Category:Criminal Justice

The Police Know Where You Live

October 7, 2016 | Post

An Associated Press investigation has revealed that, across the United States, police officers abuse their access to confidential databases to look up information on neighbors, love interests, politicians, and others who had no connection to a criminal investigation. The databases house intensely personal information—not just criminal histories, but car registration, home addresses, phone numbers, and […]

The Legacy of President Obama's Pardon Power

October 3, 2016 | Post

So far, in 2016, he has granted 493. Consequently, the President’s current total for commutations (673 – almost all for drug offenders) is greater than that of several of his predecessors combined and more than any single president has granted since Calvin Coolidge.

Improving Grand Juries

September 30, 2016 | Post

The ballooning prison population in the U.S. implies that there’s a certain ease of obtaining an indictment from grand juries. Here are some modest proposals to reform grand juries to make obtaining indictments more difficult.

Grand Jury Nullification

September 26, 2016 | Post

Just as the police and the District Attorney use discretion in determining to arrest or seek an indictment against someone, jurors too can use discretion in determining whether to hand down an indictment.

Criminal Justice Reform's Big Win in The Release of Weldon Angelos

August 31, 2016 | Post

Weldon Angelos’ release from prison is a high-water mark for criminal justice reform advocates and a sign that maybe the tide is turning against the prison industrial complex and the policies that produce it

Suspended Licenses Are The New Debtor’s Prison

August 23, 2016 | Post

Suspending driver’s licenses in the face of unpaid court costs is an ineffective way to force people to pay up.

What You Need to Know About the Justice Department Prison Announcement

August 22, 2016 | Post

The DOJ’s announcement to discontinue the use of private prisons only affects about 16% of federal prisoners.

If Only The DC Metro Cared as Much About Fires as They Do Potential Fare Evaders

July 29, 2016 | Post

Metro and I do not get along. Even when it isn’t on fire, which is rare, it manages to burn me up. A few weeks ago, I was on my way home from a party. I looked great, was a little tipsy, and was upset because I had dropped my phone while walking to the […]

Foreign Policy, Ep.4: The Boomerang Effect

July 26, 2016 | Video

When soldiers return to serve as police officers, they bring a strong set of skills with them, but can also bring home a battlefield. Government policies and actions which are initially focused outside the US, have a tendency to come back around and significantly impact domestic governments back home. One major example of this effect […]

Supreme Court Opens Door for More 'Stop-and-Frisk'

June 24, 2016 | Post

This week, in a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that evidence obtained in unlawful stops can be admitted in court if the person being searched has a warrant out for their arrest. This contrasted the lower court’s decision, which stated that the 4th amendment prevents illegally-obtained evidence from being used at trial. The […]

The Issue That's Forcing Republicans and Democrats to Finally Agree on Something

June 22, 2016 | Post

As election season heats up, candidates from across the political spectrum running for various offices are agreeing on the need for criminal justice reform. For good reason: The U.S. has 1.5 million prisoners and 2.3 million people in the broader criminal justice system; it incarcerates its citizens at a rate that is five times the […]

2016 Presidential Election: Criminal Justice Reform

June 21, 2016 | Video

Trump, Clinton, and Bernie all agree — America’s criminal justice system is broken. Mandatory minimum sentences and harsh drug laws are driving a massive increase in the prison populations. Since the 1980s, the number of federal prisoners has jumped 850%, and the chance of being sent to prison for a drug crime rose by 350%. […]

Officer Nero Is Acquitted in Freddie Gray Case, Americans Left with Unresolved Questions

May 24, 2016 | Post

Last April, the entire nation watched in shock and horror as the city of Baltimore descended into flames and police militarized against protesters who were demonstrating against the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. It started with a foot chase through a Baltimore neighborhood on April 12, 2015. Police claimed that they had first confronted Gray […]

What Causes Police Brutality?

April 15, 2016 | Post

Last month, we noted that a police officer in San Antonio was fired after he body slammed a 12-year-old girl. In addition to his excessive use of force, the officer in question failed to properly report the incident. This case is a win for police accountability, but it’s also just one of the latest examples […]

History of Police Militarization

December 16, 2015 | Video

The History of Police Militarization featuring Professor Abby Hall. In recent events, police brutality has been a major concern in America. What has led to the use of military-grade weapons and tactics among American police forces? Join the Learn Liberty staff at 1:30pm Thursday, 12/17 for a Periscope discussion of this video! https://www.periscope.tv/LearnLiberty

Police Brutality in the Baltimore Riots & the Rise of Police Militarization

December 16, 2015 | Video

Has police brutality become an issue in America? From the Baltimore riots to Ferguson, the rise of police militarization has been a cause for concern. What do you think about the recent events involving police brutality?

I Can’t Breathe: How to Reduce Police Brutality

February 10, 2015 | Video

Should we have laws we aren’t willing to kill for? Following tragic deaths at the hands of police, like that of Eric Garner, many are outraged over racism and unaccountability in law enforcement. But George Mason Law Professor Ilya Somin takes issue with the laws themselves, and asks whether all laws are really worth killing […]