May 12 WATCH: Jeff Sessions announces guidelines for stricter sentencing By Sadie Gurman, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is directing federal prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges possible against the vast majority of suspects, a reversal of Obama-era policies that is sure to send more people to prison and for much… Continue reading
Jan 24 Granted clemency, this former inmate is starting over By Dave Berndtson In 1992, Norman Brown was convicted on six counts for the distribution of cocaine. In accordance with mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, the 22-year-old received three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. In July 2015, after nearly 25 years… Continue reading
Dec 21 Watch 7:32 Unveiling the long-hidden story of the Attica prison takeover By PBS News Hour In September 1971, Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York became the site of a bloody uprising that would shock the nation. Over several days, some 1,300 inmates seized parts of the prison, demanding better living conditions. Heather Ann Thompson… Continue watching
Oct 19 Watch 8:43 Where the candidates stand on criminal justice and policing By PBS News Hour In our series on the issues shaping this election, we turn to the topic of crime and justice. Donald Trump has promised to curb crime through stronger “law and order” initiatives, while Hillary Clinton has addressed issues of racial bias… Continue watching
Jun 28 Watch 9:48 Should a juvenile sex offender be locked up indefinitely? By William Brangham, Mike Fritz Continue watching
Apr 29 Proposed rule would delay questions about criminal history By Kathleen Hennessey and Kevin Freking, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants federal agencies to stop asking early questions about some job applicants' criminal history, part of an effort to help ex-convicts enter the job market and decrease the number of those who end up back… Continue reading
Apr 27 Watch 9:23 How a Seattle murderer slipped through the cracks of the mental health system By PBS News Hour In 2009, Jennifer Hopper and Teresa Butz were attacked and sexually assaulted in their home; Butz did not survive. In “While the City Slept,” Eli Sanders, a Pulitzer winner for his reporting on the case, examines the troubled life of… Continue watching
Apr 25 Justice Department wants states to make it easier for ex-prisoners to obtain IDs By Eric Tucker, Associated Press WASHINGTON — States should make it easier for convicted felons to obtain state-issued identification after they get out of prison, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday. Continue reading
Apr 22 Watch 5:46 Felons who’ve paid their debt deserve to vote, says Virginia Gov. McAuliffe By PBS News Hour Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed a sweeping order Friday to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 convicted felons within the state. McAuliffe described the action as an effort to reverse decades of voter repression, but state Republicans accused the… Continue watching
Jan 26 Task force recommends how to cut U.S. prisoner count by 60,000 By Eric Tucker, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Justice Department should limit the types of cases it brings and more nonviolent criminals should be steered toward probation and away from prison, according to task force recommendations designed to cut the federal inmate count and save… Continue reading