D.
Alabama law doesn't let police demand individuals' government identification. But they keep arresting people anyway.
Where Do Libertarians Stand on the Campus Wars?
Plus: A listener asks the editors about the magical thinking behind the economic ideas of Modern Monetary Theory.
The Court Was Right To Overturn Harvey Weinstein's Rape Conviction
The ruling has nothing to do with #MeToo. It is about ensuring a fair trial—a principle that applies no matter how unsympathetic the defendant.
She Only Served 10 Months Behind Bars. Florida Still Slapped Her With A $127,000 Bill.
Under Florida's "pay-to-stay" law, inmates are charged $50 for every day of their sentence—including time they never spent incarcerated.
After Iowa Police Ignored Her Pleas for Help, Her Estranged Husband Killed Her
Angela Prichard was murdered after Bellevue police officers repeatedly refused to enforce a restraining order against her abusive husband.
Why We Remember Columbine
Some crimes linger in public memory and some crimes fade away. The Columbine massacre didn't just stay with us—it created a script for future murders.
Oklahoma Prisoners Say They Were Locked In Filthy, Tiny Shower Stalls for Days
At least one inmate claims that the shower stalls, which were just 3 feet by 3 feet, were covered in human feces.
The Manufactured Crisis of Migrant Terrorists at the Border
Exaggerated threats of terrorists crossing the southern border lead to costly, disproportionate policy decisions.
Don't Forget To Claim Drug Dealing Income on Your Taxes
According to IRS guidance, any income derived from illegal activity is taxable, and there's no statute of limitations on when they can go after you.
In California and Elsewhere, Fear of Crime Drives the Surveillance State
Concerns about public safety will eventually recede, but Big Brother will still be watching.
Squatters Invaded His Mom's House—so He Fought Back
Thanks to "squatters' rights" laws, evicting a squatter can be so expensive and cumbersome that some people simply walk away from their homes.
This Colorado Bill Would Abolish the Right to Armed Self-Defense in Many 'Sensitive Places'
Legislators are taking a page from constitutionally dubious state laws that make carry permits highly impractical to use.
Maurice Jimmerson Was Locked Up for 10 Years Without a Trial. He's Finally Free.
The Georgia man was released after making a plea deal. He spent a decade in jail before ever being convicted of a crime.
Peter Moskos: What Does Good Policing Look Like?
Peter Moskos, criminal justice professor and former Baltimore police officer, discusses ways to reform policing and turn failing cities around on the latest Just Asking Questions podcast.
The One-Man 'Cult' That Put St. Louis Under Surveillance
The story behind the city's ban on unlicensed drone businesses is even weirder than the ban itself.
No, Imprisoning a School Shooter's Parents Isn't Justice
James Crumbley, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, may be an unsympathetic defendant. But this prosecution still made little sense.
Alabama Discovers There Is No 'Humane' Way To Execute Someone
Instead of searching for gentle execution methods, states should just stop killing prisoners.
A Paramedic Got 5 Years in Prison for Elijah McClain's Death. That's Not Justice.
It can certainly be true that Peter Cichuniec made an egregious professional misjudgment. And it can also be true that punishing him criminally makes little sense.
Rudy Carey Was Pardoned, but the Unjust Law That Kept Him From Working Is Still on the Books
Virginia’s barrier crime law limits employment prospects for ex-offenders, who often find their way back into the penal system when they can’t find work.
Commander in Chains: 7 Scenarios If Trump Is Jailed and Wins the Election
There is nothing in the Constitution that prevents an inmate from winning the presidency.
The Myth of the Migrant Crime Wave
The "data that exist for this year show consistent declines in major crimes in major cities."
The Bukele Model Means Security Without Liberty
El Salvador stands at a crossroads between popular sentiment and adherence to constitutional principles.
Louisiana Legislature Advances Bills To Roll Back Criminal Justice Reforms
Criminal justice advocates say the evidence doesn't back up Republicans' claims that Louisiana's landmark 2017 reforms are to blame for violent crime.
The Justice Department Quietly Ends Reprosecution of Man Who Received Clemency From Trump
Philip Esformes was sentenced for charges on which a jury hung. After receiving a commutation, the federal government vowed to try to put him back in prison.
Don't Let Crime Fears Undermine Americans' Rights
Amid fear of rising crime, let's take a careful and deliberate approach—lest innocent people lose their rights and property.
Lawmakers Want Pause on Federal Funds for Predictive Policing
The dangers inherent in targeting criminals-to-be have yet to be addressed.
This Prosecutor Secretly Worked for the Judges Overseeing His Cases. Will His Victims Be Able To Sue?
Ralph Petty likely violated the Constitution. In a rare move, a federal court signaled this week that lawsuits against him may not be dead on arrival.
Northwestern Students Face Obscure Criminal Charges for Mock Anti-Israel Newspaper
After placing a pro-Palestinian front page over Northwestern's student newspaper, two students face "theft of advertising services" charges.
Mom's Manslaughter Conviction for Her Son's School Shooting Sets a Dangerous Precedent
In some sense, the case seemed to hinge on what prosecutors wished the law said, not on what it actually says.
Bipartisan Tax Credit Bonanza
Plus: California reparations bills drop, the Biden administration continues the war on gas stoves, and D.C.'s rising crime rate.
Alabama Killed an Inmate With an Experimental Execution Method. Ohio Could Be Next.
Following the nitrogen hypoxia execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith last week, Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill to bring the execution method to their state.
'The Most Horrible Thing I've Ever Seen': Alabama Executes Inmate With Experimental Method
Kenneth Eugene Smith was likely the first person in the world to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia.
This Death Row Inmate Says He's Innocent. The Supreme Court Has Agreed To Hear His Case.
After multiple investigations shed doubt on his conviction, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Oklahoma death-row inmate Richard Glossip will get a new trial.
'Someone Is Going To Die Today': Did Daniel Penny Act in Self-Defense?
"I have encountered many things," one witness told the grand jury, "but nothing that put fear into me like that."
Are Hispanics Following the Path of the Irish?
Economic policy commentator Noah Smith compiles evidence that the today's Hispanics are following a similar path to that of Irish-Americans in earlier eras of American history.
British Teen Gets Potential Life Sentence for Grand Theft Auto VI Hack
Rockstar Games told a U.K. court that it spent $5 million to recover from the hack. Is that worth the rest of a teenager's life?
Here's Why Charity Is Better at Solving Problems Than Government
Big government has been ruinous for millions of people. Charities aren't perfect, but they are much more efficient and effective.
