By: Megan Ealick Beginning in the 1970s, the United States underwent 30 years of increasingly restrictive prison sentencing reforms. The “war on drugs” and mounting pressure for longer, more uniform prison sentences resulted in a widespread “tough on crime” attitude that rippled across the country. During this time, federal grant programs were established to encourage … Continue reading The Messy Truth about Arizona’s Truth-in-Sentencing Law
Legalization Is Not Enough
By: Travis Henderson Legalization is not enough. This blog post will argue for the complete, automatic, and retroactive legalization of marijuana in place of expungement processes. The narrative around marijuana is changing, reflected in an ever-growing number of states turning to legalization. The supporters of legalization come from all sides; some point to the potential … Continue reading Legalization Is Not Enough
Increasing Police Accountability: Body Worn v. Smartphone Cameras
By: Dylan Reynolds Amid the flagrant calls for police reform spurred by the 2020 murder of George Floyd (among countless others) is a renewed effort by both advocates and lawmakers to require that police officers wear body cameras. Body cameras are seen as essential to police reform, transparency, and increasing officer accountability. However, it turns … Continue reading Increasing Police Accountability: Body Worn v. Smartphone Cameras
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Plea Bargaining
By: Travis Henderson Plea bargaining lies ingrained in the American justice system. Yet, even with plea bargaining’s long history and pervasive use, it is continually criticized. Questions of whether plea bargaining should be banned or limited are ever-present. This post will illuminate some of the supports for and criticisms of plea bargaining, bringing recognition to … Continue reading The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Plea Bargaining
Discretion cannot be replaced. It must be improved.
By: Ben Smart America has a well documented problem of racial disparity in criminal justice. The criminal justice system has racist roots. The discretion of judges, prosecutors, and even jurors, is racist (whether intentional or not). This makes perfect sense. Humans are flawed beings, incapable of objectivity. I doubt most people in America today are … Continue reading Discretion cannot be replaced. It must be improved.
Law Journal for Social Justice 