Criminal Justice
President Obama's Clemency Project is a Bureaucratic Nightmare
The slowness and disorganization of the clemency process put in place has stranded many of the prisoners and families it was supposed to help.
Louisiana Inmates Serving Unconstitutional Sentences Will Have to Keep Waiting for Relief
Louisiana state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson just blocked a bill that would have provided relief to those sentenced as children to life without parole.
Oklahoma Police Can Pull You Over and Digitally Seize Money Right Off the Pre-Paid Cards in Your Wallet
Another tool used to fight international trafficking comes home to local police.
The Trouble With Skin-Cell DNA Evidence
"Touch DNA" evidence can easily implicate the wrong person, yet police are increasingly relying on it.
Brock Turner Is a Rapist, His Dad Is Wrong, and Justice Is Elusive
A sexual assault at Stanford results in a miscarriage of justice.
Opioid Panic Infects Defense Spending Bill
New Hampshire senator wants to increase federal penalties.
Weldon Angelos Is Free, Thanks to a Prosecutor, Not a President
The young father of three got 55 years for three small-time pot sales.
White House Announces 42 New Commutations
Total for administration reaches 348, but hundreds more may still qualify.
New Hampshire's Forfeiture Reforms Don't Truly Address Sources of Police Abuse
Tightening the rules would be great-if the police couldn't bypass them entirely.
Florida Ex-Cop Indicted on Manslaughter, Attempted Murder Charges for Killing of Disabled Motorist
Investigators say he never identified himself as a cop
Black Lives Matter Organizer DeRay McKesson on Libertarians, Police Unions, Campus Free Speech, and Why He Hasn't Reached Out to Rand Paul
A conversation with the activist who finds some common ground with libertarianism but diverges sharply on other issues.
Poll: Most Americans Reject Criminal Penalties for Prostitution
Republicans, women, and those ages 45 and older were the most likely to say that selling or paying for sex should be illegal.
"Pay-to-Play" Cop Who Mistook His Gun for a Taser Sentenced to Four Years For Fatal Shooting
Judge upholds jury's sentence recommendation for Robert Bates, who killed Eric Harris in gun purchase sting operation.
As the 'Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act' Turns One, Lawmakers Demand DOJ Get Tougher on Ad Platforms and Sex Buyers
Federal legislators are calling on Justice Department to be more proactive about using the 2015 sex-trafficking law.
Lawsuit Says Detroit Cops Shot Confined Dog Through Bathroom Door
Owners say the officers, who were serving a drug warrant, also killed two other dogs who posed no threat.
Man Died After Being Tased and Cut with a Power Saw by NYPD, City Accused of Hiding Video of Incident
Wrongful death lawsuit likens missing video "cover-up" to what Chicago PD did with footage of Laquan McDonald's shooting death.
Decriminalization Is the Only Feminist, Humane Response to Prostitution, Says Human-Rights Group Amnesty International
Group calls on governments worldwide to stop the criminalization of sex work
Illinois Racks Up Millions in Property Seizures by Police
Newly uncovered documents reveal how much is taken, how much is forfeited-and the desperate need for more transparency.
Feds and South Carolina Both Want to Execute Dylann Roof
Do they plan to kill the Charleston shooter twice?
Crashes Caused by Negligence Are Still Accidents
The movement to stop calling car crashes "accidents" blurs an important distinction.
Purvi Patel Appeals 20-Year Feticide Sentence for Self-Induced Abortion
Patel was sentenced to 20 years in prison for taking the abortion pill without a doctor's supervision-or at least that's how her supporters portray the situation.
SCOTUS Blasts Prosecution for Racial Bias in Death Penalty Jury Selection Case
The U.S. Supreme Court issues its decision in Foster v. Chatman.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS's 2014 Panty Raid Was Concocted by an "Eager" Federal Prosecutor
Homeland Security was defined-down even further in the form of a raid on a Kansas City lingerie shop over possible copyright infringement.
Pennsylvania Cop Criminally Charged After Punching Woman in the Face—Still On the PD Payroll
On paid leave while the department conducts its own investigation
Grand Jury Report Paints Horrifying Picture of Death Penalty Problems in Oklahoma
A government lawyer encouraged corrections officials to proceed with an execution using the wrong drug.
Maryland Reforms Asset Forfeiture, Mandatory Minimums
Tighter rules on seizure and looser rules on sentences for nonviolent crimes.
Bipartisan Pack of Lawmakers Fights Legal Theft by Police with New House Bill
Reforms would give people more protections from asset forfeiture abuse.
New Bill Would Require Police Learn De-escalation Techniques or Lose Federal Funding
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) introduces the "Preventing Tragedies Between Police and Communities Act."
'War on Police' Failure Update: Cop Killings Down in 2015
More killed by accidents than criminals.
Very Few Prisoners Seeking Commutations Meet DOJ's Picky Criteria for Consideration
Only 4 percent of cases reviewed by volunteer lawyers have made the cut so far.
2014 Police Killings Changed the Way Americans View Race
The decisions not to charge the cops responsible caused a spike in concern about race.
The World's Worst Mom on America's Frenzy of Fear
Elementary school pick up shouldn't resemble the Fall of Saigon.
First Lawsuit of Its Kind Blames Marijuana for Murder
Kristine Kirk's family say her husband would not have killed her if he had been properly warned about THC side effects.
FBI Director Blames 'Viral Videos' for Rising Murder Rates
James Comey says watched cops are not aggressive enough.
