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.
The ACLU of Southern California has released a report criticizing Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s first year in office, citing his reinstatement of the death penalty, support for punitive practices, and opposition to racial justice protections and diversion programs.
The U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty, a coalition of over 50 organizations, has been launched to abolish capital punishment, citing rising executions, political pressure, and a widening gap between public sentiment and state practices.
A new report on Jefferson County’s fines and fees system argues that U.S. courts’ reliance on monetary sanctions is ineffective at generating revenue and disproportionately harmful to Black and low-income residents, prompting action from Jefferson County officials and the creation of a statewide task force to review fines and fees policies.
Deputy Public Defender Erin Dacayanan argued that the court delayed justice for an accused individual who needs mental health diversion, but Judge Paul K. Richardson ruled not to release the accused, leaving them in jail and untreated for their mental illness.
Nell Bernstein, a leading voice on youth incarceration, discusses the failures of the juvenile punishment model, the long-term harm of locking children in carceral environments, and the need for community safety through education, support, housing, stability, and belonging.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has eliminated parole for prisoners arrested after August 1, 2024, and tightened eligibility rules for those already in prison, but has created an expedited “alien removal process” to deport undocumented immigrants, bypassing the usual parole restrictions and responsibilities.
Parole systems in the US are broken and need to be fixed to ensure that people who have demonstrated rehabilitation are given a fair chance to be released, as parole can be an important tool for decarceration and reducing prison overcrowding.