Will FBI Director Kash Patel Be a Principled Reformer or a Trump Hatchet Man?
The newly confirmed head of the country's leading law enforcement agency has a history of advocating politically motivated investigations even while condemning them.
Law enforcement
The Weak, Weird Case Against a Supposed 'Orgasm Cult'
Snakes. Magic. Orgasmic meditation. And a dubious federal case against the leaders of a supposed sex cult.
As Migrant Arrests and Deportations Increase, Remember You Have the Right To Record ICE
Law enforcement acts better when officers know the public is watching.
Little Rock, Arkansas, Drops Intrusive, Ineffective ShotSpotter System
For all the money spent on it, the gunshot detection system has a spotty record at best.
'Human Trafficking' Sting Yields 547 Arrests, but Only 1 for Human Trafficking
A(nother) look at how human trafficking panic gets made.
Trump's FBI Purges Could Reduce Danger Posed by the Bureau—or Make It His Weapon
A defanged FBI could minimize our reliance on politicians’ (rarely) good intentions.
Alabama Cops Cooked Up Bogus Charges After Arresting Man They Tased While Handcuffed, Lawsuit Says
Video of the incident shows Micah Washington screaming as a Reform, Alabama, police officer deploys a Taser directly into his back.
FBI Nominee Kash Patel, Who Vowed To 'Come After' Trump's Enemies, Disclaims 'Retributive Actions'
At his confirmation hearing, the president's pick to run the nation's leading law enforcement agency ran away from his record as a MAGA zealot.
4 States Consider Bills To Treat Women Who Get Abortions as Murderers
These bills—in Indiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Carolina—could also imperil IVF practices and threaten care for women with pregnancy complications.
A Guilty Plea Implicates 'Almost the Entire' Albuquerque DWI Unit in Longstanding Police Corruption
Federal prosecutors say the city's police department was the main focus of a 15-year bribery scheme that also involved the sheriff's office and the state police.
Rise of the 'Constitutional Sheriffs'
Two new books dissect the "constitutional sheriffs" movement, which seeks to nullify laws adherents see as unconstitutional.
The FBI Wrongly Raided This Family's Home. Now the Supreme Court Will Hear Their Case.
Curtrina Martin's petition attracted support from a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
Amanda Knox Was Falsely Charged With Murder. Italy Calls Her Coerced Confession 'Slander.'
"I can tell you that I have never been put in a position of doubting my own sanity like I was in the hands of those police officers," Knox tells Reason.
Nevada Judge to Nevada Cops: You Can't Use This Loophole To Get Around Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform
The Nevada Highway Patrol exceeded its legal authority when it seized nearly $90,000 in cash from Stephen Lara in 2023 and then handed the case to the DEA.
Massachusetts Court Weighs Whether All Prostitution Is Sex Trafficking
Five "traffickers" arrested for responding to an undercover cop's sex ad are challenging their convictions in the state's high court.
Texas Cop Chases Prostitution Suspect, Causes Car Accident, Gets Immunity
Houston police "initiated a high-speed chase to pursue a suspect evading arrest for paying $40 to solicit sexual activity from another adult," notes a Texas Supreme Court judge.
Alabama Teen Killed During 'No-Knock' Drug Raid Had His Hands Raised, Lawsuit Says
The wrongful death lawsuit says Randall Adjessom came out of his bedroom with a gun when Mobile police broke down his family's door in a predawn raid, but when he realized they were cops, he put his hands in the air.
Joe Biden Flip-Flopped on Immigration and Embraced Trump's Tactics
The Biden administration continued many of the same immigration enforcement measures he lambasted Trump for using.
Amanda Knox Tells Her Own Story
"Our criminal justice system relies upon our own ignorance and the fact that we don't know what our rights are."
Kash Patel's QAnon Dalliances Reflect an Outlook That Pits Trump Against Evil Conspirators
The president-elect's pick for FBI director says he rejects some of the right-wing sect's bizarre beliefs but agrees with "a lot of what the movement says."
Biden Failed To Deescalate the Drug War
Though he commuted some drug offenders' sentences, Biden never delivered on the rest of his drug reform promises.
An Oklahoma Cop Broke a 71-Year-Old Man's Neck Over a Traffic Dispute
Officer Joseph Gibson now faces felony assault charges.
Traffic Cops Who Snooped Sexy Selfies Face Federal Charges
David McKnight and Julian Alcala were accused of separate plots to steal sexually explicit photos from women's phones during traffic stops.
Hanover Police Selectively Enforce Underage Drinking Laws Against Dartmouth Students
Criminal prosecution is an inappropriate response to tragedy.
Backpage Founder Michael Lacey Released on Bail
Lacey can await the resolution of his appeal outside of prison.
The Math on Mass Deportation Doesn't Add Up
Flawed calculations and overlooked benefits show why Trump's immigration plan would be a fiscal disaster for America.
Canada Considers Constitutionality of Sex Work Laws
A Canadian Supreme Court case challenges the country's ban on benefiting financially from sex work.
How Elon Musk and DOGE Can Deliver on Smaller Government
Plus: a listener asks the editors why it is acceptable to allow unrestricted border crossings into the United States without penalty.
Texas Bill Takes Aim at Online Speech About Abortion Pills
Abortion battles are becoming tech policy battles.
Abolish the NSA and CIA
Ending these unaccountable agencies would safeguard civil liberties and improve intelligence gathering.
Abolish ICE
The federal immigration agency disrupts communities and families, for no good.
Texas Cops Fired for 'Inappropriate' Sexual Contact With Massage Workers
As a result of the internal affairs investigation, three Lewisville officers were fired, one was demoted, and seven were suspended without pay.
Russian Court Denies Appeal of U.S. Citizen Sentenced to 12 Years for Donating $51 to Pro-Ukraine Charity
Ksenia Karelina was prosecuted as part of a larger “treason” crackdown that is unprecedented even by Russia’s illiberal standards.
Apple Makes It More Difficult for Crooks and Cops To Look at Your Phone
A new "inactivity reboot" protects data from thieves and helps preserve due process.
Body Cam Footage Shows Atlanta Cop Knew Felony Charges Against Cop City Protesters Were 'a Reach'
In bodycam footage, the police major—now the deputy chief—asks for "anything we can get" after being told felony charges would be difficult.
Missouri Voters Reject Court Fee Hike for Police Pensions
Voters rejected Amendment 6, keeping court costs low and pushing lawmakers to fund law enforcement pensions responsibly.
Nearly Five Years After Breonna Taylor's Death, Justice Remains Elusive
A long-delayed conviction illustrates the difficulty of holding cops accountable for abusing their powers.
The FBI Wrongly Raided This Family's Home. A Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Wants the Supreme Court To Step In.
A federal court denied them the right to sue—despite Congress enacting a law five decades ago specifically for situations like this one.
Partisanship Determines What Americans Believe About Crime
Americans' ignorant or capricious views on crime rates may seem inconsequential, but they have very real effects in setting prosecutorial policy.
This Mom Was Arrested and Jailed for Making Her Son Walk a Half-Mile Home
Media hysteria and overzealous governments have led many to believe that childhood independence is a form of abuse.
47 Sex Workers and 96 Clients Arrested in Florida 'Human Trafficking' Sting
Polk County, Florida, continues to be one of the worst offenders for sham efforts to combat human trafficking.
Justice Department Sues To Force South Bend To Hold Police to Lower Standards
The Department of Justice alleges that the South Bend Police Department is violating the Civil Rights Act due to disparate acceptance rates for female and black applicants.
This Reporter Was Arrested for Asking Questions. The Supreme Court Just Revived Her Lawsuit.
Priscilla Villarreal's case is about whether certain reporters have more robust free speech rights than others.
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Sex Trafficking Laws
An interview with sex work researcher Tara Burns.
