California has not executed anyone since 2006 and advocates are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to grant clemency to all those sentenced to death, citing racial bias, innocence claims, and the high costs of capital punishment.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2027 budget has been criticized for not adequately addressing the high costs and human consequences of incarcerating a growing elderly prison population, as the state prison system increasingly functions as a de facto nursing home.
Mandatory minimum sentences in the United States have failed to reduce crime and have instead driven mass incarceration, deepened racial disparities and undermined the fairness of the U.S. criminal legal system, according to extensive national research.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has issued an emergency executive order to overhaul the city’s approach to solitary confinement and jail oversight at Rikers Island, marking a shift from policies advanced under former Mayor Eric Adams.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2026-27 state budget was met with cautious praise from progressive advocacy organizations, who urged lawmakers to expand investments in anti-poverty programs, health care and community services.
Lush Cosmetics has launched a California-wide campaign to urge Governor Gavin Newsom to commute all of the state’s more than 560 death sentences to life without the possibility of parole.
Los Angeles recorded its lowest homicide total in more than half a century in 2025, with police attributing the decline to institutional collaboration, community engagement, and increased immigration enforcement, while critics argue that the reasons for the decline are more complex and structural.
The U.S. Department of Justice has ended federal oversight of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office’s informant practices, citing reforms implemented under District Attorney Todd Spitzer, despite critics arguing that the reforms remain incomplete.
The California Supreme Court ruled that courts must consider a person’s ability to pay before imposing certain court fees and assessments, marking a major decision in the state’s effort to reduce the criminalization of poverty and address the disparate impact of court debt on low-income Californians.
Medical experts and law enforcement officials are questioning the science behind shaken baby syndrome convictions, leading to some cases being overturned and others being re-evaluated.
The Exonerated Five, who were wrongfully convicted of a crime in 1989, have become a testament to resilience, solidarity, and systemic change, and their case has led to policy reforms in New York’s interrogation laws and inspired a Netflix miniseries that has reached a new generation of viewers.
Gov. Josh Shapiro issued his first death penalty reprieve, continuing Pennsylvania’s moratorium on executions and reflecting a shift towards abolishing capital punishment, while urging the Legislature to enact sentencing reform.
Oklahoma Democratic Sen. Nikki Nice and the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty are pleading for mercy in the clemency case of Kendrick Simpson, a death row prisoner whose execution is scheduled for February, arguing that crucial evidence about his background and mental health was not fully presented during his 2007 trial.
Shazad Carbaidwala, a volunteer and board member with Prisoner Visitation and Support, has spent nearly a decade visiting incarcerated people in federal facilities, providing human connection and helping to counter isolation, neglect, and dehumanization within the correctional system.
Elwood Jones was exonerated from Ohio’s death row after Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich dismissed the case against him due to evidence that excluded him as the perpetrator and raised concerns about the integrity of the original prosecution.
Women are now the fastest-growing population in the criminal legal system, and the Women’s Justice Commission is working to reduce their involvement in the system and improve outcomes when they do enter it, through trauma-informed, gender-responsive approaches.
The Innocence Project released a new short film, “What I Didn’t Know,” which documents the emotional and practical challenges exonerees face as they rebuild their lives after decades of wrongful incarceration.
Pamela Price, former Alameda County District Attorney, is preparing for a return to the ballot in 2026 after being removed from office in a 2024 recall that she claims was fueled by misinformation and outsized spending by wealthy interests.
George Soros-backed PAC spent $384,000 in the 2022 Cumberland County district attorney race, influencing the outcome and raising questions about the role of outside spending in shaping the criminal justice system.
Pamela Price has launched her 2026 campaign for Alameda County District Attorney, focusing on restoring public trust, addressing gun violence, pursuing corporate accountability, and ensuring equal treatment under the law, while criticizing her successor and the current administration for their lack of accountability.