Truthout
Prisons & Policing

“If the Risk Is Low, Let Them Go”: Elderly Prison Population Skyrockets Despite Low Risk to Society
Even amidst a modest reduction in the US prison population, the number of aging men and women expected to die behind bars has skyrocketed in a system ill prepared …

On the News With Thom Hartmann: Three Days After Christmas, 1.3 Million Americans Will Lose Their Unemployment Benefits, and More
Three days after Christmas, 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits, and more.

A Rapper’s Last Words Before Going to Jail
On December 5th Tunisian rapper Weld El 15 stood trial for performing his song

Brave New Foundation’s Series on Prison Profiteering
Each part of this series by the Brave New Foundation exposes an aspect of corruption in the American prison systems in the name of profit.

Report Finds Police Intelligence Gathering Tactics Threaten National Security
A lack of oversight in counterterrorism programs causes critical intelligence to fall through the cracks.

Forced Guilty Pleas in Drug Cases: Threat of Draconian Sentences Means Few Willing to Risk Trial
Since drug defendants rarely prevail at trial, it is not surprising that 97 percent of them decide to plead guilty.

West Memphis 3’s Damien Echols on Healing After Death Row
Damien Echols of the West Memphis 3 discusses his ordeal during a screening of a new documentary about his case.

NYPD Officer Risks His Job to Speak Out Against “Stop-and-Frisk” Targeting of People of Color
The New York City Police Department's controversial “stop-and-frisk” program was a major issue for voters going to the polls in the city's mayoral election.

Bipartisan Bill to Reform Mandatory Minimums Introduced in US House, As Companion to Bipartisan Senate Bill
Research has shown that nonviolent, low-level drug offenders have contributed significantly to the dramatic rise in incarceration in the last four decades.

Maya Schenwar and Matthew Filipowicz Discuss How Her Sister Gave Birth in Prison
In this episode, Truthout Executive Director Maya Schenwar discusses the harrowing story of her sister giving birth in prison.