All Law & Courts
What really happens behind bars? Insiders make videos to show you.Part of a wider media initiative at California鈥檚 San Quentin State Prison, FirstWatch gives participants the opportunity to tell their stories 鈥� and be held accountable 鈥� through the lens of a camera.
Once a nation of joiners, Americans are now suspicious of those who doThe erosion of social groups in the United States is a widely recognized trend. But when distrust of membership spreads to faith groups, misunderstanding can breed fear and jeopardize constitutional protections.
Trafficking survivors shed an unjust label: 鈥榗riminal鈥�As attitudes about justice in sex trafficking cases change, more states are giving survivors a chance to clear away convictions for prostitution. But the victim-centered approach is still in its early stages.聽
Why the Supreme Court may be taking a 鈥榞o slow鈥� approachThe justices have declined to take several controversial cases and refused White House requests to bypass lower courts.
First LookCriminal justice reform bill moves forward in the SenateA criminal justice bill that would ease federal sentencing laws for some offenses passed an initial vote Dec. 17. While it received wide bipartisan support, debate continues on which inmates should be ineligible for reduced sentences.聽
First LookMcConnell greenlights Senate vote on federal sentencing reformIn the first wide-ranging bipartisan reform to the criminal justice system in more than 20 years, the Senate majority leader will allow voting on the First Step Act. The measure has support in both chambers of Congress and with President Trump.聽
First LookSystemic challenges keep Mississippi inmates in jail long-termA MacArthur Justice Center survey found that while the number of inmates in Mississippi jails is decreasing, almost half of the inmates stay in jail for three months are longer, and the vast majority of them have not be indicted or received a trial.聽
Revival of a high-profile sex-crime case offers hints of a deeper justiceThe investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal raises concerns about how perpetrators are held accountable. But incremental change since that time suggests progress on prosecution of sex crimes and fairness for victims.
First LookTried twice for the same offense? Supreme Court to hear double jeopardy caseThough the Constitution states that no person聽"shall be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb," people are regularly sentenced by both state and federal government. The Supreme Court is set to make a decision on whether that practice should continue.
Is it safe for a black man to be the 鈥榞ood guy with a gun鈥�?Whom do Americans think of when they think of heroes? That鈥檚 one of the questions raised by recent tragedies in which black men tried to stop active shooters and police killed the good Samaritan rather than the criminal.
Voting after Shelby: How a 2013 Supreme Court ruling shaped the 2018 electionCries of voter disenfranchisement took center stage throughout the 2018 election season, particularly in Georgia, where more than half a million voters had been purged from rolls. But for many voters, these challenges have hardened rather than diminished their resolve.
First LookJudge strikes down Trump's asylum restrictionsA federal judge declared that President Trump could not order that immigrants who cross the border without authorization be prevented from applying for asylum in the United States after civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit.聽
Behind the surprising surge of hope for US criminal justice reformCriminal justice reform is something people on the right and left agree is desperately needed but agreed was unlikely to happen. Suddenly, this week, advocates say they have hope again 鈥� and an unlikely champion.
First LookIn Florida, felons regain their right to voteOn Nov. 6, Florida voters passed Amendment 4, a measure restoring the voting rights of felons who have served their sentences. "Every community is impacted by this," says Neil Volz of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.聽
First LookPrison where Bulger was killed has long history of violenceThree inmates have been killed at the United States Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia in the last six months, most recently notorious Massachusetts crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. Lawmakers, advocates, and correctional officers have warned of the prison's violent culture, but there is no public record of action to address the concerns.聽
First LookOfficials confront social media monitoring dilemma after Pittsburgh shootingThe suspect in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting posted anti-Semitic rants on social network Gab, and had a neo-Nazi symbol as his cover photo. The discovery has prompted further discussion of what constitutes a threat serious enough for law enforcement action.聽
First LookUS has no domestic terrorism law: recent events cause some to wonder whyMalicious acts of terror in the US in the past week have renewed a debate about domestic terrorism laws. While some believe domestic terrorism belongs on the same "moral plain" as international terrorism, others worry about civil liberties protection.聽
First LookGuilty verdicts will help NCAA prosecute unethical recruitment practicesThree men were found guilty of fraud in a federal court for making secret payments to families of top recruits. The verdict gives the NCAA greater ability to enforce its bylaws related to recruitment.聽
First LookWashington Supreme Court strikes 'racially biased' death penaltyWashington State became the 20th US state to end capital punishment via legislation or a court order after its supreme court declared that racial biases impact who is sentenced to the death penalty.
The ExplainerCash bail: why some call for changesEvery night in the US, about 450,000 people are in jail awaiting trial.
