Criminal Justice / Public News Service

According to a new report, about 600,000 Americans were locked up in county jails in 2021, 75% in pre-trial detention. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Report Reveals Stark Racial Disparities in IN Bail Costs

A new report from Indiana University revealed stark racial disparities in bail costs, and outlined how those higher costs can have long-term impacts …

According to Pew Research, 53% of Americans support stricter gun laws. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 26, 2022

IA Gun-Reform Backers: Public Pressure Crucial After TX Shooting

This week's school shooting in Texas has evoked feelings of hopelessness in the public sphere about avoiding future tragedies in the U.S. But gun …

The most recent expansion of the Second Chance Pell Experiment brings the program to a total of 200 schools across the United States. (Fibonacci Blue/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Two NH Community Colleges Join Second Chance Pell Experiment

Two community colleges in New Hampshire are joining the Second Chance Pell Experiment through the U.S. Department of Education to offer courses and …

A recent survey finds 84% of Asian Oregonians did not report race-based incidents or crimes after they happened. (Xavier Lorenzo/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Survey: Hate Incidents Strain Asian Oregonian Communities

There has been an alarming rise in racist incidents against Asian residents in Oregon, and it is changing how community members behave. The Oregon …

<a href= — The Chicago Police Department reported recovering 458 ghost guns in 2021, up from 139 in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

IL Governor Signs Ban on 'Ghost Guns'

Illinois has a new law banning the sale and possession of "ghost guns," essentially untraceable firearms that are sold in kit-form online or at gun sh…

Buffalo residents gathered at Macedonia Baptist Church on Sunday for a vigil in honor of the victims of the mass shooting at Tops supermarket on Saturday. (Darren McGee/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul)

Buffalo Reeling After 10 Killed in Racist Attack at Supermarket

Buffalo residents are grieving after a shooter killed 10 community members on Saturday in an anti-Black attack, apparently fueled by racist white …

An estimated 90% of people in jail pretrial cannot afford the cash bail set by the court. (Adobe Stock)

Opponents: OH Constitutional Amendment Could Undermine Bail Reform

Advocacy organizations of differing ideologies appear to be in agreement when it comes to certain bail reform efforts in Ohio. The Senate Judiciary …

Kentucky's jails are again over capacity, with 21,831 people in jail at the end of April, and an additional 9,835 people incarcerated in state prisons, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic, KY Returns to World-High Incarceration Rate

After a drop due to the COVID pandemic, new research found Kentucky is once again crowding more people into jails and prisons. The Bluegrass State …

All of Arkansas' executive officers, including Secretary of State and Attorney General, are up for re-election this year. (Adobe Stock)

AR Groups Compile Primary Voter Guide on Judicial Races

Early voting is underway in Arkansas through May 24. Central Arkansas community organizations have put together a nonpartisan voter guide for Pulaski …

Oregon is one of eight states that conduct their elections completely by mail. (Scott Van Blarcom/Adobe Stock)

OR Called an Easy State to Vote In, But Could Do More

Oregonians have the easiest time casting their votes in the nation, according to studies and can vote in almost any situation. Open access to the …

Recent data show the number of young people in Connecticut admitted to juvenile-detention centers dropped 87% between 2005 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Youth-Justice Advocates Concerned as Crime Bill Heads to Gov's Desk

A youth crime bill passed by the Connecticut General Assembly has been sent to Gov. Ned Lamont's desk, even as some youth-justice advocates view the …

Participants in the Little Scandinavia program at SCI Chester will be chosen through a lottery system with the goal of creating a population that reflects the greater prison population. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA's 'Little Scandinavia' Prison Unit to Focus on Rehabilitation

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has officially launched "Little Scandinavia," a unit in a state prison to focus on rehabilitation and reint…

Sheriffs in Massachusetts are responsible for more than half the state's incarcerated population. (Mark Sardella/Flickr)

MA Campaign: Do You Know Who Your Sheriff Is?

Fewer than one in five Bay State voters can correctly name their local sheriff, according to a recent survey. To fill that knowledge gap, the …

According to its website, The Bail Project has provided resources and support for more than 22,000 people nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Challenges IN Law Restricting Charitable Bail Funds

The state of Indiana is facing a lawsuit over a new law placing restrictions on charitable bail funds. Among other provisions, the law would limit …

An estimated 1,600 Pennsylvanians die from gun violence every year. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA Prepared to Carry Out Stricter Ghost-Gun Regulations

Pennsylvania stands ready to implement a new Biden administration federal rule on ghost-gun regulations at the state level. Ghost guns are …

Observers say in the past several years, the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association has had an increasingly heavy hand in crafting state policies related to policing and criminal justice. (Adobe Stock)

A Powerful Lobby Shaped NC’s Newest Body-Camera Law

By Mandy Locke and Danielle Battaglia Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for the Gaston Gazette -North Carolina News Service Members of…

Nearly two years after George Floyd's murder, the State of Minnesota says Minneapolis police officers have long carried out discriminatory practices, such as using higher rates of force against against Black people. (Adobe Stock)

Mpls. Police Report Adds Another Layer to MN Reform Efforts

As the Minnesota Legislature considers new police-reform proposals, the discussions coincide with results from a state investigation of the …

Machelle Pearson, a formerly incarcerated Michigander, speaks at a virtual news conference spotlighting a proposed initiative for a system of "good time" or earned-time credits. (Good Time Initiative Michigan)

Petition: Allow Incarcerated Michiganders to Earn Time Off Sentences

A prospective ballot initiative in Michigan would allow people in prison to earn time off their sentences through work training, earning a college …

Resources will be available at Equality Michigan fairs this week, including peer-support opportunities. (ASDF/Adobe Stock)

Groups Spotlight Services for LGBTQ+ Victims of Crime in MI

It's National Crime Victims' Rights Week, a time to raise awareness of victims' rights and services. Equality Michigan is holding three community …

Multiple states including California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon and Washington are moving to protect election workers from intimidation. (New Africa)

Hearing Tuesday on Bill to Protect Election Workers

Since 2020, a growing number of election workers have been threatened, harassed, and even spat on - so tomorrow the State Senate Judiciary Committee …

Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the hearing falling on "420 Day" was a coincidence. (Adobe Stock)

WI GOP, Dem Lawmakers Split on Path to Marijuana Legalization

Yesterday, April 20, was an unofficial holiday for marijuana enthusiasts across the country, and here in Wisconsin, lawmakers marked the day by …

On April 22, AARP Wyoming will hold paper-shredding events in Sheridan, Rock Springs and Cheyenne, where folks can bring their personal documents to be safely discarded. (Adobe Stock)

Breaking the Silence on Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is experienced by at least one in 10 people aged 60 and older who live at home, and AARP Wyoming is working to ensure people have the …

Research: Construction Worker Exploitation Costly in Many Ways

With summer approaching, construction sounds will be heard across Minnesota. But a regional labor group says on some sites, there's likely to be more …

Texas prisons still were at more than 95% capacity in December 2020, several months into the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

"Somebody Cares": TX Group Continues Bail-Reform Battle

This week, members of Faith in Texas will be at the Dallas County Jail, as they are most Fridays. As the state's incarceration rate grows, the group …

Pennsylvania saw 76.5% of registered voters turn out during the 2020 general election, according to the Department of State. (Adobe Stock)

1 Vote Counts: Harrisburg Group Aims to Increase Voter Participation

A civic-engagement organization based in Harrisburg is hoping to increase voter turnout in Pennsylvania's capital city through education and meeting p…

Among young people referred to court, detention has grown even more common for Black, Latinx and Asian/Pacific Islander youth, while holding steady for white and Tribal youth, reveals a recent report from The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

NC Governor’s Use of Clemency Spotlights Juvenile Life Sentencing

Gov. Roy Cooper has used his clemency power to end life sentences for three people sent to prison as children. His decision last month followed the …

Reforms that advocates say helped lower youth incarceration rates include the state raising the minimum age for which adolescents could be charged with most crimes as an adult to 18 in 2012. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Number of Youth Incarcerated in US Much Higher Than Documented

Young people in the U.S. were incarcerated in juvenile facilities 240,000 times in 2019, according to a new report, and current methods significantly …

The Utah Legislature passed a series of bills in 2017 to reform the state's juvenile detention system. (Jan Andersen/Adobe Stock

Study Finds Flaws in How States Manage Juvenile-Justice System

America locked up almost a quarter-million children in 2019, according to the report, "Too Many Closed Doors," from The Sentencing Project. The …

Children who are incarcerated are less likely to graduate from high school and find employment later in life. (Adobe Stock)

Incarceration Data Shows Juvenile Justice System Off Mission in Nebraska

Nearly a quarter-million children were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2019, about five times more than annual point-in-time counts, according to a new …

The Sentencing Project report found that, despite the number of young people arrested declining over the last 10 years, the number of referred youths who were detained increased slightly. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Officials Severely Undercount Number of Incarcerated Kids

Although youth incarceration rates in the U.S. are on the decline, a report from The Sentencing Project reveals the number of young people being …

Supporters of a South Dakota bill to remove petty marijuana convictions from a person's criminal background check have noted that a majority of arrests involve young adults, and that a single offense can hurt their ability to eventually get a job. (Adobe Stock)

After Veto, SD Will Keep Minor Pot Convictions Permanent

South Dakota has seen many debates over marijuana policy in recent years. The latest surrounds removal of past convictions for certain offenders…

Per Wisconsin Department of Corrections data, as of June 2021, about one-fifth of the people on community supervision in Wisconsin live in and around Milwaukee. (Adobe Stock)

WI Groups Push for Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated

Wisconsin's spring election is next week, but thousands of residents will be barred from casting their ballots. Wisconsin does not allow anyone …

Per a report from the Sentencing Project, most kids are arrested on relatively minor, nonviolent charges. (Adobe Stock)

AZ Bill Would Compel Officers to Inform Minors of Miranda Rights

An Arizona bill would compel police officers to inform minors under 18 of their rights after being arrested; which is required by federal law…

Even with the overall number of crashes trending downward, Minnesota is seeing more road fatalities, including those caused by speeding. (Adobe Stock)

Speed Cameras Suggested Amid MN's Road Safety Woes

Authorities and lawmakers say Minnesota has a problem with reckless drivers - and it creates deadly consequences for others on the road. Legislation …

Report: PA's, Nation's Incarcerated Youth Undercounted

Young people in the U.S. were incarcerated in juvenile facilities 240,000 times in 2019, according to a new report, and the research contended …

A new report finds the one-day count of incarcerated children in 2019 was about six times smaller than the annual count. (AungMyo/Adobe Stock)

Report: Hundreds of Thousands of Kids Detained Nationwide

Children were incarcerated in massive numbers in 2019, according to new data. The Sentencing Project's report, "Too Many Closed Doors," found more …

The Sentencing Project report found, despite the number of young people arrested declining over the last 10 years, the number of referred youths who were detained increased slightly. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Youth Incarceration Rates Severely Undercounted

Although youth incarceration rates in the U.S. are on the decline, a report from The Sentencing Project reveals the number of young people being …

According to a report from The Sentencing Project, at least 80% of incarcerated kids are excluded from the standard one-day counts at juvenile facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most Estimates Undercount Kids in Detention System

A new report found most official estimates undercount the number of kids locked up in juvenile prisons, but one Indiana-based organization is …

The Illinois Juvenile Justice Department operates five facilities across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Juvenile Justice Officials Undercount Incarcerated Kids

A new report revealed in 2019, young people in the United States were locked up in juvenile facilities nearly a quarter million times, and current …

Report: Incarcerated Children Severely Undercounted

Nearly a quarter-million children were incarcerated in the U.S. in 2019, about five times more than annual point-in-time counts, according to a new …

Data shows youths of color encounter police more often than their white peers and are disproportionately arrested, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Data shows youths of color encounter police more often than their white peers and are disproportionately arrested, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: County-Level Disparities in TN Child Incarceration

Children living in certain counties in Tennessee are more likely to be arrested and jailed, and experts contended they are not seeing signs the state …

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons, located in Irma, will be repurposed into a new adult facility. (Adobe Stock)

Closure of Controversial WI Youth Prisons on Horizon

Wisconsin legislators passed a bipartisan agreement this month to build a replacement for the controversial Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prison…

Juvenile arrests have gone down alongside detentions in Nevada. The state arrested more than 9,000 juveniles in 2015, compared with 4,300 in 2021. (Artit/Adobestock)

Juvenile Detention: Numbers Can Be Deceiving

America locked up almost a quarter-million children in 2019, according to a new report called "Too Many Closed Doors" from the Sentencing Project…

Since the law took effect in 1997, Connecticut has gone from charging people $31,755 a year for<br />their incarceration to $90,885, a roughly 280% increase. (Adobe Stock) — Since the law took effect in 1997, Connecticut has gone from charging people $31,755 a year for
their incarceration to $90,885, a roughly 280% increase. (Adobe Stock)

ACLU Class-Action Suit Challenges CT Prison Debt Law

The ACLU of Connecticut has sued the governor's and attorney general's offices, saying the state's prison debt law violates the excessive-fines …

A new report recommends limiting the types of offenses that can land youth in detention and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in placement decisions. (Pixabay)

Report: Youths of Color 50% More Likely to Face Juvenile Incarceration

Almost a quarter-million American children were incarcerated in 2019, according to a new report called "Too Many Closed Doors" from the Sentencing …

Washington state has followed California in limiting nondisclosure agreements, where lawmakers passed a law in 2021. (rboerdijk/Adobe Stock)

WA Law Means Workers Are 'Silenced No More'

A new law in Washington state bans employers from silencing employees about illegal acts in the workplace. The Silenced No More Act - which passed …

Breonna Taylor, second from left, is pictured with three of her sisters and a cousin. (De'Andrea Taylor)

Incarcerated Father of Breonna Taylor is a Family Man

By Stephen Silha for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Michigan News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

According to The Sentencing Project, more than one in four kids are detained upon their arrest. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Bill Proposes Public Health Approach to Juvenile Justice

The Virginia General Assembly has given bipartisan approval to a measure one advocate believes could lead to significant changes to the Commonwealth's…

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