Vanguard social justice articles involving criminal justice reform
The rumored Trump crime bill, which could include tougher sentencing laws, restrictions on cashless bail, and increased funding for law enforcement, is a dangerous power grab that threatens to undo decades of progress on criminal justice reform.
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.
The Sentencing Project’s new fact sheet highlights a dramatic increase in the number of women incarcerated in the US, with the female population behind bars now more than seven times higher than in 1980, and over 1 million women currently under the supervision of 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.
Zoe Rosenberg was sentenced to 90 days in custody for rescuing four chickens from a Perdue slaughterhouse, a case that has drawn national attention from animal protection groups and concerns from her supporters about her medical safety in jail.
Los Angeles County has launched a new pilot removal defense program to provide legal representation to immigrants facing deportation proceedings, funded by unclaimed cy pres funds from the Roy settlement.
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.
Jimmie “Chris” Duncan was released from the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center after spending 27 years on death row for a murder conviction that was vacated due to doubts about the evidence used to convict him.
Defense and civil rights attorneys have argued that artificial intelligence is being used in court filings by California prosecutors’ offices, resulting in errors and potential violations of due process rights.
Ralph Menzies, convicted of murder in 1986, has been deemed incompetent for execution due to his advanced dementia, raising constitutional concerns about the planned execution and prompting a competency hearing in December 2025.
The Bail Project has released data showing that 92% of people released without cash bail returned to court, challenging claims used to justify expanding pretrial detention and providing evidence for a fairer and more humane pretrial system.
A group of incarcerated people and their family members have filed a federal class action lawsuit against Aramark Corporation, alleging that the company is using its exclusive control over food provisions in West Virginia prisons to exploit a captive consumer market and unlawfully profit from inadequate food service.
Two law professors have proposed a “prosecutor jury” system to evaluate indictments against politicians, in order to ensure that the Justice Department is not influenced by partisan politics.
Jimmie “Chris” Duncan was released from death row after 27 years after Judge Alvin Sharp ruled that “clear and convincing evidence proves (Duncan) is factually innocent in the alleged murder of Haley Oliveaux,” due to the fraudulent forensics of Drs. Steven Hayne and Michael West.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 state attorneys general urging Congress to pass the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, which would provide Tribal law enforcement with stronger tools to respond to violence, disappearances, and jurisdictional gaps in Indigenous communities.
The Economist reports that the US is executing people at double the rate compared to last year, with the rise attributed to Republican political ambitions and a decrease in court oversight of the death penalty.
Judicial transparency group Scrutinize and government accountability organization Reinvent Albany have released a report urging the new mayor of New York City to overhaul the judicial appointment system and increase transparency and accountability.
PEN America has launched the Incarcerated Writers Bureau, a digital platform to provide professional and creative opportunities for incarcerated writers and break down industry barriers, featuring 21 writers and offering guidance to publishers, journalists, and literary agents.
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring ICE to provide basic human needs to detainees at its San Francisco Field Office, including clean bedding, hygiene products, medical care, and legal information in their primary languages.