Vanguard social justice articles involving criminal justice reform
The fight for justice in Alameda County has been ongoing for decades, with community members and organizations refusing to let the memory of those killed by police fade away, despite attempts by the system to protect itself.
Legal scholars are pushing back against Trump administration officials’ mischaracterizations of federal immunity and the First Amendment, according to a Cato Institute analysis.
A new Gallup poll reveals a partisan divide in Americans’ views on crime, with fewer Americans viewing it as a serious issue and more Republicans than Democrats labeling it that way, while lower-income individuals and women are more likely to perceive crime as a serious issue.
A Baltimore police officer has been suspended and an internal investigation is underway after a viral video appeared to show the officer attempting to run over a civilian.
The California Policy Lab and the Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code have released the California Prison Population Data Dashboards, a public resource providing interactive access to ten years of data about California’s state prison population, including detailed breakdowns by race, gender, age, offense type, and county of conviction.
Survivors of crime and criminal justice reform advocates are pushing for restorative justice and second chances, highlighting the need for updated sentencing laws that reflect the realities of survivors’ experiences and build public safety through healing and change, rather than punishment alone.
Pamela Wridt and Robert Sauve are suing the City of New York over the NYPD’s expanding use of surveillance cameras, alleging that the city’s practices violate constitutional protections for privacy, free speech, and association.
A teenage football player was handcuffed by police after an AI surveillance system mislabeled his bag of chips as a gun, highlighting the dangers of relying entirely on artificial intelligence for safety measures.
Millions of drivers are pulled over every year for minor violations, which rarely make roads safer and instead lead to racial disparities, violence, and loss of trust in police, prompting the ACLU to work to restore people’s rights on the road by limiting or ending traffic stops for issues unrelated to road safety.
Tremane Wood has petitioned the Supreme Court to review claims of prosecutorial misconduct, racial bias, and ineffective legal representation in his 2004 capital murder trial, as well as undisclosed emails between the Attorney General and the Court of Criminal Appeals which allegedly prejudiced his request for a new trial.
A federal judge ruled that Bill Essayli was not lawfully serving as acting United States attorney for the Central District of California, finding that the Trump administration’s appointment violated federal law.
The FCC has approved new rate caps for Incarcerated People’s Communication Services (IPCS), undoing key 2024 reforms and reducing financial relief for families by an estimated $215 million annually, while allowing providers to recapture surveillance costs, impose facility fees, and adjust rates for inflation.
The American Bar Association has condemned recent federal prosecutorial actions that appear to be politically motivated, warning that such interference threatens the credibility of the U.S. legal system.
Sean Grayson was convicted of shooting and killing Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman, in July 2024, after she called 911 to report a prowler in her home, and Massey’s father is calling for broader reforms to protect people from unlawful use of force.
A Black Baltimore teenager was swarmed by police after an AI-enhanced surveillance camera falsely identified a bag of chips in his pocket as a gun, leading to a traumatic and potentially deadly incident.
CAIR-CA has filed a writ of habeas corpus and an emergency temporary restraining order to prevent the government from transferring British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi away from his legal team, after he was detained by ICE on Oct. 26, 2025.
The California Prison Population Data Dashboards provide detailed information about the current prison population, admissions, and releases, allowing the public and policymakers to explore specific trends and disparities in sentencing.
Norman Mearle Grim, Jr., a U.S. Navy veteran, was executed by the State of Florida for the 1998 killing of Cynthia Campbell, marking the 15th execution in Florida this year and the 22nd under Governor Ron DeSantis.
The LAPD’s Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) was created to reduce potential violence during police contacts involving people experiencing mental illness, but an assessment of the program revealed that it requires an armed, police-first response and lacks clear parameters for engaging with people in mental crisis.
Alabama’s execution of Anthony Boyd using nitrogen gas as a method of capital punishment has raised national concern over the use of the method, with witnesses describing the execution as “difficult-to-watch” and the US Supreme Court declining to intervene.