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An offender stands before Judge Denise Navarre Cubbon in a juvenile court in Ohio.

Criminal Justice Reform

Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor, via Associated Press
Inside Story
The Youth ‘Treatment’ Centers Kids Risk Their Lives to Escape
Thousands of kids enter residential facilities promised care. Instead, many face systemic abuse, and some risk everything to break free.
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Inside Story July 31
What if Prison Was Not Designed to Punish?
In Germany, incarcerated people wear their own clothes, live in apartment-style cells and get family day passes — all to preserve human dignity.
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A photo illustration shows thirteen book covers in rows against a light blue-colored background: “Locking Up Our Own,” “The New Jim Crow," “Slavery by Another Name,” “In Defense of Flogging,” “Let The Lord Sort Them,” “Blood In The Water,” "Until We Reckon,” “An Enquiry into the Effects of Public Punishments,” “Solitary,” “Crime and Punishment in American History,” “Locked In,” “The Rise of Big Data Policing” and “Rise of the Warrior Cop.”
Closing Argument July 4
From Public Flogging to Flock Cameras: How the U.S. Justice System Evolved Over 250 Years
As the nation celebrates two and a half centuries of independence, we put together a syllabus of some essential criminal justice reading.
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A photo shows people walking in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building.
Closing Argument June 6
How The Supreme Court Is Tightening Early Prison Release
In recent decisions, the justices restricted the bipartisan First Step Act that President Donald Trump signed in his first term.
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A person, wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt and black pants, walks past a building with a sign that reads "Montana Bail Bonds."
Closing Argument May 9
Did the California Supreme Court Just Remake the State’s Bail System?
A new ruling affirms the right to pretrial release, and says prosecutors must show specific cause to keep someone in jail.
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An aerial photo shows a prison facility composed of over half a dozen buildings, with trees surrounding much of the property. In the foreground, there are activists gathered with signs and banners near the facility.
Analysis August 29, 2025
‘Zombie Prisons’: How ICE Detention Is Raising Troubling Facilities From the Dead
ICE needs more detention space, and it’s faster to open old facilities than to build new ones.
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A photograph shows two police officers standing next to a gate on a street. One officer is wearing a helmet and holds a wooden baton.
Closing Argument May 24, 2025
As Trump Abandons Police Reforms, These Local Officials Vow to Press On
The Department of Justice said it’s pulling back from policing changes. Will cities and states have the tools to enforce them?
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A person with dark-toned skin and a person with medium-toned skin, both wearing prison uniforms, play chess while sitting on blue chairs. In the background are doors to prison cells.
Closing Argument April 19, 2025
Fish Tanks, Plants and Podcast Studios — Some States Try a New Approach to Incarceration
America’s experiment with Scandinavian-inspired prison units is growing — and being tested.
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A photograph of the Georgia State Capitol building.
Closing Argument April 12, 2025
The Bipartisan Push to Rethink Long Sentences for Abuse Survivors
A Georgia bill offers a model for other states looking to protect people who are accused or convicted of crimes stemming from their abuse.
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Jackson April 8, 2025
Search Mississippi Criminal Justice Bills as They Move Through the Legislature
Use our interactive bill tracker to stay informed on changes to courts, policing, prisons and more.
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