Criminal Justice / Public News Service

Alabama's Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888, has identified 815 cases of human trafficking and 1,823 victims since its inception. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Alabama takes action against human trafficking

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, spotlighting efforts to combat the crime. Human trafficking, the world's second-largest …

In 2024, Ohio's Human Trafficking Initiative created specialized resources for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, focusing on personal safety, healthy relationships and preventing exploitation.(design.designer/Adobe Stock)

Ohio takes action against human trafficking

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, spotlighting efforts to combat the crime. Human trafficking, the world's second-largest …

According to the Sentencing Project, the number of people serving life without parole is highest in Florida. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Florida leads nation in life sentences without parole as advocates push for reforms

Florida holds the highest number of people serving life sentences without parole in the country, with nearly 11,000 individuals behind bars …

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Justice reveals Mississippi has the highest incarceration rate in the US. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MS faces alarming racial disparities in life sentences

In Mississippi, where thousands of people are serving life sentences, the impact of long-term imprisonment falls disproportionately on Black …

A new service in North Carolina aims to ensure success for people reentering communities from jail or prison. (Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services)

First-of-its-kind recidivism reduction center goes mobile in NC

Services for North Carolinians affected by the justice system is going mobile. The Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services mobile resource …

President-elect Trump has vowed to conduct a mass deportation of more than 13 million immigrants but Massachusetts officials, including Gov. Maura Healy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said they will not cooperate with federal authorities, nor will state or local police. (Adobe Stock).<br /><br /><br />

Southeast Asian refugees in MA fear deportation, seek Biden pardon

Southeast Asian refugees at risk of deportation in Massachusetts are asking President Biden to pardon them before he leaves office. Deportations …

Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump's border czar, said he will begin mass deportations in Chicago when Trump takes office. (Adobe Stock)

Chicago’s sanctuary protections may end this week

A proposed amendment to strip Chicago of its sanctuary protections is scheduled to be voted on this week. The change to the Welcome City Ordinance …

Montana's Department of Justice opened 21 human trafficking investigations in 2024, which will be submitted for prosecution, according to the department. (Adobe Stock)

Energy industry new focus for human trafficking education

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

The Arkansas legislators serving in this session took office following the 2024 elections. Republicans won a 29-6 majority in the Senate and an 81-19 majority in the House. (Adobe Stock)

AR's 95th legislative session begins today

Arkansas lawmakers are at the Capitol today for the start of the 95th Legislative session. Over the next 88 days, legislators will discuss more than 2…

Florida's 2018 Amendment 4 restored voting rights to individuals with felony convictions once they complete their sentence, except for those convicted of murder or felony sex offenses. (Adobe Stock)

FL League of Women Voters helps returning citizens restore voting rights

The League of Women Voters of Florida is taking a personal approach to restoring voting rights for returning citizens. The group is sending …

National reform groups say North Dakota is taking the right steps to improve public health outcomes for those within and without the criminal justice system, but they add a lot more work is needed. (Adobe Stock)

Jail overcrowding in ND elevates reform talk

North Dakota's county jails and state prisons have been bursting at the seams. Elected leaders are calling for meaningful solutions, with legal …

There are nearly 50,000 cryptocurrency kiosks across the country, up from just over 1,000 eight years ago. (Maksym/Adobe Stock)

Push to protect WA from crypto ATM scams

They may offer people a legitimate way to convert cash into cryptocurrency but crypto ATMs are also popular with scammers. Washington had the …

The Indiana 2023 Weighted Caseload Report found the Hoosier state has about 489 judicial officers but needs a slightly fewer number, 481. (Adobe stock)

Judicial shakeup ahead as Indiana reviews court resources

By Marilyn Odendahl for The Indiana Citizen.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Indiana Citizen-Free Press India…

In South Dakota, 68% of missing persons are Native Americans even though they only make up 9% of the state's population. (Adobe Stock)

Resource gaps cloud efforts on cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In South Dakota, the push to secure justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women remains …

FBI crime statistics show Jackson has the highest rate of violent crime in Mississippi. (Adobe Stock)

Operation Good: Community-first approach to curbing violence in Jackson

In Jackson, where violent crime rates have historically been high, a local organization called Operation Good is taking a proactive, community-driven …

Each year, gun violence claims the lives of 1,600 Pennsylvanians and injures another 3,000. (Roman/Adobe Stock)

PA gun safety advocates plan for stricter ghost-gun regulations

As the Pennsylvania House reconvenes this week, lawmakers will focus on regulating 3D-printed ghost guns. These untraceable firearms, like the one …

National studies show when people leave prison, they face a range of obstacles in advancing through the world of postsecondary education. Right off the bat, a key deterrent is an application question about their past criminal history. (Adobe Stock)

With college application change, MN aims to reduce higher-ed barriers

In the new year, college applications in Minnesota will look a little different: They will no longer feature an initial question about a person's …

Wisconsin municipal courts issued more than 27,000 arrest warrants and writs of commitment for people who failed to pay fines between Jan. 2023 and Aug. 2024, according to the ACLU of Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Some WI courts jailing people for unpaid tickets

If you have any unpaid traffic or parking tickets, the latest report on Wisconsin's municipal courts said in some areas, you could go to jail if you …

About 65,000 people are in federal prison for drug offenses. (Adobe Stock)

Clemency advocates call for broader action from Biden

In one of his final acts in the White House, President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 people with federal death-row convictions to life …

Oregon's public defense system is made up of nonprofit public defender organizations, consortia contracting with the state and individual contract attorneys. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

More funding needed to stem OR’s public defense ‘crisis’

Oregon's constitution guarantees criminal defendants a state-funded lawyer for those who cannot afford one but a massive shortage of public defenders …

Earlier this month, President Biden granted clemency to around 1,500 Americans, the largest single-day action in U.S. history, including sentence commutations for those successfully reintegrated after home confinement during COVID-19. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe)

Biden urged to take more immediate bold action on clemency

This week, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 people with federal death row convictions to life sentences without parole. Groups …

According to FWD.US, there are more than 31,500 people in federal prison over age 50. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates urge broader clemency despite Biden’s death row commutes

In one of his final acts in the White House, President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 people with federal death row convictions to life …

USPS recommends deleting 'smishing' texts and blocking the senders.(WesSide/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Oregonians need to watch out for 'smishing' packages

Many folks are still expecting holiday packages this week, and the United States Postal Service is warning customers not to fall for what are known …

To avoid phishing and smishing scams, more than 40 million people have already signed up for

USPS warns Coloradans to delete 'smishing' texts about packages

Many folks are still expecting holiday packages this week and the United States Postal Service is warning customers not to fall for "smishing" scams…

In 2024, there were 1,990 successful diversions of South Dakota youth from courts and detention, according to the state's Juvenile Justice Oversight Council. Of that total, 449 attempts were considered unsuccessful. (Adobe Stock)

A year of growth for juvenile diversion programs in SD

Nearly 2,000 South Dakota juveniles were successfully diverted from the state's court system this year, according to a new report. A 2024 law has …

In 2020, the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported more than 240 victims of phishing, smishing and other fraudulent schemes, resulting in losses exceeding $54 million. (EdvvinStudios/Adobe Stock)

Postal Service warns MI customers about smishing 'Grinches'

The United States Postal Service is warning Michiganders not to fall for what are known as smishing scams. These scams involve fraudulent text …

Six million U.S. students attend a school where there is a School Resource Officer but no school psychologist on staff, according to a Brookings Institution report. (Adobe Stock)

WV schools funnel more kids into juvenile justice system

West Virginia schools' reliance on zero-tolerance policies are driving more kids into the juvenile justice system - with lifelong consequences…

The USPS says texts with questionable tracking information and clickable links should be avoided in order to prevent scammers from gaining personal information. (Rokas/Adobe Stock)

USPS warns AR residents to be aware of 'smishing' scams

Many folks are still expecting holiday packages this week, and the United States Postal Service is warning customers not to fall for what are known …

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, nearly 55% of male inmates are Black, 32% are white, and less than 1% are Asian, Hispanic or Indigenous. (Adobe Stock)

IL justice-involved study shows demographic imbalance

Data show troubling disparities on the number of justice-involved individuals within the Illinois Department of Corrections. Pew Research figures …

USPS warns NM customers awaiting packages not to fall for 'smishing'

Many folks are still expecting holiday packages this week, and the United States Postal Service is warning customers not to fall for what are known …

The U.S. is home to more than 408,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education. Less than 1,000 undocumented students graduate from New Hampshire high schools each year, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. (Adobe Stock)

Mass deportations could spur economic losses on par with Great Recession

New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte says she will support President-elect Donald Trump's plan to deport the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrant…

Nearly 1,000 Alabamians from 41 counties shared their experiences with court debt in a survey, revealing 50% had been jailed for failing to pay. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Panel explores cost of fines, fees on Alabama's most vulnerable residents

Alabama's reliance on fines and fees to fund state services can turn minor incidents such as a traffic violation into overwhelming debt for low-income…

The Green Hill School juvenile facility in Chehalis, Wash., keeps young adults age 17 to 25. (dcyf.wa.gov)

Parents of children in WA prisons face 'unbearable' holiday season

The holiday season is a difficult time of year for families with children in Washington's youth detention centers. Families have limited access to …

Overcrowding is one of the most pressing issues in Idaho's jails. (Global Image Archive/Adobe Stock)

Safety questions raised as more than a third of ID jails fail inspections

More than a third of Idaho's jails have failed their inspections but consequences for failing grades are unlikely. The nonprofit newsroom …

According to Lawsuit Information Center, as of November 2024, at least 660 lawsuits have been filed by former inmates alleging they were sexually abused by staff while housed at the former Arthur J. Audy detention center. (Adobe Stock)

New IL legislation removes barriers for children of sexual abuse

Childhood sexual abuse survivors will benefit from amendments to legislation pending in the Illinois Senate. House Bill 222 would revise three …

In 2021, there were 72% fewer detention admissions of youths on delinquency charges across the country than in 2005. Still, Wyoming incarcerates youth at a much higher rate than any other state in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

WY has highest rate of juvenile incarceration, rejects federal funding to help

Wyoming has the nation's highest rate of juvenile incarceration, and is one of only two states refusing federal funds to help. In 2021, nearly 270 …

Each year, immigrants add $54 billion to Colorado's economy. (Adobe Stock)

Economic damage of mass deportation on par with Great Recession

As President-elect Donald Trump doubles down on promises to round up and deport the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants, the city of Castle …

Expert: Foreign cyber threats targeting utilities compromise national security

A former White House cyber-security expert is warning of potential cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. Former Principal Deputy National Cyber …

Some Connecticut justice organizations want the state to raise the age of arrest from 10 to 14, and get young people out of adult facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: CT, U.S. need to enact legal system reforms in 2025

Advocates feel Connecticut and the nation can enact legal system reforms in 2025, ranging from ways to more humanely treat incarcerated people to …

David Bintz' brother, Robert Bintz, was also released from prison this year and was represented by the Great North Innocence Project. (Adobe Stock)

WI Innocence Project victories point to systemic problem in justice system

The Wisconsin Innocence Project is ending the year with some key victories including helping with the release of two men who each spent decades in pri…

Expungement opportunities in North Carolina focus on three main categories: first-time nonviolent offenses, certain offenses committed before age 22, and charges dismissed or resolved as

North Carolina toolkit simplifies expungement process for second chances

Navigating the process of expunging criminal records can be overwhelming but for many, it is a critical step toward building a better future…

More than 80% of jurisdictions impose conditions related to employment or vocational training, with 27 requiring it without exceptions. Many on probation face high unemployment rates and struggle to balance job expectations with mandatory meetings and programs. (rh2010/Adobe)

Standard probation conditions set Mississippians up for failure

A new report offers a detailed look at "standard" conditions for probation in Mississippi and nationwide, affecting nearly 3 million people. The …

In 2020, Pennsylvania reported more than 32,000 abortions, with providers documenting only 239 cases that involved medical complications. (Longfin Media/Adobe Stock) <br />

PA advocates stand firm on reproductive health access

President-elect Donald Trump's second term has some Pennsylvania health care providers and legal experts voicing concern about potential changes to ab…

Consumer advocates say cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, is less regulated and harder to recover in a scam situation. They say that's why holiday shoppers should steer clear of it if asked to convert their payment to crypto. (Freepik)

Cryptocurrency part of latest scam warnings for Nebraskans

If your holiday shopping list is far from complete, consumer advocates in Nebraska hope you don't ignore warning signs of scams in the rush to buy …

Retiring Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter sits in his office behind a desk built by the Indiana State Department of Correction. (WISH-TV)

Indiana's justice journey of reform, reflection

By Dakarai Turner for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service…

Parental separation, drug abuse in the home and physical abuse were some of the most common Adverse Childhood Experiences cited by people imprisoned as children. (Adobe Stock)

MD ranks among worst states for long-term incarceration

Maryland has one of the highest percentages in the nation of people in prison who began serving time when they were juveniles. A new report from …

Years of underinvestment by the federal government, coupled with a massive increase in gun sales nationwide, have sharply limited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' capacity to enforce its own regulations, gun safety advocates said. (Roman/Adobe Stock)

Report: Lax oversight of OR gun dealers fuels shootings, homicides

Nearly 40% of guns used in Oregon homicides are illegally trafficked through legal gun dealers and another 30% are stolen from them, according to new …

Data show firearms were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-17 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Alabama leaders unite to address gun violence, reimagine community safety

Gun violence has long been a pressing issue in Alabama, and the recent tragic shooting at Tuskegee University has reignited urgent calls for action…

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