Policy & Reform

Missouri Sends Sweeping Criminal Justice Bill to Governor, Drawing Fire From Juvenile Advocates

FCC Rolls Back Prison Phone Rate Caps, Hiking Costs Up to 83% for Incarcerated Families

The Federal Communications Commission has raised the caps on phone and video call rates in prisons and jails…

House Passes Bill to Restore Cash Bail in D.C., Threatening City’s 30-Year Reform Model

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025, legislation…

Trump Orders Marijuana Rescheduling as States Push Competing Drug Sentencing Bills

President Trump's executive order directing the Attorney General to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under…

Senator Wyden Demands End to Federal Contracts with Juvenile Facilities Linked to Decades of Abuse

WASHINGTON — Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is demanding that the Trump administration terminate federal contracts with juvenile…

Congress Moves to Ban Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners as States Lag on Enforcement

WASHINGTON — The Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act, introduced in the 119th Congress, would prohibit the…

DOJ and Labor Department Announce $155 Million for Reentry Programs as New Data Shows They Work

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Labor have announced $155.5 million in federal…

New York’s Second Look Act: Can Albany Finally Deliver on Prison Reform in 2026?

The Second Look Act would let incarcerated New Yorkers petition for resentencing after 15 years. With 14 states…

Harris County’s Bold Experiment: Can Mental Health Diversion Fix America’s Jail Crisis?

Nearly Three-Quarters of Harris County Inmates Take Psychiatric Medication. The County Finally Wants to Know Why. The numbers…

States Split on Sentencing Reform as 2026 Legislative Sessions Heat Up

State legislatures across the country are deep into their 2026 sessions, and criminal justice is dominating the agenda…