Oct 06 Watch 5:17 Justice Department aims to release 6,000 nonviolent drug offenders from prison By PBS News Hour The Justice Department announced a plan for the largest ever one-time release of federal prisoners. Jeffrey Brown speaks to Maurice Chammah of The Marshall Project about the decision to set free some 6,000 inmates, part of a broader push to… Continue watching
Oct 01 Watch 8:29 Bipartisan reform bill aims to fix minimum mandatory sentences By PBS News Hour Republicans and Democrats unveiled joint legislation, years in the making, to cut the number of inmates in federal prisons. If passed, it would end the so-called "three strikes rule" for non-violent offenders and allow for more education and jobs programs,… Continue watching
Jul 16 Watch 4:36 Criminal justice reform gains bipartisan momentum By PBS News Hour On Thursday, President Obama became the first sitting president to visit a federal prison, part of his larger campaign to encourage reform of the American criminal justice system. Political director Lisa Desjardins reports he’s not the only politician pushing for… Continue watching
Apr 30 Watch 8:38 Criminal justice is so broken, Democrats and Republicans are working together to fix it By PBS News Hour The U.S. accounts for just 5 percent of the world’s population, but it houses more than 20 percent of its prisoners. Now groups on opposite sides of the political spectrum are working together to overhaul the country’s criminal justice system. Continue watching
Sep 25 Watch Understanding Eric Holder’s legacy for the Justice Department By PBS News Hour After six years as head of the Department of Justice, Eric Holder, the nation’s first African-American attorney general, will be stepping down. Holder has focused on major civil liberties issues, but has also been a lightning rod for partisan criticism. Continue watching