Criminal Justice

The execution of one Alabama inmate raises a host of questions around the death penalty in the United States.

Competing notions of punishment's value lead to disparate outcomes within the American criminal justice system.

Should mandatory prison education programs worry us the same way that forced labor does?

One in 40 adults are prohibited from voting in the United States - many due to their criminal record.

On the complications of weeding out implicit bias in jury selection.

Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has visited Ferguson. We interviewed the town's residents to see what they wanted both candidates to know about their city.

Continuing police reform raises the question of just what communities expect from the police, and how to balance justice with community protection.

Though no doubt warranted, scrutiny surrounding Betty Shelby's killing of Terence Crutcher follows well-known patterns of gender bias.

On the Brock Turner case and the moral reasoning needed to understand the perspectives involved.

Reflecting on the recent Orlando mass shooting, and the role social media plays in both passing gun control legislation and sensationalizing tragedies.

Should ex-felons be allowed to exercise their right to vote? Or does it get taken away because they violated other laws?

Terrorist negotiations are typically viewed in a negative light. But what if they will result in lasting peace for a country who has been fighting a long war?

Republican Gov. Mike Pence signed a new bill that “[p]rohibits a person from performing an abortion if the person knows that the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion solely because of: (1) the race, color, national origin, ancestry, or sex of the fetus; or (2) a diagnosis or potential diagnosis of the fetus having Down syndrome … Continue reading "Indiana’s New Abortion Law: An Ethical, Medical, or Legal Concern?"

The complexities of the United States' justice system are no secret to civilians. But when a civilian asks for the death penalty to be taken off the table, does the prosecutor have the right to ask for it anyway? Should legal expertise trump what the injured client wants?

The San Beranderino Shooting was one of largest tragedies on U.S Soil since 9/11. In attempts to figure out why Farook and his wife committed the crime, Farook's iPhone was taken into police custody. Apple was not helpful and took a stand to defend user privacy. Was that okay?

In the state of New York, former public officials who have been convicted of misconduct in office can still apply for their pensions. This is due to part of the state constitution in which a public official cannot be removed from the pension system once they are a part of it. As detailed in an … Continue reading "Convicted Officials and State Pensions"

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that minors convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment have a right to argue that they be released from prison. This 2012 decision was ruled to apply retroactively, as it was considered a significant change to the law. The court ruled 6 to 3 on applying the law retroactively; … Continue reading "A Right to Review"

A California court ruled in favor of a ex-Marine who was wearing military medals that he did not earn. The ex-marine, Elven Joe Swisher, has the right to wear the medals, the court says, even if they were not earned during his service. This on the basis that denying him the right to wear the medals … Continue reading "Can You Wear Medals You Didn’t Earn?"

In many states, minors charged with certain crimes can be tried as adults. Although some of the minors who enter the system are convicted of serious crimes, many are charged with non-violent offenses. The argument for trying minors as adults is that it ensures public safety – however, research shows the opposite. In Jessica Lahey’s article … Continue reading "Should Minors Stay in Adult Prisons?"

The FCC is taking steps to shorten the amount of time that prisoners can collect call their families. This decision has both economic and personal implications.