Criminal Legal System

News and issues concerning the police, the courts, and the corrections system.

Why the Attica Prison Uprising Still Matters Today
An aerial shot of incarcerated people in D Yard at Attica Correctional Facility before the deadly police assault. Black and white photo.

Why the Attica Prison Uprising Still Matters Today

The five-day Attica prison uprising was a fight against inhumane conditions and racial and religious injustices, which still resonates today.

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1200 830 Andrew Lee
Racial Violence and the Unanswered Calls for Justice
A grayscale of a blindfolded Lady Justice figurine holding the scales.

Racial Violence and the Unanswered Calls for Justice

In the wake of violence, the DOJ repeatedly fails to protect Black and other marginalized communities, often incriminating them instead.

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1280 853 Andrew Lee
The Misconception of Solitary Confinement
An empty hallway of enclosed prison cells with tray slots on the steel doors.

The Misconception of Solitary Confinement

Solitary confinement is the go-to solution for handling any issue brought on by a system that breaks down those within its confinement.

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1200 769 Nicole Cardoza
The Unaddressed Crisis of Sexual Abuse in Prisons
A women in an orange jumpsuit leans on the steel bars of a jail cell.

The Unaddressed Crisis of Sexual Abuse in Prisons

Prison sexual abuse isn’t limited to a single institution or a handful of “bad apples,” but a nationwide systemic issue.

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How Defunding Crime Victim Services Fails Survivors
A person sits with their legs crossed and hands in their lap.

How Defunding Crime Victim Services Fails Survivors

Although Congress passed the VOCA Fix Act to restore the Crime Victims Fund, domestic and sexual violence crisis centers are still struggling to recover.

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2400 1600 Nia Norris
DOJ Calls for Overhaul of Minneapolis Police, but Reform Rarely Works
A group of policemen on horses at night.

DOJ Calls for Overhaul of Minneapolis Police, but Reform Rarely Works

A report on the Minneapolis Police supports protesters’ claims and calls for overhaul, but current police reform promises have fallen short.

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1742 1062 Andrew Lee
How Plessy v. Ferguson Relates to Today’s Struggles
A Black man taking stairs to the colored entrance of movie house.

How Plessy v. Ferguson Relates to Today’s Struggles

De facto residential segregation is increasing today, creating segregated hospitals, schools, and transportation systems—the very things permitted by Plessy v. Ferguson.

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2400 1600 Andrew Lee
Reflecting on the Los Angeles Riots
Graffiti on a wall reads "F**K LAPD! No Justice. No Peace!"

Reflecting on the Los Angeles Riots

The 1992 Los Angeles riots were sparked by a series of injustices by the criminal justice system against marginalized people that remain unaddressed 30 years later.

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1556 1020 Nicole Cardoza
The Lingering Punishment After Leaving Prison
A prison hallway from the viewpoint of a metal staircase.

The Lingering Punishment After Leaving Prison

If you were designing a system that ensured those leaving prison returned, you’d end up with something similar to the current U.S. prisoner reentry landscape.

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2400 1600 Andrew Lee
Central Park Five and Donald Trump: A Tale of Two Cases
Two photos side by side. Left: black and white of a person being brought into the courthouse by cops. Right: Donald Trump greeting fans after his arraignment.

Central Park Five and Donald Trump: A Tale of Two Cases

The differences between the Central Park Five and the Donald Trump indictments highlight the disparities and bias in the legal system.

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1220 686 Nicole Cardoza
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