Criminal Justice
Asset Forfeiture Funding Has Little Impact on Solving Crimes, Says New Study
A new study by the Institute for Justice says federal asset forfeiture funds have little to no impact on solving crimes, suggesting police are more interested in the revenue it generates
1,051 Crack Sentence Reductions Illustrate Painful Progress Toward a Less Mindlessly Punitive Justice System
On average, crack offenders who have benefited from the FIRST STEP Act will serve 14 years instead of 20.
How Oakland Cops Gamed the System To Earn $30 Million in Overtime Pay
A new audit reveals how poor oversight and structural problems allowed one Oakland cop to earn $2.5 million in overtime pay in five years.
Scott Daniel Warren Is Free (for Now) After Jury Can't Reach Verdict on Charges for Aiding Migrants
Plus: Amash says the "two-party system is hurting America," Zuckerberg gets deepfaked, Wonkette's lame defense of Harris, and more...
Does Letting Witness Testify Wearing Partial Veil Violate the Confrontation Clause?
Depends on how much of the face it covers, the California Court of Appeal seems to suggest.
ACLU Says Harvard 'Sacrificed Principles Central to Our Legal System' When It Fired Ron Sullivan
The civil liberties giant defends a law professor who took on Harvey Weinstein as a client.
You Can Get 5 Years in Prison for Selling Llama Poop, and Other Ludicrous Laws
Mike Chase, the man behind the popular @CrimeADay Twitter feed, on his new book, How to Become a Federal Criminal
Kamala Harris Tries (Again) to Rewrite Her History as a Prosecutor of Petty Crimes
Plus: YouTube moderation, over-the-counter birth control, craft brewery regulation, New York prostitution laws, and more...
Cop Arrests Mom for Letting Kids Wait in Car During 10-Minute Errand
A Pennsylvania mom faces reckless endangerment charges for assuming her children—ages 2, 5, and 7—could survive a very short wait.
Migrant Kids As Young As 5 Were Left in Vans Overnight While Waiting to Reunite With Their Families
It took 39 hours for every child to be reunited with their parents.
Was Scot Peterson's Cowardice a Crime?
The criminal charges against the former Broward County sheriff's deputy for failing to intervene in the Parkland shooting seem like a stretch.
Newly Released Files Document the FBI's Participation in the Hunt for Bigfoot
During the 1970s, an FBI crime lab analyzed a purported sample of Bigfoot hair.
Do You Feel Safer Knowing the FBI Has Access To 640 Million (!) Headshots?
Don't worry, a spokesman tells Congress, the agency has "strict policies" for using facial recognition technology.
D.C. Sex Workers Want Decriminalization—and City Council Members Agree
'We know what we want to do with our bodies, and we don't need government interference.'
San Francisco Police Got a Warrant to Monitor a Journalist's Phone Before Raiding His Apartment
The move is an assault on the First Amendment.
Nobody Should Be Placed in Solitary Confinement—Not Even Paul Manafort
Paul Manafort isn’t deserving of torture. Neither was Kalief Browder.
Alabama Passes New Transparency Requirements for Civil Asset Forfeiture
Alabama is one of the least transparent states in the U.S. when it comes to civil asset forfeiture. That could be changing.
That Time Michael Moynihan Got Handcuffed at a NYC Checkpoint for an Unpaid 1998 Speeding Ticket
The most hilarious overpolicing story you'll hear this week, on the latest Fifth Column podcast
Texas Police Union Kills Effort To Close State's 'Dead Suspect Loophole'
Texas law lets police hide records of suspects who die in custody from grieving families. It could have been fixed, but a police union torpedoed the reform bill.
The NYPD Underreported Rape Due to an Outdated Definition of the Crime
The NYPD failed to update its crime-tracking system—and underreported rape by 38 percent.
New Car Crash Study Highlights the Irrationality of DUI Laws Based on THC in Drivers' Blood
The researchers found no statistically significant relationship between testing positive for THC and contributing to accidents.
$6.75 Million Awarded to the Family of a Milwaukee Jail Inmate Who Died From Dehydration
The jail, which saw several deaths, was overseen by former Sheriff David Clarke at the time.
Illinois Is on the Verge of Legalizing Marijuana. Here Is What the Bill Would Do.
New York legislators also are taking another shot at legalization.
New Hampshire Just Abolished the Death Penalty
State lawmakers reached across the aisle for a bipartisan push against capital punishment.
A 16-Year-Old Girl Is Facing Child Pornography Charges for Making a Sex Video of Herself
A finding of guilt would be an attack on the autonomy and self-ownership of all young people
Dissenting From a Decision Blocking a Retaliatory Arrest Claim, Neil Gorsuch Notes That 'Almost Anyone Can Be Arrested for Something'
The Trump appointee warns that "little would be left of our First Amendment liberties" if cops could punish people who irk them by finding a legal reason to bust them.
Double Standards Endanger Press Freedom
The treatment of Bryan Carmody and Julian Assange reveals widespread confusion about who counts as a journalist and whether it matters.
Police Raid on San Francisco Journalist Descends Into Blame Game
The chief and the union square off over who arranged what was likely an illegal search.
Florida Makes Possessing Child Sex Dolls a Felony
The new law rests on unsupported premises and vague language to penalize a victimless crime.
Cops Strip-Searched a 4-Year-Old After Mom's Errand Took Too Long
Child services called because Holly Curry let her kids wait in the car while she bought a muffin.
"House Murders Accused Mother in Court"
If only you could use parentheses in English the way you can in math or computer programming.
"It Is an Immutable and Universal Rule That Judges Are Not as Funny as They Think They Are"
Words of wisdom from the Utah Supreme Court.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Litigation financing, campaign financing, and salmagundi.
Bill Would Limit California Cops' Use of Deadly Force
The legislation moves forward following a compromise with law enforcement groups.
New Julian Assange Indictment Crushes the Hopes of Journalists Who Thought Their Press Passes Would Save Them
Don't believe the Justice Department when it reassures journalists that the WikiLeaks founder is uniquely guilty of violating the Espionage Act.
Dangerous Precedent Looms in Espionage Indictment Against Julian Assange
Plus: Naomi Wolf has no clue (again), gun site wins Section 230 case, and more...
The State Can't Keep Drugs Out of Prisons. How Was It Ever Going to Keep Them Out of America?
This is the nature of government. It can't stop the flow of illicit substances in a sealed and militarized building that's under its total control.
State May Punish "Faithless Electors," Wash. Sup. Ct. Rules
The court upheld a $1000 fine imposed by state law on Presidential electors who refused to vote as the voters instructed.
