In many courts, defendants don’t have access to public defenders during first appearances, pushing back when they can ask for reduced bail or release from jail
criminal justice
Texas residents have relied on Oklahoma abortion providers after the procedure essentially became illegal in the Lone Star State
Local jails are crowded in the United States. Here’s what communities and states can do to jail people less
And what we’re reading this week
For decades, courts have struggled to resolve criminal cases in recommended timeframes. In the pandemic, it’s even harder.
And why a fatal fire in Philadelphia is emblematic of the long wait for public housing
Without face-to-face visitation, speaking with attorneys is less private in some jails
Many bonds are set without considering if defendants can afford them, letting the wealthy walk while the poor stay in jail
A small wave of prosecutors argue pouring resources into low-level offenses doesn’t make us safer
Also: Manslaughter charge filed against former officer whose Taser mix-up killed a young man in Minnesota