Criminal Justice / Public News Service

By federal law, tribal law enforcement officers may attend a state training program or the Indian Police Academy in New Mexico. This year is the first tribal-specific training has been included in South Dakota's program. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

SD police academy grads newly schooled on Indian Country

South Dakota's police training program included a new course this year, one specific to tribal communities. A class of 20 graduated yesterday from …

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

AZ judge blocks polling place rules, election official predicts chaos

As worries of election interference and intimidation grow in Arizona, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes says election officials have been preparing to …

Most state juvenile courts, including New York's, have jurisdiction over people younger than 18. The only states excluding 17-year-olds from juvenile court are Georgia, Texas and Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NY, US see juvenile incarceration decline due to reforms

New York and the nation are seeing youth incarceration decline. Despite claims crime, particularly youth crime, is rising, a new report by The …

In Mississippi, on a typical day 56 out of 100,000 youth nationwide are held in juvenile facilities, pre- and post-adjudication, with rates varying widely among other states. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MS youth incarceration snapshot reveals hope amid disparities

A new report shows the rate of juvenile crime continues to fall, but disparities remain in Mississippi and nationwide. The Sentencing Project report …

According to federal data, law enforcement accounted for 82% of all delinquency cases referred to juvenile court in 2019. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV NAACP lawsuit says state agencies failed to collect juvenile justice data

West Virginia state agencies have failed to collect data on incarcerated youth, according to a new lawsuit filed by the West Virginia NAACP in the …

The Sentencing Project found a total of 8,632 individuals serving sentences for crimes committed as minors in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Report shows NC youth left behind despite sentencing reforms

Efforts to reform juvenile sentencing in the U.S. have made significant strides but a new report showed North Carolina is not keeping up. A study by …

Alabama's Constitution does not disenfranchise all individuals with felony convictions but it prevents those convicted of

Alabama court ruling protects voting rights for thousands

A new court order in Alabama has blocked the enforcement of House Bill 100, ensuring people with past felony convictions can vote in the November …

Grand Island program keeps at-risk NE youth out of detention facilities

A Grand Island-based organization is offering a diversion program cited in a new report as one of the most effective with at-risk youths. The …

GA juveniles left behind despite sentencing reforms

Efforts to reform juvenile sentencing in the U.S. have made significant strides, but a new report shows that Georgia is lagging behind. A study by …

The number of youths held in juvenile justice facilities fell by 75% between 2000 and 2022. (Jan H. Anderson/Adobe Stock)

Study: Youth incarceration is declining but challenges remain

Youth incarceration has declined significantly in Virginia and around the country since 2000, according to a new report but disparities and …

Colorado ranked 27th nationally for its typical daily incarceration rates, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Youth incarceration dropped 75% between 2000 and 2022

The number of young people locked up in juvenile justice facilities dropped from 108,000 in 2000 to just above 27,000 in 2022, according to a new …

Nevada has seen an exodus of poll workers since 2020. (AnnaStills/Adobe Stock)

NV lawmakers will consider changes to its elections process

Nevada lawmakers will consider changes to the state's election laws next year. Most proposals are minor, like adding small filing costs for primary …

The Sentencing Project found Mississippi is one in four states where more than 10% of people serving life or virtual life sentences with a chance of parole were under 18 when they were convicted. (MemoryMan/Adobe)

Report: Mississippi has not made progress in youth sentencing reforms

Efforts to reform juvenile sentencing in the U.S. have made significant strides but a new report showed Mississippi is lagging behind. A study by …

North Carolina has executed 43 people since 1976. (Adobe Stock)

North Carolina urged to end death penalty before Governor leaves office

North Carolina has not carried out an execution in 18 years and advocates are urging Gov. Roy Cooper to commute all death row sentences before he …

The Sentencing Project found a total of 8,632 individuals serving such sentences for crimes committed as minors in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Alabama juveniles left behind despite sentencing reforms

Efforts to reform juvenile sentencing in the U.S. have made significant strides but a new report showed Alabama is lagging behind. A study by The …

Groups that fight for criminal justice reform argue that public safety improves when justice-involved people can clear their records and find better jobs and housing. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

New rules coming soon to help people clear old criminal records

Starting October 1st, it will get a lot easier for people with old felony convictions to get them expunged from their record - as Senate Bill 731…

Thousands of Charleston, West Virginia, residents signed a petition to create a municipal measure to reduce penalties for marijuana possession. (Adobe Stock)

WV city OKs measure reducing jail time, fees for marijuana possession

Charleston City Council members have greenlighted a citizen-led municipal measure to reduce local penalties for some marijuana possession offenses…

Officer hiring and retention has struggled since 2020 amid rising public distrust in policing and concerns over excessive violence from forces. (Tomasz Zajda/Adobe Stock

Report: Police apprenticeships can help combat officer shortages

Police departments across the U.S. have struggled with officer shortages in recent years but a new report showed how youth apprenticeship programs …

The youth arrest rate peaked in 1996 at more than 8,000 per 100,000 young people. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Juvenile crime has been falling for decades, but disparities remain

A new report shows the rate of juvenile crime has been falling for years but disparities remain in Maryland and nationwide. The Sentencing Project …

A new policy brief says North Dakota has one of the lower residential placement rates for youth offenders in the country. But nationally, report authors say there are still too many young people - roughly 2,500 on a typical day - being held in adult prisons and jails. (Adobe Stock)

New snapshot of youth incarceration shows hope, but disparities persist

Over the past couple of years, North Dakota has implemented juvenile justice reforms. And a new national report says there's been major progress in …

Despite reforms to reduce the use of juvenile life without parole sentences, thousands of youth and emerging adults have been left behind, according to The Sentencing Project report. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: WV has made progressive youth sentencing reforms

West Virginia has made significant criminal justice reforms in reducing harsh sentences for children, according to the latest report from The …

Major juvenile justice legislation has recently gone into effect in Kentucky, contained in 2024's Senate Bill 20 and a delayed provision in House Bill 3 from 2023. Experts say both will make criminal penalties for children harsher. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: New laws will put more KY kids in troubled detention facilities

Two Kentucky laws recently went into effect are expected to increase the number of incarcerated children in the state, according to a new report from …

According to the Prison Policy Institute, about 58,000 people who are pregnant are admitted to jail and prison every year, and thousands give birth or have other outcomes while still incarcerated. (Adobe Stock)

Senate committee exposes abuse of pregnant prisoners in GA, U.S.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee has uncovered widespread abuse of pregnant and postpartum women incarcerated nationwide, including in Georgia. Sen…

Pastor Wesley Bridges, CEO of Clergy for Prison Reform, with participants at a

MS conference to focus on redemption, 'second chances'

Formerly incarcerated Mississippians will share their stories about rebuilding their lives at the "Redemption Over Retribution" fall conference next m…

Research shows the neurodevelopmental capacities of people ages 18-21, or late adolescence, is more similar to juveniles ages 13-17 than adults, according to a 2022 paper in the Annual Review of Criminology. (Jan H. Andersen/Adobe Stock)

WY case questions life-without-parole sentencing for adolescents

A new case filed in a Wyoming district court argues that a man's sentence of life in prison without parole was unconstitutional because of his age…

Crime data covering 48 California cities reporting to the FBI show an 11% decline in theft and a 17% drop in burglary for the first three months of 2024, compared with 2023. (Sergey/Adobe Stock)

Report: Contrary to popular belief, property crime is down in CA

Property crime in California is near record lows, according to the latest statistics from the California Department of Justice. A new report from …

In Georgia, about 3.1% of the state's voting-age population is disenfranchised, which exceeds the the national average of 2%, according to a report from The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: GA, US behind in voting rights for justice-impacted

A new report highlighted how the U.S. compares globally in disenfranchising people based on criminal convictions. The study analyzed 136 countries …

On March 31, 2023, Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 into law, legalizing medical cannabis for Kentuckians beginning next Jan. 1. (Adobe Stock)

KY’s medical cannabis law application window ends Aug. 31

The window to apply for a medical cannabis business license in Kentucky closes at the end of this month. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family …

More than one in three local election officials have experienced threats, harassment or abuse, according to a recent Brennan Center poll. (Lorie Shaull, Flickr)

More power to SD poll watchers this Election Day

A new South Dakota law will give poll watchers in the state more power on Election Day. Some say that could interfere with voting. A bill passed in …

In Alabama, more than 8% of the adult population, one of every 13 adults, is disenfranchised. (Adobe Stock)

Report: AL, US lag in voting rights for justice-impacted

A new report highlighted how the U.S. compares globally in disenfranchising people based on criminal convictions. The study analyzed 136 countries …

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $1.2 billion to Pennsylvania for expanding reliable high-speed internet access statewide. (WavebreakMediaMicro)

PA mayor puts bipartisan infrastructure law funding to work

A Pennsylvania city is using funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to increase safety, prevent crime, improve housing and more. Matt Tuerk…

North Carolina is one of several states to prosecute voters for trying to vote when they do not realize they are not eligible to do so due to a felony conviction, according to the report. (Adobe Stock)

NC, US found lagging in voting rights for justice-impacted

A new report highlighted how the U.S. compares globally in disenfranchising people based on criminal convictions. The study analyzed 136 countries …

Homicide rates have dropped in the past year in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Richmond, but advocates say gun violence remains too high. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Report: Violent crime rates continue to fall from pandemic heights

Violent crime rates in major U.S. cities are continuing to fall from the heights they reached during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report …

Mississippi releases more than 127,000 men and more than 29,000 women from its prisons and jails annually. (NanSan/Adobe Stock)

MS 'Rethinking Reentry' conference to focus on criminal justice, resources

In Mississippi, people face many barriers to restarting their lives after prison and this week, the "Rethinking Reentry" conference will focus on …

It's estimated that one in three victims of human trafficking globally is a child, according to the United Nations. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa enlists businesses to thwart human trafficking

Iowa has enlisted the help of businesses across the state to take on human trafficking. Tomorrow marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons…

The Gender Shades project revealed facial recognition performed poorest for darker-skinned women, and performed best for lighter-skinned men. (Adobe Stock)

A NY county creates facial recognition, privacy protections

Columbia County, New York, is implementing new facial recognition and privacy policies, following new upgrades to the county's surveillance cameras…

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for assistance programs like SNAP, or Social Security benefits, even though they contribute to those programs by paying payroll and other taxes. (Adobe Stock)

Fact-checking GOP claims on immigrants

During last week's Republican National Convention, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Americans are not safe due to immigrants committing violent crimes…

In Vermont, Maine and the District of Columbia, people with felony convictions do not lose their right to vote. (Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock)

NE AG's opinion could set voting rights restoration back decades

About 7,000 Nebraskans with felony convictions who thought they'd be able to register to vote, now face uncertainty. In question is the …

More than 2,000 people in prison currently face execution in the United States. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

200 people on death row exonerated since 1973

It's being called a historic milestone - 200 people have been exonerated after being sentenced to death since 1973, what's known as the modern era of …

The 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana required the resentencing of 364 Michigan youths serving life without parole, citing Eighth Amendment violations. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

MI high court re-evaluates life sentences for young offenders

The Michigan Supreme Court is set to reexamine the life without parole sentences of three men who have spent two decades in prison, convicted of …

Advocates said people in detention have come to depend on free phone access while navigating the isolation and deprivation behind bars. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for immigration detainees want free phone call plan reinstated

Groups advocating for people detained in immigration facilities in Louisiana and elsewhere are calling for the reinstatement of a program subsidizing …

On a single night in 2023, about 20 of every 10,000 people in the U.S. were experiencing homelessness, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (majorosl66/AdobeStock)

Advocacy groups want NM's Governor to halt special legislative session

New Mexico advocacy groups are calling on New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to cancel next week's special session where lawmakers are scheduled …

In response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement ending its free 500 phone minutes program, 40 people at New York's Batavia Processing Center went on hunger strikes, some for more than 24 hours. (Adobe Stock)

NY advocates denounce termination of free phone call program

New York human-rights groups want a program providing detained immigrants 500 free minutes of phone calls restored. Immigrations and Customs …

Stanford University researchers say immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than American-born people. (DragonImages/Adobe Stock)

Missouri committee to crack down on illegal immigrant crimes

The Missouri House of Representatives has formed a special committee to look into what the House Speaker refers to as crimes committed by immigrants l…

Four projects across Washington were chosen to receive AARP Community Challenge grants this year. (AARP Washington)

WA projects receive $68,000 for community project upgrades

Four projects in Washington state were selected to receive grants from the AARP Community Challenge program. Combined, the organizations will …

Around 600 million people are released from state and federal prisons annually, with another 9 million people cycled through local jails. Many do not have access to health care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky to provide health coverage for people leaving incarceration

Kentucky is one of a handful of states recently approved to provide health insurance coverage to soon-to-be released incarcerated individuals…

According to a survey by SafeWise.com, 42% of New Mexicans rely on guard dogs to protect their property while 36% use security cameras. (RobertWilson/AdobeStock)

NM lawmakers return to Roundhouse to address public safety

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has called lawmakers back to the state Capitol this month for a legislative session about public safety…

Advocates said people in detention have come to depend on free phone access while navigating the isolation and deprivation behind bars. (R/Adobe Stock)

Advocates for detained immigrants decry loss of free phone calls

Groups advocating for people detained in immigration facilities are calling for the reinstatement of a program which allowed 500 free minutes of phone…

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