criminal-justice-reform
Already, a Democratic identity crisis on policing | Josh Kurtz
As sure as night follows day, national pundits are reading way too much into a single primary result and are prematurely extrapolating trends that may or may not be developing in Democratic politics.
The Juvenile Justice Task Force report gave us a roadmap to reform. Now it’s up to lawmakers to finish the job | Opinion
The recommendations fall short of transformational, but they are true step forward toward badly needed reforms.
Report: Pa. Legislature a ‘bipartisan criminal offense factory’ that drives up costs, doesn’t fix crime | Wednesday Morning Coffee
"Ending Pennsylvania’s public policy of mass incarceration begins with the Legislature," the report by the ACLU-PA concludes.
‘These folks are not Hannibal Lecter’: Push to reform Pa. second-degree murder statute continues
“We finally have to invest in our communities to do everything possible to interrupt a vicious cycle,” House Minority Leader JoannaMcClinton said.
Some Pa. counties aren’t waiting on Harrisburg to reform their probation rules | Opinion
As it turns out, the state Legislature has another chance to do the right thing and reform probation in 2021.
Report: Pa. has 2nd highest number of people in U.S. serving life without parole | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Black Pennsylvanians are 21 times more likely to be sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder than white people, research found.
Pa. Black Caucus pushes for universal collection of racial data from traffic stops
Black lawmakers could hold the deciding votes on two long-sought changes to state driving laws, giving them the rare leverage to ask that an expansion of police oversight be accompanied by protections for Black drivers.
Why this trial was different: Experts react to guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin | Opinion
Scholars of policing, law and race explain the landmark guilty verdicts handed down in the trial for the murder of George Floyd.
Former Philly prosecutor Seth Williams finds second act teaching former offenders, others
Williams says he believes the center is tailor-made for his skills in the aftermath of his Icarus-like fall from his high-powered position.
‘We are the victims’: Pa. House, Senate bills would ban gay, trans-panic defense
Thirteen other states have already moved to ban this dehumanizing defense tactic in criminal cases.
A Black lawmaker is crusading for mandatory minimums. He’s raising a lot of eyebrows
Rep. Amen Brown wants to progressively increasing mandatory minimum sentences for “any previously convicted felon who is found to be in possession of an illegal firearm.”
Activists sue Allegheny Co. judge, charging he blocked virtual access to courtroom
“Courts operate openly, not in secret, and this judge cannot be allowed to escape scrutiny while refusing to implement common sense strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” one advocate said.