News May 22

Is The “First Step Act” Real Reform?

Congress and criminal justice, a scorecard

By Justin George

News May 1

How Prosecutor Reform Is Shaking Up Small DA Races

The goals of the effort are trickling down, even if the money isn’t.

By Joseph Neff

The California Experiment April 23

The Catalyst

Thelton Henderson transformed California’s criminal justice system. Now comes the backlash.

By Abbie VanSickle

Quiz December 20, 2017

Take Our Quiz: The Year in Criminal Justice

How well do you remember 2017’s biggest stories?

By Christie Thompson

News December 7, 2017

What’s Christian in the Season of Trump?

Awakening Evangelicals to an “outrageous” system.

By Justin George

Commentary December 1, 2017

Cyntoia Brown and Our Twisted System

The process that sent a teenage sex-trafficking victim to prison for life didn’t fail. It worked as it was designed to.

By Donovan X. Ramsey

News November 2, 2017

Can Jared Kushner Save Criminal Justice Reform?

“Fat chance!” is giving way to “Well, maybe…”

By Justin George

News October 31, 2017

I Did It Norway

Some American prisons are singing a European tune.

By Maurice Chammah

Feature October 26, 2017

We are Witnesses

The American criminal justice system consists of 2.2 million people behind bars, plus tens of millions of family members, corrections and police officers, parolees, victims of crime, judges, prosecutors and defenders.

By The Marshall Project

Commentary October 25, 2017

Debating Risk-Assessment Tools

Experts weigh in on whether algorithms have a place in our criminal justice system.

Elizabeth Glazer, Hannah Jane Sassaman, Jon Wool

Analysis July 19, 2017

Nine Lessons About Criminal Justice Reform

What Washington can learn from the states.

By Bill Keller

Feature June 6, 2017

Can This Marriage Be Saved?

Left and right came together on criminal justice reform. Then Trump happened.

By Justin George

Commentary May 30, 2017

The Problem with the Justice Department

It’s a building full of prosecutors.

Mark Osler

Commentary May 2, 2017

The Limits of Prosecutorial Power

There are criminal justice actors more powerful than prosecutors.

Jeffrey Bellin

News April 23, 2017

At Least 61,000 Nationwide Are in Prison for Minor Parole Violations

But the number is probably far higher, Marshall Project survey shows.

By Eli Hager

News April 14, 2017

The Fine Print in New York’s Raise the Age Law

Thousands of juveniles could still head right to adult court.

By Eli Hager

Analysis February 9, 2017

Everything You Think You Know About Mass Incarceration Is Wrong

Or at least misleading, says this contrarian scholar. Here’s why it matters.

By Eli Hager and Bill Keller

Analysis January 31, 2017

Neil Gorsuch: Scalia Without the Scowl

Trump’s nominee has the ideology without the temper.

By Andrew Cohen

Commentary January 24, 2017

What We Can Learn from the Amazing Drop in Juvenile Incarceration

Lesson One: Don’t make policies when emotions are running high.

Ashley Nellis and Marc Mauer

Commentary January 19, 2017

Dear President Trump: Here’s How to get Right on Crime, Part 3

Listen to Pence, Carson, Priebus, Kushner — and look out your window.

Marc Levin

Commentary January 18, 2017

Dear President Trump: Here’s How to get Right on Crime, Part 2

End overcriminalization, reward success, pay attention to the heroin crisis.

Vikrant P. Reddy

Commentary January 17, 2017

Dear President Trump: Here’s How to get Right on Crime, Part 1

Focus on intent, tailor the punishment to the crime, prepare prisoners for life after incarceration.

Pat Nolan

Q&A January 2, 2017

John Grisham on the State of Criminal Justice

“There are thousands of innocent people in prison serving long sentences for crimes committed by others.”

By Bill Keller

Commentary December 22, 2016

Our Favorite Criminal Justice Reporting in 2016

Some of the best work from across the country.

The Marshall Project

Commentary December 21, 2016

Some of Our Best Work in 2016

In-depth investigations, insightful features and one story to give us hope.

By Kirsten Danis

Analysis December 16, 2016

Why Congress May Bring Criminal Justice Reform Back to Life

Four reasons a bipartisan bill has a better chance than you think

By Bill Keller

News December 14, 2016

Let’s Go to Prison!

A national field trip to Incarceration Nation, under the shadow of Donald Trump

By Eli Hager

Crime on the Ballot November 9, 2016

The States Where Voters Decided to Give Criminal Justice Reform a Try

From early release to bail reform, reform efforts gain some ground.

By Beth Schwartzapfel

Crime on the Ballot November 9, 2016

These Prosecutors Campaigned for Less Jail Time — And Won

Reform-minded candidates unseat incumbents in some races.

By Maurice Chammah

Crime on the Ballot November 9, 2016

Law and Order Trumps Reform

There’s a new sheriff in town.

By Bill Keller

Commentary October 28, 2016

Better by Half

How New York City Cut Crime and Incarceration at the Same Time

Vincent Schiraldi and Judith A Greene

Justice Lab October 27, 2016

Who’s a Kid?

Science — and law enforcement — are rethinking young adults.

By Dana Goldstein

Analysis September 29, 2016

Criminal Justice Reform: An Obituary

Obama and Newt Gingrich. Koch Industries and the ACLU. With friends like that, how could it lose?

By Bill Keller

News and Awards September 20, 2016

Coming Soon: We are Witnesses

A video exploration of our criminal justice system.

By The Marshall Project

News August 10, 2016

The Obama Criminal Justice Reforms That Trump Could Undo

A close look at the “executive actions” that the sweep of a pen could end.

By Eli Hager

Analysis August 8, 2016

Why is Arkansas Flailing in Juvenile Justice?

Blame the good guys.

By Dick Mendel

Commentary July 31, 2016

The Overlooked Promise in Hillary Clinton’s Speech

A call for criminal justice reform.

By Ames C. Grawert

Analysis July 29, 2016

Fact-checking the Democrats

A closer look at crime rates and how people really feel about police.

By The Marshall Project

Quiz July 24, 2016

Is It Time to Roll Back the Laws on Spreading HIV?

Take our quiz on which criminal penalties remain in force.

By Deonna Anderson

Commentary July 17, 2016

Five Voices on Reforming the Front End of Justice

While the feds fiddle, some locals are innovating.

By J. Scott Thompson, John Chisholm, Leah Garabedian, Barbara Broderick, and Sallie Clark.

Feature July 13, 2016

How to Fix American Policing

At a painful time, a roundup of proposed remedies

By Ken Armstrong

Commentary July 6, 2016

Measuring Incarceration

Don’t overlook local jails.

By Christian Henrichson

Feature June 26, 2016

Bookshelf

Books about criminal justice, curated by The Marshall Project staff.

By The Marshall Project

Justice Talk May 30, 2016

Join Our Chat On Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System

We’re talking all about mental illness and justice during our next Justice Talk with Digg, on Wednesday, June 1. For context, browse our guide to key reading on the issue.

By Blair Hickman

Commentary April 18, 2016

Some of Our Best Work of the Past Year

From David Simon's Baltimore anguish to elite police fraternities to teens behind bars.

By Bill Keller

Analysis March 9, 2016

Seven Things to Know About Repeat Offenders

A new report looks at recidivism among inmates released from federal prisons.

By Bill Keller

Q&A March 3, 2016

“Ghettoside” Author Jill Leovy on What We Have Learned Since Rodney King

Not nearly enough, she says

By Bill Keller

Justice Talk February 21, 2016

Join Us For Justice Talk: A New Conversation Series With The Marshall Project and Digg

Our first discussion will be Wednesday, Feb. 24, on how the police predict crime.

By Blair Hickman

Q&A February 17, 2016

What Kalief Browder’s Mother Thinks Should Happen to Rikers

‘There was nothing I could do with him being in there.’

By Alysia Santo

Analysis February 12, 2016

Justice Reform, RIP?

The vaunted bipartisan drive to enact federal criminal justice reform is not quite dead. But its pulse is faint.

By Bill Keller

Q&A January 20, 2016

Is Charles Koch a Closet Liberal?

Not hardly. But he’s for rolling back the war on drugs, ending mass incarceration, and letting former convicts vote.

By Bill Keller

Commentary January 11, 2016

A Most Violent Year

What the left and right got wrong about crime in 2015.

By Thomas P. Abt

News January 4, 2016

How We Counted the Juveniles Sent to Prison for Life

A law practice finds thousands whose sentences could be affected by Miller v. Alabama

By John Mills

Commentary December 15, 2015

Who is Putting the Most People in Jail? Not New York, Chicago, or LA.

A new tool drills down on hidden incarceration rates.

By Jeremy Travis

News December 2, 2015

Another Police ‘Reformer’ Takes a Fall

Chicago’s chief became a political liability.

By Simone Weichselbaum

Justice Lab November 18, 2015

Our Prisons in Black and White

The race gap for adults is shrinking. Why is it widening for juveniles?

By Eli Hager

Commentary October 23, 2015

Radley, DeRay, and Piper on Obama’s Conversation with The Marshall Project

Other voices from the criminal justice community weigh in.

By Andrew Cohen

Commentary October 23, 2015

How to Build Trust in Policing

Measure what really matters.

By Susan Shah and Jim Burch

Analysis October 21, 2015

Congress Prepares to Deliver (a Little) Criminal Justice Reform

Is this the beginning — or the end?

By Bill Keller

Commentary October 15, 2015

New York City’s Big Idea on Bail

Step one: let’s find out if it works.

By Elizabeth Glazer

Commentary October 5, 2015

How to Deal with Prison Brutality

It’s time to take these cases away from local prosecutors.

By Eliot Spitzer

Commentary September 4, 2015

About Those Rising Murder Rates: Not So Fast

(And the same goes for the “Ferguson Effect.”)

By Bruce Frederick

Commentary September 3, 2015

Obama’s Final 500 Days

People from across the political spectrum suggest criminal justice reforms the president should enact during his remaining time in office.

By Andrew Cohen

Analysis July 15, 2015

‘Justice and Redemption Go Hand in Hand.’

A closer look at the president’s speech on criminal justice reform.

By Andrew Cohen

Analysis July 13, 2015

The President Goes to Prison

But Congress is the place to watch.

By Andrew Cohen

Analysis June 26, 2015

Scott Walker on Crime and Punishment: Back to the ‘90s

As his rivals ease up, one candidate hangs tough

By Eli Hager

Analysis June 25, 2015

What Prisons Can Learn From Schools

Lessons from education reform on transforming an expensive, ineffective system.

By Eli Hager

News May 14, 2015

The ‘Madison Model’

A shooting death spotlights Wisconsin’s legacy of police reform.

By Simone Weichselbaum

Justice Lab March 20, 2015

Too Old to Commit Crime?

Why people age out of crime, and what it could mean for how long we put them away.

By Dana Goldstein

Commentary March 19, 2015

The Petri Dish

Georgia has become the laboratory of criminal justice reform.

By Andrew Cohen

Commentary March 16, 2015

The Gatekeepers

Four ways prosecutors can improve their decision-making.

By Brian Elderbroom and Lauren-Brooke Eisen

Commentary March 13, 2015

How Not to Raise the Age

Governor Cuomo’s compromise leaves too many children behind.

By Alexandra Cox

Commentary February 20, 2015

Where Right Meets Left

The odd-couple alliance on justice reform is not as odd as it seems.

By Bill Keller

Commentary February 18, 2015

Making Overseers into Advocates

A social worker’s take on the misery of probation.

By Jeff Deeney

Q&A December 1, 2014

Will Millennials Embrace Prison Reform?

A couple of Harvard guys aim to find out.

By Bill Keller

News November 17, 2014

Obama’s Prison Crisis

Crowded cells, aging inmates, soaring costs.

By Andrew Cohen