prison reform A Former Jail Warden Says Our Criminal Justice System Is Too Fixated on Punishment Dr. Nneka Tapia was warden of the Cook County Jail in Chicago; now she is an advocate for prison reform. Tapia came to the criminal justice system with a unique background — a psychologist whose own father had been incarcerated. Today, she is using she perspective she gained on both sides of the system to push for change.
Dating Apps Background Checks on Dating Apps Could Leave Nonviolent People Without Love Many dating apps prohibit users with a criminal record, but don't enforce that policy until there's a complaint. Now a background check process could result in banning many people with a nonviolent record.
Dating Apps Background Checks Could Kick Former Felons Off Dating Apps Multiple dating apps are planning to add background checks in an effort to root out sex offenders or other potentially dangerous people. But a blanket ban on all people with prior convictions could disproportionately harm Black people and people with prior drug offenses who have recovered, says Keri Blakinger of The Marshall Project.
capital punishment Why Trump's Approval of Firing Squads for Executions Is ‘Largely Symbolic,' But Still Leaves ‘a Mess' for Biden In his final weeks in the White House, President Trump is rushing to approve execution methods such as firing squads and hanging for federal death-row inmates. The Marshall Project’s Keri Blakinger explains what these new rules really mean for prisoners.
felony disenfranchisement How Felony Disenfranchisement Affects Everyone—Not Just Former Felons In many states across the country, people with felony convictions are prohibited from voting, or only allowed to vote under certain conditions, even after they’ve served their sentence. Jay Jordan, who served time in prison as a young man and is currently the Director for Californians for Safety and Justice, explains how limiting their rights hurts more than just former...
breonna taylor Breonna Taylor Case: What Needs to Happen for More Charges to be Filed Against the Cops Involved in Her Death An anonymous grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case has revealed that the jury was never asked to consider charges directly linked to her death. Attorney Michael Starr Hopkins joined LX News to discuss what may come next in the case, and said more charges against the police officers involved in her shooting are still possible.
voter rights Florida Activists, the NBA Are Teaming Up to Restore Voter Rights to Former Felons In Florida, African Americans make up 16% of the voting population but account for more than 20% of those who have lost their right to vote due to prior felony convictions. Even after a permanent ban on voting was lifted for people with felonies on their records, the state continues to bar them from casting ballots until they have paid...
breonna taylor What's Next for Breonna Taylor's Case: How Federal Charges May Still Be Possible Under a Biden Administration A Kentucky grand jury has decided not to indict any of the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor with homicide or manslaughter, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be additional charges in the future to hold the officers responsible for her death. Attorney Michael Starr Hopkins explains that federal charges could still be possible under a...
hate crime Hate Crimes Are Still Underreported Across the U.S. Incidents of racism have become more visible due to cell phone cameras and social media, but hate crimes are still underreported across the U.S., according to Roy L. Austin, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. The reasons include distrust between the Black community and law enforcement, and a lack of incentive for officials to report...
prison reform Jay-Z, Yo Gotti and Team Roc Are Still Fighting for Inmates at Mississippi's Parchman Prison Roc Nation’s philanthropy arm, Team Roc, filed a lawsuit against the Mississippi Department of Corrections earlier this year on behalf of over 150 inmates in the state’s Parchman prison in response to conditions described as “barbaric.” Attorney Jessica Rice, who is working with Team Roc, explains why this case is important in Mississippi and details the long history of...
