The Uncertain Future of Acquitted Conduct Sentencing

(Source)   Daytona McClinton was seventeen years old when he robbed a CVS pharmacy with five of his friends, while brandishing a firearm. After fleeing the scene, a fight ensued and one of the other robbers was shot and killed. For this crime, McClinton was charged as an adult, and convicted of robbery and brandishing

Strictly Speaking: The Argument for Holding States Strictly Liable in Wrongful Conviction Suits

(Source)   The wrongfully convicted are an oft overlooked demographic of the American population because society views wrongful convictions as rarely occurring. But in fact, the numbers are quite staggering. The number of people exonerated in the last 30 years due to actual innocence? 2,500. The combined number of years unnecessarily spent in prison? 22,315.

Stepping Up: The First Step Act and Criminal Justice Reform

(Source)   America incarcerates people at a higher rate than any country in the world. The highly politicized War on Drugs led to a spike in incarceration, particularly in lower-income and minority communities. Although the prison population in the United States has declined since 2016, incarceration and recidivism rates remain high. According to a study

The Erosion of Free Will and Its Legal Implications

By Noah Danielson The state of our knowledge about “free will” is still very unsettled. Much of the research in this field is the subject of hotly contested debate and answers to many important questions remain up in the air. However, a number of studies have corroded the edges of a previously widely accepted principal:

Arrested? The Government Wants Your DNA.

Dorota Poplawska balances the pursuit of justice against privacy interests in electronic DNA databases.

Hand holding a paw

Going to the Dogs Part I: The Argument for Courthouse Therapy Dog Programs

In the first post of her two-part series, Danielle Coffey introduces us to courthouse therapy dog programs and the effect they have on testifying victims.

Mug Shot of Casey Anthony

The Tweeted Tale of Tot Mom: Trial by Twitter

Mimi Zhuravitsky explores the role of social media in the 2011 courtroom spectacle—the Casey Anthony trial.