Criminal Justice
Are Books and Brains Weapons? The U.S. Government Thinks So.
Sending user manuals, algorithms, and lines of code can be legally equivalent to exporting bombs.
Judge Throws Out Charges Against Arizona Mom Arrested for Criticizing Officials at a City Council Meeting
Rebekah Massie's removal and arrest from a city council meeting was "objectively outrageous," the judge ruled.
Iowa Supreme Court is Considering if the State Can Charge Acquitted Defendants for Court-Appointed Attorneys
Iowa has one of the most aggressive court systems in the country when it comes to billing defendants for court-appointed attorneys, even in cases where they're acquitted or charges are dropped.
A Missouri Cop Stole a Woman's Nude Photos During a Traffic Stop, Lawsuit Claims
Former cop Julian Alcala allegedly stole a woman's nude pictures after he took her phone during a traffic stop.
Neither Trump Nor Harris Wants To Drain the Swamp. They Want You To Join It.
Both candidates have promised a litany of special favors to handpicked constituencies. If you don't fit into the right categories, you'll pay the price.
Public Defender Disqualified from Case for Race-Related Statement in Plea Bargain Negotiations
A California appellate panel interprets California's Racial Justice Act.
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.
The Georgia Case Against a School Shooter's Father Treats an Inattentive Parent As a Murderer
The charges, which could send Colin Gray to prison for the rest of his life, are part of a broader attempt to criminalize parental failures.
The FBI's Quiet Revision of Its 2022 Crime Numbers Adds Fuel to an Argument Between Harris and Trump
While it is not true that "homicides are skyrocketing," recent trends in other kinds of violent crime are murkier.
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.
Big Pot vs. Big Government in Florida
Mom-and-pop marijuana operations do not exist in Florida. That's by design.
Texas Lawmakers Temporarily Save Death Row Inmate Robert Roberson From the Execution Chamber
Roberson was scheduled to become the first person in the country to be executed based on "shaken baby syndrome" evidence, until Texas lawmakers subpoenaed him to testify.
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.
These Texas Inmates Wrote a Book. Then the Prison System Banned It.
The government will prevent prisoners from getting TEXAS LETTERS, an anthology about experiences with solitary confinement.
Phoenix Police Pummel a Deaf Man, Months After the Justice Department Found Widespread Civil Rights Violations
Tyron McAlpin's lawyers say he couldn't hear the commands of the officers when they jumped out of a police cruiser and immediately attacked him.
Should the Boeing Plea Deal on the 737 MAX Crashes Be Approved?
I have argued to Judge Reed O'Connor that he should reject the proposed "binding" plea deal because it obscures the relevant facts and fails to hold Boeing accountable for killing 346 people. A decision is expected soon.
Chip Mellor's Legacy Promotes a Broader Concept of Civil Liberties
For more than three decades, the Institute for Justice has shown that economic freedom and private property are essential safeguards for ordinary Americans.
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.
Police Want the Password to Your Phone
Without a warrant and specific proof of incriminating evidence, police should never be allowed past your phone’s lock screen.
SCOTUS Revives Lawsuit Against Missouri Cop Who Jailed a Man 'for Being an Asshole'
Mason Murphy says Officer Michael Schmitt violated his rights by punishing him for constitutionally protected speech.
Texas Appeals Court Overturns 'Shaken Baby' Conviction Ahead of Execution Date in Another Disputed Case
The court found scientific opinion about "shaken baby syndrome" has changed, and a man sentenced to 35 years in prison deserves a new trial.
The ACLU of South Carolina is Suing To Publish Interviews With a Death Row Inmate
South Carolina bans all media interviews with incarcerated people, a policy the state's ACLU chapter says is the most restrictive in the country and infringes on its First Amendment rights.
Former Houston Drug Cop Gets 60 Years for His Deadly Lies
That amounts to a life sentence for Gerald Goines, who instigated the no-knock raid that killed Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas by falsely accusing them of selling heroin.
Watch Now: Classified: The War on Backpage.com
Reason's new documentary is now streaming on the video platform CiVL. I hope you'll watch.
A Texas Cop Endangered Himself by Jumping Onto a Moving Car. Then He Shot the Driver.
The Supreme Court will review a 5th Circuit decision that let the officer off the hook without considering the recklessness that turned a routine traffic stop into a deadly encounter.
Reason's New Documentary on Backpage.com Is Streaming Exclusively on CiVL
The film ties together years of reporting on a legal saga with broad implications for both free speech and sex work.
The 'Day of Jihad' That Never Came
One year ago, political figures spread a false terrorism panic that made everyone less free—and incited violence against a child.
No, 13,000 Migrant Murderers Are Not Running Loose
That just isn't happening in the United States, no matter what Donald Trump keeps claiming.
Joker: Folie à Deux Is a Miserable Musical Slog
The comic-book sequel is a dull, dismal, event-free recap of its predecessor.
Review: Neil Gorsuch Says There Are Too Many Laws
No one knows how many federal crimes there are, the Supreme Court justice notes in Over Ruled.
Nashville Attorney Sues Federal Judges Over Gag Order Barring Him From Talking About a Notorious Prison
Daniel Horwitz often represents people illegally silenced by the government. This time he says a court violated his First Amendment rights when it gagged him from publicly speaking about a troubled state prison.
Ford Fischer: What's the Untold Story Behind 'Stop the Steal'?
Documentarian Ford Fischer discusses his experience covering the "Stop the Steal" movement, January 6, and what it all means for the future of journalism and democracy.
Minnesota 'Acting as a Ministry of Truth' With Anti-Deep Fake Law, Says Lawsuit
The broad ban on AI-generated political content is clearly an affront to the First Amendment.
Billy Binion: Civil Liberties Don't Just Belong to the Rich
Reason reporter Billy Binion discusses his coverage of outrageous cases around civil liberties, criminal justice, and government accountability, and the unusual path that led him to journalism.
A Houston Drug Cop's Murder Conviction Highlights the Potentially Deadly Consequences of 'Testilying'
Similar scandals across the country suggest the problem is widespread.
A Florida Judge Blocked a Newspaper from Publishing Video of a Jail Death
The Ocala Gazette says the footage contradicts the Marion County sheriff's claims about Scott Whitley's death. A judge won't let the paper publish the video.
Alabama Pastor Can Sue the Cops Who Arrested Him For Refusing To Show His ID
A federal judge rejected the officers' claims of qualified immunity.
Should California Vote To Roll Back Criminal Justice Reforms?
Conservatives blame Proposition 47 (2014) for higher rates of shoplifting in the state, but the real story is more complicated.
Eric Adams and New York City's Corruption Problem
Plus: A listener asks the editors what a “conservatarian” presidential candidate and agenda might look like.
Congress Passes Bill Backing 'Self-Care' for People Pursuing Prostitution Stings
The IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act would provide outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations staff.
A Prosecutor Allegedly Told a Witness To Destroy Evidence. He Can't Be Sued for It.
Absolute immunity protects prosecutors even when they commit serious misconduct on the job.
