Radley Balko on George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the Libertarian Case for Criminal Justice Reform
How to reduce police killings and enact lasting change.
Police Abuse
Was the Shooting of Rayshard Brooks 'Lawful but Awful'?
Every encounter with armed agents of the state has the potential to end tragically, which is a good reason to minimize such encounters.
The Cops Who Sicced a Dog on a Surrendered Suspect Got Qualified Immunity. SCOTUS Won't Hear the Case.
"I have previously expressed my doubts about our qualified immunity jurisprudence," writes Associate Justice Clarence Thomas in a dissent.
The Libertarian Roots of Police Reform: Q&A with Radley Balko
How to stop police killings and enact real, lasting reforms.
The Atlanta Cop Who Killed a Black Man in a Wendy's Parking Lot on Friday Night Has Been Fired
Plus: "Twitter Robespierres," Trump's campaign does a weird flex on a bad poll, and more....
Dave Chappelle's '8:46' Expresses Righteous Rage Over George Floyd's Murder
The comedian expresses rage over police brutality while offering optimism for a better world.
How Not To Build a Transpartisan Coalition for Police Reform
Will progressives alienate allies and squander this opportunity for change?
A Cop Shot a 10-Year-Old and Got Qualified Immunity. Tom Brady and 1,400 Other Pro Athletes Want To Fix That.
Citing work from Reason, players and coaches from the NFL, NBA, and MLB are urging Congress to end qualified immunity.
Federal Aircraft Accused of Tracking Protesters
Plus: Breonna’s Law bans no-knock raids in Kentucky, Amazon's third-party problem, new findings on metabolism, and more...
Police Reform Should Match the Needs of Different Communities
Leave people room to experiment with approaches to protecting life, liberty, and property.
Both Left and Right Should Stop Blithely Wishing for a New Civil War
All that accomplishes is encouraging us to view our fellow Americans as enemies, to see ourselves as members of warring tribes rather than citizens of a nation.
With 1 Republican Cosponsor, Rep. Justin Amash Gains Tripartisan Support To End Qualified Immunity
Rep. Tom McClintock (R–Calif.) announced he will support the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
Rights and Wrongs of "Defunding the Police"
If "defunding the police" means abolishing them completely, it's a bad idea. But there are ways to use cuts in funding to improve police incentives for the better.
Will the Cops Who Killed Kenneth Chamberlain After Illegally Breaking Into His Apartment Ever Be Held Accountable?
Responding to a medical alert they knew was erroneous, White Plains officers killed the man they supposedly were trying to help.
Cops Who Shot Homeless Man 22 Times While He Lay on the Ground Are Not Protected by Qualified Immunity, Appeals Court Rules
It's a perverse kind of progress, but it's progress all the same.
These Judges Defend Qualified Immunity as 'a Deferential Rule' That Protects the Police
“Officers don’t have the time to pull out law books and analyze the fine points of judicial precedent.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Ends Contract Negotiations With Police Union
After George Floyd’s death, the city will bring in outside advisers to recommend changes to make policing more transparent and accountable.
Senate Republican Police 'Reforms' Won't Touch Qualified Immunity
With Trump opposed too, there's little hope that a serious police reform bill will get through Congress anytime soon.
Seattle Protesters Establish 'Autonomous Zone' Outside Evacuated Police Precinct
Is the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone a brave experiment in self-government or just flash-in-the-pan activism?
California Ammunition Raids Put Innocent People at Risk of Police Violence
The state boasts of blocking 754 illegal purchases, but it wrongly tagged 101,047 law-abiding people as prohibited. Any of them could have been targeted.
Leaders of 'Rogue Regimes' Have Some Thoughts About Police Brutality in America
Statements by China, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and North Korea use U.S. violence against protesters and journalists to point out American hypocrisy on the global stage.
Some of the Charges Stemming From George Floyd's Death Should Trouble Criminal Justice Reformers
The criminal complaints against Derek Chauvin and three other officers rely on expansive liability principles that reformers usually oppose.
We Filmed the Cops. People Changed Their Minds.
Videos of police abuse haven't stopped police brutality. But they've helped build a consensus for police reform.
Cops Who Allegedly Assaulted and Arrested a Man for Standing Outside His Own House Are Protected by Qualified Immunity
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision is "a precedent-setting error of exceptional public importance," writes dissenting judge.
Maybe Cops Should Be 'Pulling Back'
Abolishing qualified immunity is a crucial step in holding police accountable for violating our rights.
'Defund the Police' Should Include Federal Cops Too
Federal spending on policing has quadrupled since the 1980s, while state and local spending has increased by about one-third.
Recruitment of Bad Cops Shows How Misconduct Is Deeper Than a Few Bad Apples
Sometimes a "few bad apples" is systemic rot.
Will Big Labor Give the Boot to Police Unions? Be Skeptical.
Union leaders show very little interest in considering collective bargaining’s role in protecting bad cops.
Video Shows Cops Slashing Tires Across Minneapolis During Protests
A spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety says they were scared people would drive too fast.
Professionalizing Police Hasn't Worked. Try Privatizing Instead.
No amount of protesting is likely to reduce police brutality in the absence of structural reforms that increase accountability, competition, choice, and incentives.
The Attorney General's Overblown Fears About Scrapping Qualified Immunity
It's not likely to have the chilling effect he expects. Unfortunately, it might not do as much as criminal justice reformers expect either.
Minneapolis Leaders Vow To Defund the Police
Plus: Police unions love Amy Klobuchar, Seattle can't quit tear gassing protesters, and more...
The Problem of Racial Profiling - Why it Matters and What Can be Done About it
Why racial profiling is an important problem, why it's so difficult to address, and what can nonetheless be done about it.
Houston Police Chief's Record Belies His Reformist Rhetoric After George Floyd's Death
If Art Acevedo had any shame, he would be engaging in less grandstanding and more introspection.
How Injustice at Home Damages the US Position in the World
The upheaval over police abuses has damaged America's image in the world, especially coming on the heels of other blows to American "soft power." We can and should do better.
Rep. Justin Amash Wants To End Qualified Immunity. Where Are the Republicans?
The GOP claims to be the party of freedom. If that's true, they should rethink policies that embolden bad police behavior.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Unwavering Opposition to Violence Still Matters
His famous line that a "riot is the language of the unheard" is often taken out of context.
A Few Days of Riots Can Echo for Many Years
America has survived worse in terms of urban unrest. But that's not necessarily reason for optimism.
3 Libertarian Tips for the #DefundPolice Movement
Reducing law enforcement requires more than merely cutting and shifting a budget.
5 Ways to Curtail Police Violence and Prevent More Deaths Like George Floyd's
From tighter use-of-force rules to eliminating qualified immunity, here are some reforms that could make a real difference.
Amidst Calls for Abolishing the Police, Universities Cut Ties With City Police Departments
A complete end to police on campus probably isn't in the cards, but smaller victories are within reach.
The Year Gun Control Died
Gun opponents would leave predatory cops armed and their victims helpless.
Activists Demand Justice for Breonna Taylor, Whose Killers Are Still Employed as Louisville Cops
Plus: lightning strikes D.C., Buffalo cops suspended after knocking 75-year-old man to ground, and more...
Buffalo Police Seriously Injure 75-Year-Old Man During Protest
Two Buffalo police officers have been suspended and the man is in the hospital.
Lancaster County Drug Task Force 'Missing' $150K From Asset Forfeiture Fund
Would you be surprised if you learned the former district attorney was caught leasing an SUV with asset forfeiture funds?
Support, Don't 'Dominate,' Protesters Seeking 'Equal Justice Under the Law,' Writes Former Defense Secretary Mattis
Plus: Protest updates, Grindr goes woke, Twitter suspends an account for repeating Trump's words, and more...
Upgraded Murder Charge Against Derek Chauvin Still Does Not Require Proof That He Intended to Kill George Floyd
Three other former Minneapolis police officers are now charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin.
