Crime Story Daily

This is a curated selection of highlights from Crime Story Daily this week. On the criminal justice policy front: A piece from The Appeal outlines “14 steps Biden’s DOJ can take now to reform America’s criminal legal system,” from forensic science reform to abolishing the death penalty. A piece from Slate asks, “What can progressives learn from California eliminating cash bail?”. On March 25, the California Supreme Court issued a “blockbuster decision” invalidating the state’s cash bail system as unconstitutional. Cash bail has come under fire in the past decade, with courts invalidating cash bail systems in cities like Houston...

PM Stories Prisons Are COVID Hotspots. But Vaccine Access Remains Patchy. Michael Schulson, Undark Magazine Advocates: Prisons need better vaccine education for inmates Dave Collins, ABC News Governors Should Prioritize the COVID-19 Vaccine for Everyone in Jail Lauren-Brooke Eisen and Ram Subramanian, Brennan Center for Justice Georgia, Mississippi Prisons Offer Inmates Cookies, Commissary Credit as COVID Vaccine Incentive Matthew Impelli, Newsweek ‘A turning point’: Thousands in Pa. prisons will be offered COVID-19 vaccine Joseph Darius Jaafari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette COVID raged in Michigan prisons. Life outside isn’t easy either for parolees. Jonathan Oosting, Bridge Michigan Advancing Gender Equity for Justice-Impacted Women in the Aftermath of COVID-19 Akua...

PM Stories 1 in 3 state prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, report says Luke Barr, ABC News As states expand vaccines, prisoners still lack access Katie Park, Ariel Goodman, and Kimberlee Kruesi, AP News As supply increases, are South Florida jail inmates getting COVID-19 vaccines? Skyler Swisher, South Florida Sun Sentinel ‘A turning point’: Thousands in Pa. prisons will be offered COVID-19 vaccine Joseph Darius Jaafari, Philadelphia Inquirer Leaving Prison During the COVID-19 Pandemic Michelle Griego, KPIX Out of jail, desperate for a home Jennifer Jones Austin, New York Daily News The US spends billions to lock people up, but very little to help them once...

PM Stories 14 Steps Biden’s DOJ Can Take Now to Reform America’s Criminal Legal System Rachel Barkow and Mark Osler, The Appeal The Biden administration should join the fight against overcriminalization Joe Luppino-Esposito and Daniel Ortner, The Hill Unless Biden Acts, Thousands Could Go Back to Federal Prison Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, The Appeal State parole board, clemency process need reform Editorial Board, Boston Globe Michigan’s courts evolved during the pandemic. But some defendants were left behind Oralandar Brand-Williams, Detroit News St. Louis inmates protest again over long trial wait times, COVID-19 fears Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News Jury trials still haven’t resumed in Rhode Island, and there’s no...

PM Stories As States Expand Vaccine Eligibility, Many People in Prison Still Wait for Shots Katie Park, Ariel Goodman, and Kimberlee Kruesi, The Marshall Project When the Pandemic Came to Sullivan Prison John J. Lennon, New York Times Magazine Inmates stage uprising at St. Louis jail that’s been dogged by unrest USA Today California prisons grapple with hundreds of transgender inmates requesting new housing Leila Miller, Los Angeles Times One year after first Rikers COVID death, advocates push parole reform law David Brand, Queens Daily Eagle Two long-sought bills that would change parole for inmates advance in Maryland Ovetta Wiggins, Washington Post One Man Fights For...

PM Stories Can Procedural Justice Strategies Cut Recidivism? Emily Riley, The Crime Report If we truly believe in redemption and second chances, parole should be celebrated Reginald Dwayne Betts, Washington Post Criminal Justice Reform Advocates Say They’re Anxious To See More Action From Biden Carrie Johnson, NPR What Progressives Can Learn From California Eliminating Cash Bail Lindsay Harrison and Dahlia Lithwick, Slate California’s next attorney general will enter office with a full plate of major challenges Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times Cook County replaced its public defender. But she’s not done fighting yet. Jonah Newman and Michael Korsh, Injustice Watch Cuomo Signs Off on Two Big...