Federal Report Adds to the Evidence That Bitemark Analysis Is Nonsense
Forensic techniques are nowhere near as reliable as cops shows pretend.
Crime
Don't Believe the People Blaming Crime on Defunded Police
Plus: the pandemic baby bump, how government is killing starter homes, and more...
Ron DeSantis' Martha's Vineyard Stunt Might Help Migrants Stay in the U.S. on Special Visas
A Texas sheriff has certified that the migrants flown to Martha's Vineyard were the victims of a crime, which helps clear the way for them to apply for U visas.
Adnan Syed's Exoneration Shows How Hard It Is To Free Innocent People
Convincing evidence of his innocence has been available for years. But the criminal legal system prioritizes procedure and bureaucracy over liberty.
Biden Is Still Seeking Potential Life Sentences for Distributing Weed, Even As He Pardons for Possession
Pardoning possession offenders is nice. Taking his boot off the necks of cannabis sellers would be even better.
Did Murders Rise in 2021? No One Knows.
Plus: Court says DACA is illegal, Colorado baker appeals gender transition cake ruling, and more...
Chicago's Red Light Cameras Keep Fueling Corruption Scandals
A state senator joins several local officials in federal indictments for taking bribes in exchange for contracts.
A Jury Acquitted Them of Various Charges. They Served Prison Time for Them Anyway.
The Supreme Court may soon consider if acquitted conduct sentencing is illegal.
Teenage Girl Killed in Police Shootout With Her Dad in California Desert
Media outlets repeated police speculation that she might have been involved, but investigators now say she was likely unarmed.
Why Are Half of All U.S. Exonerations of Black Prisoners?
A new report looks at decades of troubling trends of bad convictions in murder, rape, and drug cases.
In Netflix's Dahmer, Incompetent Police Fail To Catch a Serial Killer
The show depicts the killer's gruesome crimes but lays some of the blame on the Milwaukee police who failed for so long to catch him.
Are the Media Making Mass Shootings Worse?
Yes, according to a growing body of research, says criminologist Adam Lankford.
Hiring Formerly Incarcerated People Is Good, Actually
Some conservative media outlets and politicians lambast the practice. But if you care about public safety, that opposition doesn't make sense.
'I Have My Own Life': The Case for Legalizing Sex Work
It would be far easier to prosecute sex trafficking if voluntary sex work were legal.
Las Vegas Elected Official Robert Telles Arrested as Suspect in Journalist Jeff German's Death
Plus: The wage premium from having a college degree is falling, study finds black access to firearms reduced lynchings during Jim Crow, and more...
Manhattan D.A. To Prosecute Domestic Violence Victim for Murder After Saying It Wasn't Murder
Alvin Bragg campaigned on Tracy McCarter’s innocence. Once in office, that was apparently less politically expedient.
Vegan Animal Sanctuary Owner Charged With Stealing Cows From Neighboring Farm
Animals are property, and property rights matter.
Number of American Mass Murders Relatively Steady Since 2006
Plus: A surge in female voter registrations, eminent domain in North Carolina, and more...
Judges Who Sent Kids to Detention Centers for Financial Kickbacks Ordered To Pay Over $200 Million
Former Judges Mark A. Ciavarella and Michael T. Conahan are now serving lengthy prison sentences for what became known as the "kids-for-cash" scandal.
Oklahoma Governor Orders Stay of Execution for Richard Glossip
Delaying Glossip's execution until December allows the courts to consider new evidence that might prove his innocence.
An Alabama Prison Allegedly Botched a Man's Execution. Officials Deny That Anything Unusual Occurred.
Joe Nathan James appeared to have suffered for hours as prison officials tried to establish an IV for lethal injection.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Urge New Review of Evidence Before Richard Glossip Is Executed for Murder
A newly unearthed letter suggests the primary witness against Glossip (and the actual killer) had regrets and made a “mistake.”
Concerned About Abortion Surveillance and Law Enforcement? Time To Treat Encryption Seriously
A mother-daughter arrest in Nebraska was fueled in part by unencrypted Facebook messages police accessed through a warrant.
Memphis Voters Dump Harsh D.A. in Favor of Criminal Justice Reformer
Let’s perhaps stop trying to tease national trends out of the complexities of local public safety issues.
House Passes New Human Trafficking Bill
Here's what's in the $1 billion reauthorization package.
San Francisco Fines Businesses for Getting Vandalized
The city halted its practice of fining graffitied businesses during the pandemic. But now it's firing up its enforcement machine again.
Police Can Access Your Ring Camera Footage Without a Warrant
After Amazon admitted it gives Ring footage to police departments upon "emergency" request, San Francisco Mayor London Breed wants cops to be able to access any camera at any time.
Don't Blame New York's Bail Reforms for Quick Release of Congressman's Attacker
One of the candidate’s own supporters is responsible for the defendant’s release. And it may have been the right decision.
Unnecessary SWAT Raid Ended in the Death of an Albuquerque Teen
This was an attempted arrest of a man wanted for questioning and parole violations, not a hostage situation.
She Killed Herself. He Was Charged With Her Murder.
The felony murder rule continues to criminalize people for killing people they didn't actually kill.
New Footage Shows Bodega Clerk Trying To Avoid Deadly Fight. Will Manhattan D.A. Drop the Murder Charges?
Alvin Bragg campaigned on "ending mass incarceration." But that promise apparently does not apply to Jose Alba.
Charging a Bodega Worker Who Stabbed His Attacker Isn't Criminal Justice Reform
The case of Jose Alba reminds us that progressive prosecutors don't always apply their principles when they're inconvenient.
After Chesa Boudin's Recall, What Is the Future of Criminal Justice Reform?
Research and data points may not be enough to persuade voters that something different is worth trying.
