Prison Reform

America’s Approach to Marijuana Is a Gateway to Misery

Jill Richardson / OtherWords Dec 4, 2019 The so-called "gateway drug" is a gateway to pain relief for me. For others, its prohibition is a gateway to mass incarceration. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Sanders’ Criminal Justice Plan Would Radically Cut Prison Population

MEG KINNARD / The Associated Press Aug 18, 2019 The presidential candidate's proposed criminal justice overhaul aims to end mandatory minimum sentencing, ban private prisons and legalize marijuana. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The Ghastly Return of the Federal Death Penalty

Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan Aug 15, 2019 Attorney General William Bar overturns an effective moratorium on the federal death penalty that has lasted over 16 years. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Campaign Cocktail: Pence Stiffs Aspen, Barr’s Death Wish, Enter Mayor Alex

Gregory Glover / Truthdig Jul 27, 2019 The White House and Colorado's GOP leave the local sheriff with a $24,000 tab for security, and other news and notes from the 2020 race. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

The Shameless Profiteering Behind Ankle Monitors

Ava Kofman / ProPublica Jul 8, 2019 Companies charge defendants hundreds of dollars a month to wear the surveillance devices. If people can’t pay, they may end up behind bars. Dig deeper ( 20 Min. Read )

Jeffrey Epstein Pleads Not Guilty to Abusing Dozens of Underage Girls

MICHAEL R. SISAK and JIM MUSTIAN / The Associated Press Jul 7, 2019 Prosecutors say evidence against the billionaire financier included a "vast trove" of lewd photographs discovered at his New York mansion. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

What’s Behind California’s Alarming Spike in Prison Homicides?

Jason Pohl and Ryan Gabrielson / ProPublica Jun 14, 2019 County jails have seen their murder rates triple and even quadruple—the byproduct of a sweeping set of reforms known as "realignment." Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

Trump Has a Soft Spot for American War Criminals

Rebecca Gordon / TomDispatch Jun 10, 2019 The president's desire to pardon U.S. soldiers and a military contractor accused of crimes in the never-ending war on terror is troubling, at best. Dig deeper ( 11 Min. Read )

Assange Refuses Extradition to U.S.; Long Legal Fight Expected

JILL LAWLESS and GREGORY KATZ / The Associated Press May 2, 2019 The WikiLeaks founder won't “surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many awards and protected many people.” Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Assange Sentenced to 50 Weeks for Bail-Jumping

The Associated Press May 1, 2019 A British judge rejects the WikiLeaks founder's plea for leniency based on the nearly seven years he spent in the Ecuadorian Embassy. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

California’s Failed Prison Reform Is Killing Inmates

Jason Pohl / The Sacramento Bee, and Ryan Gabrielson / ProPublica Apr 29, 2019 The Golden State's sweeping 2011 prison downsizing and criminal justice reforms have led to a sharp increase in inmate deaths at county jails. Dig deeper ( 19 Min. Read )

What Media Got Wrong About the ‘Largest Gang Takedown Ever’

Adam Johnson / FAIR Apr 28, 2019 Dozens condemned by New York news reports during the now infamous “Bronx 120 gang raid” were not actually gang members. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )