Negligent DNA Testing Has Affected Thousands of New York Criminal Cases
New York City's crime lab has been a pioneer nationally in analyzing especially difficult DNA samples. But the recent disclosure of the source code for its proprietary software is raising new questions about accuracy.
Where's the Evidence That Mass Surveillance Actually Works?
Officials are again pointing to the need for mass surveillance to take down terrorists. Here’s what we know about how well it works.
What We Know About the Computer Formulas Making Decisions in Your Life
When big data uses bad data, discrimination can result.
Your Smart Home Probably Knows More About You Than You Think It Does
A data scientist’s experiment reveals surprising information about interconnected smart devices.
The Best Defense Is Good Offense
Court filings bring national attention to local funding issues.
When Big Data Becomes Bad Data
Corporations are increasingly relying on algorithms to make business decisions, and that raises new legal questions.
On Snake Smuggling, Lion Killing, and Fish Crimes
The Lacey Act, a 115-year-old law that seeks to protect threatened species, is still going strong.
Who Does, and Who Doesn’t, Get Drug Treatment in Prison
New research finds a racial disparity.
The Importance of Community Support for Prisoner Re-Entry Programs
To be successful, re-entry programs must work to facilitate more interaction between former inmates and potential role models in their new neighborhoods.
The Impact of Fairer Sentencing of Crack Possession
Five years after the Fair Sentencing Act, the government assesses the change.
Environmental Justice for Prisoners
Why doesn’t the Environmental Protection Agency count incarcerated populations in its impact statements?
Drug Courts Grow Up
As drug courts spread across the world, new standards and best practices aim to hold them all accountable.
'The Great Equalizer': Navigating Pre-Trial Detention
A new consultancy firm offers advice for first-time detainees, from someone who’s been there.
Will Parole Get a Second Chance in Virginia?
Twenty years after abolishing parole, one state is examining the impact (and the politics).
Private Conflict, Public Disorder, and Crime
A conversation about the limitations of the “broken windows” theory and our unreasonable expectations of the police.
The Justice Department Compares the School-to-Prison Pipeline to Racial Segregation
Meridian, Mississippi, is the latest district to face consequences for disproportionately punishing black students.
The Other Prison Health Crisis
Hepatitis C is common behind bars, but sick prisoners aren’t getting treatment.
The Government Report as Book as Object
The Justice Department’s “Ferguson Report” will join a small number of significant public documents to be bound and sent to bookstores.
When Addicts Get Out of Jail
New research suggests that maintaining methadone treatment in jails and prisons would save lives.
Nuns Protesting Nukes
Many say getting arrested, and then helping those in prison, is part of the point.
When Cops Perceive Differences as Danger
Why police need special training on how to interact with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Shackling Juveniles in the Courtroom
Pediatricians and psychologists say unnecessary restraints can traumatize kids and encourage worse behavior.
Protecting Juvenile Offenders From Adult Inmates, and From Themselves
The only federal law that regulates detention conditions for juveniles is due for an upgrade.
Excessive Force in Custody and the Rights of the Untried
While Baltimore erupts, the Supreme Court considers a timely case.
The Psychology and the Politics of Nightclub Surveillance Video
Research shows that “feeling safe” is highly subjective.
The Racial Imbalance in Traffic Stops Persists
Across the country, non-white drivers are more likely to be stopped, and those stops are more likely to lead to frisks, searches, and tickets.
The Fight to Decriminalize Truancy in Texas Schools
Should kids be led out of class in handcuffs for being late to school?
The Elderly Prisoner Population Is Soaring, and So Are Its Costs
Advocates argue that early release is the most compassionate and cost-effective solution.
Reconsidering Juvenile Life Sentences—Again
A new Supreme Court case could affect thousands of prisoners serving life sentences without parole for crimes they committed as teens.
It’s Poverty, Not the 'Teenage Brain,' That Causes the Most Youth Crime
A new analysis of crime stats suggests that economics trumps biology in causing violent behavior in teenagers.
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury in Prisons
Offenders with brain injuries make up a huge percentage of prison populations; they also enter the criminal justice system earlier, and stay in it longer.
A New Film Challenges Shaken Baby Syndrome, and Courts Controversy
Meryl and Susan Goldsmith’s documentary, The Syndrome, has been boycotted and protested against for its portrayal of SBS as outdated science.
Will 'DNA Phenotyping' Lead to Racial Profiling by Police?
Bioethicists, geneticists, attorneys, and cops weigh the pros and cons of a radical new science.
Why Juvenile Justice Should Start—and Stay—at Home
Texas A&M researchers explain how community-based programs rehabilitate juvenile offenders better, and for less money, than correctional facilities.
From the System to the Street
The factors and figures behind the so-called “foster care to prostitution pipeline”
Public Defenders: Heroes, but Human
The debate about how to alleviate excessive caseloads continues.
How Hospitals Can Help Stop the Cycle of Youth Violence
...and save money at the same time.
Whatever Happened to 'Eco-Terrorism'?
The FBI once called radical environmental activists the “number one domestic terror threat,” but crimes of “eco-terrorism” are practically non-existent now.
Don't Believe the FBI's Most Recent Hate Crime Statistics
Crimes targeting black and transgender Americans persist, but they are under-reported and under-recorded.
(Even More) Unintended Consequences of Police Use of Force
Mistrust and resentment may make arrestees more violent once they’re in prison.
The Very Real Dangers of Tasers
Scientific research reveals the harmful effects of Tasers, on both body and mind.
Problems With Police Sanctions
Recent research about ways to deal with police misconduct, and some of its unintended consequences.
The Links Between Mental Illness and Gun Violence
Vanderbilt University’s Jonathan Metzl and Kenneth MacLeish address our anxieties and correct our assumptions.
The Cost of Juvenile Incarceration
States pay hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to keep each juvenile offender behind bars. A new report calculates that long-term costs of incarceration could add up to $21 billion annually.
Can Kids Who Survive Crimes Be Re-Traumatized by Press?
New research cautions journalists against harming their most vulnerable sources.
For Juvenile Records, It's 'Justice by Geography'
A new study finds an inconsistent patchwork of policies across states for how juvenile records are sealed and expunged.
Odometer Fraud Continues to Plague Used Car Sales
The tools and methods have evolved over the decades, but the crime remains the same.
When Your Stalker Is a Cop
Where do you go for help when the people who are meant to keep you safe are the real danger?