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A Black woman and a White woman carried signs reading "DC Statehood is racial justice" during a protest.
Closing Argument March 11
How a Growing Political Fight Threatens Local Control of Criminal Justice
Anxiety about crime — and plain politics — are fueling efforts to supplant local rule, from Washington, D.C., to St. Louis and other localities.
By Jamiles Lartey
A White woman in a pink jail uniform stands against a brick wall as she makes a phone call.
Closing Argument February 25
Fighting the High Cost of Prison Phone Calls
Tired of exorbitant phone bills, prisoners and their families are pushing to lower costs.
By Christie Thompson
A closeup of Black hands holding a sign with a picture of Tyre Nichols, a Black man, with words underneath that read "Tyre Nichols, Rest in Power."
Closing Argument February 4
Biden Promised a Police Misconduct Database. He’s Yet to Deliver.
In the aftermath of Tyre Nichols’ killing, some are questioning the administration’s urgency on police reform.
By Jamiles Lartey
An illustration shows 6 boxes, containing: 1) hands holding a taser, 2) an armored police vehicle, 3) a surveillance camera, 4) three people at a shooting range, 5) the exterior of a prison, and 6) a police officer wearing a vest.
Analysis September 7, 2022
Rifles, Tasers and Jails: How Cities and States Spent Billions of COVID-19 Relief
President Biden’s signature American Rescue Plan Act gave local governments $350 billion to recover from COVID-19. They spent much of it on police, prisons and the courts.
By Anastasia Valeeva, Weihua Li and Susie Cagle
A woman with medium-dark skin tone stands during a protest, raising her fist and holding a sign that says, "I can't breathe." Hundreds of individuals also are raising their fists in the background.
Closing Argument August 6, 2022
How Policing Has — and Hasn’t — Changed Since George Floyd
More than two years after millions took to the streets to protest police violence, the problem persists. That doesn’t mean nothing has changed.
By Jamiles Lartey
New York police officers are lined up inside an auditorium.
News March 30, 2022
Biden Struck Out on Police Reform. Is Trump’s Remaining Policy Enough?
With Biden halting a proposed policing order, Trump’s modest changes are the most significant federal policing moves since George Floyd’s murder.
By Jamiles Lartey
A photo illustration shows President Joseph R. Biden in the center, with Michael Carvajal, resigning director of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, at the left. Imagery of barbed wire is scattered throughout the illustration.
Inside Out January 13, 2022
Biden Has Disappointed Many Prisoners and Guards. Now He Has a Chance to Do More.
A year after taking office, President Biden has yet to make good on key prison reform promises he made on the campaign trail.
By Keri Blakinger
An annual festival for a growing community of Guatemalan immigrants in New Bedford, Mass. took place in September. Members of the musical group, Soñando por Mañana, which means Dreaming for Tomorrow in Spanish, sang both the U.S. and Guatemalan national anthems.
Feature December 15, 2021
Essential but Excluded
Immigrants put seafood on America’s tables. But many have been shut out of pandemic aid — and so have their U.S. citizen children.
By Julia Preston and Ariel Goodman
President Joe Biden at the White House in March.
Death Sentences March 12, 2021
How Biden Can Reverse Trump’s Death Penalty Expansion
Biden vowed to end the death penalty. A recent court filing suggests where he might start.
By Keri Blakinger
Eric Lander, left, who was just appointed to be President Biden's science adviser, showing Peter Neufeld, right, who went on to co-found the Innocence Project, how to look at DNA in 1988.
Looking Back January 26, 2021
This Scientist Helped Free the Innocent Using DNA. Now Biden Wants Him in the Cabinet.
Some experts hope Eric Lander, the president’s choice for new science adviser, will crack down on bad forensics in courtrooms.
By Eli Hager
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