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Criminal Justice

Accountability in Crime and Law

462 stories published since 2008

The Child Abuse Contrarian

by David Armstrong,

Los Desaparecidos

por Hannah Dreier,

He Said He Faked Mental Illness to Avoid Prison. Now, Accused in 2 Killings, He’s Sent Back to a State Hospital.

by Jayme Fraser, The Malheur Enterprise,

The Disappeared

by Hannah Dreier,

Blood-Spatter Expert in Joe Bryan Case Says “My Conclusions Were Wrong”

by Pamela Colloff,

How the Trump Administration Went Easy on Small-Town Police Abuses

by Ian MacDougall,

Joe Bryan’s Attorneys Ask For New Trial, Say Murder Conviction Built On Faulty Forensics

by Pamela Colloff,

Bill Proposes Greater Accountability for New York Prosecutors Who Break the Law

by Joaquin Sapien,

When Public Records Aren’t Public

by Christian Sheckler, South Bend Tribune, and Ken Armstrong, ProPublica,

Standing by Their Convictions

by Christian Sheckler, South Bend Tribune, and Ken Armstrong, ProPublica,

Influential Texas Commission Says Blood-Spatter Testimony in Joe Bryan’s Murder Case Was “Not Accurate or Scientifically Supported”

by Pamela Colloff,

Like Chicago Police, Cook County and Illinois Officials Track Thousands of People in Gang Databases

by Mick Dumke,

Federal Judge to Consider Independent Monitor for Illinois Child Welfare Agency

by Duaa Eldeib,

Oregon Court System Shields Evaluation of Alleged Killer

by Les Zaitz, The Malheur Enterprise,

Illinois Lawmakers Demand Explanation on Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals

by Duaa Eldeib,

The Administration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel Keeps Monitoring Protesters

by Mick Dumke,

Where Is “Home” for Children in State Custody?

by Duaa Eldeib,

Every Day, a Child is Held Beyond Medical Necessity in Illinois

by Duaa Eldeib, David Eads and Vignesh Ramachandran,

Hundreds of Illinois Children Languish in Psychiatric Hospitals After They’re Cleared For Release

by Duaa Eldeib,

Blood Will Tell, Part II

by Pamela Colloff,

How an Unproven Forensic Science Spread Through the Criminal Justice System

by Leora Smith,

Blood Will Tell, Part I

by Pamela Colloff,

Group to Send Lawyers to Help Incarcerated Teens

by Duaa Eldeib,

How an Oregon Weekly Forced Release of Key Records in Murder Cases

by Les Zaitz, The Malheur Enterprise,

Oregon Doctors Warned That a Killer and Rapist Would Likely Attack Again. Then the State Released Him.

by Jayme Fraser, The Malheur Enterprise,

Oregon Board Explains Why It Repeatedly Released Killer From Psychiatric Hospital

by Jayme Fraser, The Malheur Enterprise,

A Betrayal

by Hannah Dreier,

A Chicago Cop’s Facebook Posts and a City’s Struggle With Racism

by Jodi S. Cohen,

Chicago Cop Under Investigation Again Over Social Media Posts

by Jodi S. Cohen,

Baltimore Judge Tosses Alford Plea, Rebuking Prosecutor

by Megan Rose,

Innocent But Still Guilty

by Megan Rose,

In New York, Crime Falls Along With Police Stops

by Joe Sexton,

Baltimore Prosecutor Admits He Was Wrong to Block Request to Alter Alford Plea

by Megan Rose,

Taking Care to Get a Mississippi Scandal Right

by Sarah Smith,

“What Are We Going to Do About Tyler?”

by Nadia Sussman,

New York City Moves to Create Accountability for Algorithms

by Lauren Kirchner,

Chicago Police Win Big When Appealing Discipline

by Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica,

Chicago Police Department Grievances

by Jodi S. Cohen and David Eads, ProPublica, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,

Illinois Legislators Pledge to Deal with ‘Pipeline to Prison’ at Juvenile Correctional Facility

by Duaa Eldeib,

Why America Fails at Gathering Hate Crime Statistics

by Ken Schwencke,

A Dubious Arrest, a Compromised Prosecutor, a Tainted Plea: How One Murder Case Exposes a Broken System

by Megan Rose,

For Some Victims, Reporting a Rape Can Bring Doubt, Abuse — and Even Prosecution

by Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller,

Chilling New Report Cites Greater Death Toll in Allende Massacre

by Ginger Thompson,

Police Oversight Ordinance Promised Transparency But Doesn’t Fully Deliver

by Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,

Returning to the Scene of a Trauma

by Jodi S. Cohen,

Nevada Pardons Wrongfully Convicted Man Featured in Our Story

by Megan Rose,

Chicago Police Skirt Punishment as Disciplinary System Fails Yet Again

by Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, and Jennifer Smith Richards, Chicago Tribune,

Have You Ever Filed a Complaint Against a Chicago Police Officer? Tell Us What Happened.

by Logan Jaffe,

Despite Mayor’s Pledge, Hundreds of Chicago Cops Still in Desk Jobs

by Mick Dumke,

Concern Grows Over Youths at Juvenile Correctional Facility Being Sent to Adult Prison

by Duaa Eldeib,