Criminal Justice
Advocates call for further investigation after Allegheny Co. Jail officials deny abuse allegations
County Councilor Bethany Hallam, a member of the county's jail oversight panel, is leading the push.
Philly cops get $5M funding boost for forensics office
Police say better forensics capabilities should result in more arrests and prosecutions of fatal shootings plaguing the city.
Prison Gerrymandering: Who counts in Pennsylvania? That depends on who’s counting | Opinion
Incarceration should not obliterate civic engagement – or inflate long-standing imbalances of power.
Allentown Police in line to undergo active bystander training. We found out what it’s all about
It's all 'about people stepping up and stepping in if they see something that shouldn't be happening,' an official said.
Philadelphia’s carjackings rise early in the new year
After approximately 750 carjackings in 2021, 2022 is outpacing last year just short of two weeks into the year.
Pa. borrowers to see relief after $1.85B settlement with Navient for ‘predatory’ practices
The agreement will deliver $1.7 billion in private student loan cancellation to 66,000 borrowers nationwide and $95 million in restitution payments to 350,000 borrowers placed on certain long-term forbearances.
After dropping early in the pandemic, jail populations are rising again | Wednesday Morning Coffee
COVID-19 cases, not actual policy changes, drove the temporary reduction, according to new research.
Reluctant witnesses hampering gun violence prosecutions, Philly DA Krasner says
'Police go to every door, knock on the doors, ask if there are any witnesses,' Krasner said. 'No witnesses come forward, or there are no witnesses.'
‘My whole body hurts’: Incarcerated woman at Allegheny Co. jail spends recreational time shackled
The woman says her wrists are indented and red from the shackles chained to a loop on a table. She is unable to stand up during this four-hour period.
Prison violence punishes LBT women, and it can kill
Trans and nonbinary prisoners are often isolated and targeted.
Pa. says it’s investigating ‘aggressive and sophisticated’ unemployment fraud efforts
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry says it’s investigating “increasingly aggressive and sophisticated” efforts to steal unemployment compensation benefits. And the agency is urging employers and workers to report any suspicious activity. Fraudsters, both foreign and domestic, have been “exploiting unprecedented demand on the nation’s unemployment compensation systems,” since the start of the COVID-19 […]
Intervention teams offer unique way to fight Philly’s gun violence
City officials highlighted the community-based approach during a weekly briefing.