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.
Crime
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.
Trump's Promise to 'Indemnify' Cops 'Against Any and All Liability' Is Absurd for 2 Reasons
Police officers already are routinely indemnified, and suing them for abuse is much harder than Trump claims.
The Flimsy RICO Case Against Atlanta's Cop City Protestors
Law enforcement officials appear to have tarred ad hoc bands of protesters as members of an organized criminal movement.
10-Year-Old Kid Offered Probation for Peeing Behind His Mom's Car
His mom is rejecting the prosecutors' absurdly strict probation rules.
This Innocent Woman Is on the Hook for Thousands After a SWAT Team Destroyed Her Home
An error-prone investigation in search of a fugitive led police to Amy Hadley's house.
Mississippi Cops Buried a Missing Man. His Family Only Found Out When NBC News Revealed It.
An NBC investigation revealed how Jackson, Mississippi, police keep burying people in pauper's graves after failing to inform their families about their deaths.
Prosecutors Agree He Shot a Man in Self-Defense. They're Still Trying To Put Him in Prison.
LaShawn Craig may spend years behind bars—because the gun he used to justifiably shoot someone was unlicensed.
A Los Angeles Jail Let a Woman Die of Withdrawal, Then a Coroner Allowed Her Body To Decompose
“I couldn’t believe it was my baby,” Amanda Bews' mother said. "She looked like she was mummified."
Marvin Guy, Who Shot a Cop During a No-Knock Raid, Is Found Guilty of Murder
He is not the first defendant that has struggled to reconcile the controversial raids with self-defense.
This Cop Was Acquitted for His Role in the Breonna Taylor Raid. The Feds Are Prosecuting Him—Again.
Maybe Brett Hankison shouldn't have been found not guilty, but he was. The Constitution says it should stop there.
Florida's Bloated Prison System Will Cost Billions To Maintain
Florida's mandatory minimum sentences created a large, elderly prison population. Now the bill is coming due.
Alabama Set To Execute Man for a Crime He Committed While Legally a Minor
"Alabama law sets the age of majority at 19 years old, not 18 years. An 18-year-old is thus a minor," say Casey McWhorter's lawyers.
He Allegedly Killed a Cop During a No-Knock Raid. Will the Jury Agree It Was Self-Defense?
Almost 10 years after his arrest, Marvin Guy will soon learn if he'll spend the rest of his life in prison.
Photo: Ready for RoboCop?
New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently showed off the autonomous security robot the city is piloting.
