Category: Criminal Justice Investigative Research Articles

Where North Carolina Stands on Reforms proposed by the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity and Justice Where North Carolina Stands on Reforms proposed by the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity and Justice Late last year, partly in response to the protests that rocked the nation after the murder of George Floyd,… Continue reading Where North Carolina Stands on Reforms proposed by the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity and Justice

Prisoner Reintegration: Lessons From Norway Reentry to Society Is Primary Goal of Norwegian Prisons, Not Punishment Bastoy Island is just like any other small Norwegian village. It is filled with fishermen along its coasts, who go out in the morning hoping for a good day’s catch. Along with its well-maintained greenery, the island is a… Continue reading Prisoner Reintegration: Lessons From Norway

Prisoner Education Offers a Way Out Education for Inmates Has Major Cost-Saving Benefits for Society Before imprisonment, Martin spent most of his time working for a small, marginal family-run grocery store. The need to do his part in supporting the family unit prevented him from going to high school. At the age of 19, Martin… Continue reading Prisoner Education Offers a Way Out

Fiscal Mismanagement, Natural Disasters Push Puerto Rico’s Prison System to the Brink Puerto Rican Debt Crisis Impacts Basic Services and Living Conditions for Inmates In this article, we shine a spotlight on how decades of fiscal mismanagement by Puerto Rico’s government, and a pair of devastating natural disasters in Hurricanes Irma and Maria have pushed… Continue reading Fiscal Mismanagement, Natural Disasters Push Puerto Rico’s Prison System to the Brink

The Fight to Stop Solitary Confinement in Connecticut Solitary Confinement Deemed Form of Torture, Leaves Permanent Psychological Scars Solitary confinement, also known as “the hole” or “administrative segregation,” involves isolating prisoners in tiny cells for up to 23 hours a day, often for weeks, months, or even years on end. Often less than 1/4 the… Continue reading The Fight to Stop Solitary Confinement in Connecticut

Waiting and Decision Making Waiting and Decision Making The Mental Competency Process On December 24, 2009, 24-year old Victor Carrero ran into two people on the corner of Central and Jefferson Avenues in Brooklyn. He proceeded to knock one of them to the ground, stabbing them in their head and shoulder before running away. Al… Continue reading Waiting and Decision Making

Bias Behind the Badge: How Officer Demographics Affect Arrest Escalation Bias Behind the Badge: How Officer Demographics Affect Arrest Escalation Kemonte Hampton walked out of a gas station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was told to get on the ground; he was being arrested for jaywalking. He complied, but was pushed over on his way down… Continue reading Bias Behind the Badge: How Officer Demographics Affect Arrest Escalation

Kayla’s Act Gives Hope for Victims of Domestic Violence Kayla’s Act Gives Hope for Victims of Domestic Violence In the week of Thanksgiving 2022, Kayla Hammonds was brutally stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in a grocery store parking lot in Lumberton, NC. The ex-boyfriend, Desmond Sampson, had a significant prior history of violence, with… Continue reading Kayla’s Act Gives Hope for Victims of Domestic Violence

Carrying the System: The Cost of Being a Public Defender Carrying the System: The Cost of Being a Public Defender By 9 a.m., she’s already met two new clients, each facing felony charges. By noon, she’s given her case in front of a judge, scrambled to finalize paperwork, and returned half a dozen voicemails from… Continue reading Carrying the System: The Cost of Being a Public Defender

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Illness and Incarceration Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Illness and Incarceration What does it mean to be ill? Going by Dr. Peter Eisenberg’s definition, it means to lose your freedom. Working as an oncologist with prisoners from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center for many years, he noticed… Continue reading Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Illness and Incarceration