It has been 18 years since Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which officially called for a zero-tolerance policy while aiming to curb the sexual violence plaguing correctional institutions across the country. Unfortunately, female prisoners continue to suffer sexual abuse while incarcerated at alarming…
It has been one year since the dismembered body of Vanessa Guillen was found near the Leon River in Texas. In the middle of a raging pandemic, the tragedy pushed Americans around the country to join together. They demanded answers on why the U.S. Army…
On January 6, 2021, a group of Americans stormed the U.S. Capitol building. Splashed across newspapers, websites and social media, photos cataloged their assault on the Capitol. By the end of the day, four people died, with a fifth (a Capitol Police officer) succumbing to…
As a former Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd, many states across the country continue to propose policing reform bills. Over the past year, at least 36 states have signed measures that would reform police practices. These proposals include…
As former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April, attention has shifted to focus on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Introduced during last year’s Congress session, the George Floyd Justice in Policing…
Abuse is all too common in U.S. jails and prisons, with both inmates and correctional officers physically, sexually, and psychologically assaulting inmates. Certain populations face a greater risk of prison abuse, including those who are young or appear weak, have a mental illness or physical…
Prison abuse is a widespread problem in the United States. With about 2.3 million people in jails and prisons, the cost of staffing and running these facilities costs billions of dollars each year. Along with America’s mass incarceration, the penal system has been a breeding…
U.S. jails and prisons have been under fire for decades for the conditions in which inmates endure. Lawsuits against staff, facilities, and even states for prison abuse and rights violations emerge year after year. Physical and sexual abuse, demeaning treatment, threats, and unsanitary conditions are…
There are 2.3 million people in U.S. jails and prisons, a number that’s higher than any other country’s incarcerated population. The cost of the justice system is billions of dollars per year, but the impact of a system rampant with abuse could arguably be deemed…
Amid growing debate over the use of the death penalty in the United States, Virginia has decided to abolish its use, joining 22 other states that never have or no longer execute convicted felons. This month, the Democrat-controlled state Senate and state House of Delegates…