Criminal Justice

In June 1944, a 14-year-old black boy was sentenced to death by an all-white jury in South Carolina. A sham trial took just three hours and ended with a 10-minute verdict. He was electrocuted on June 16, 1944.

There's a body of opinion that says putting someone in prison for life is too harsh. There's another body of opinion that says a life sentence for a heinous crime is appropriate.

They've done their time. Stop disenfranchising felons!

Are we dealing with criminals in the right way? Are there more constructive options?

A surprising number of women develop romantic attachments to some of the worst violent offenders.

Despite the oath to tell the truth, witnesses frequently lie in court. But, there’s a class of liar that stands below all the rest―the jailhouse snitch.

1 in every 100 people in the US currently resides in a prison. Many more are on parole. How does a prior conviction affect voting rights for the current or formerly incarcerated, and how might this shape US politics forever?

Bad physicians and police officers receive plenty of regional and national media coverage in the United States. But, reports about bad or criminal teachers and school staff rarely reach beyond the immediate city or state that's involved. Yet, bad teachers can do great damage to future generations.

The system is broken. The odds are stacked against the many while privilege is reserved for the few. Life indeed is a hand of cards we are all dealt, but why are these hands so unfairly uneven?

Our prisons are overflowing with people. Let's not forget that. People who for whatever reason landed within the confines of cell walls. And who gives a damn?

While mandatory arrest laws seem to have been born with good intentions, in practice, they often have negative results. They amplify the existing systemic racism in the criminal justice system, and they can also negatively impact the victims of crimes in a variety of ways.

Genealogy has helped solve many criminal cases, especially cold cases. Here's how to rise of DNA research has changed the criminal justice system.

Why is it unlikely that you're being gang stalked? Because the statistics are against you. The idea that it is possible there are hundreds of people able to maintain the level of conspiracy required is mind-boggling. But what if it is a real thing?

Prison overcrowding is starting to become an increasingly expensive and dangerous problem in America. This article takes a look at the causes and possible solutions.

This article talks about the dark side of extreme schizophrenia—the unfortunate few who's psychotic thoughts lead them to crime and violence. Luckily, this is a very small percentage of people diagnosed with the illness. Nonetheless, let's clear the air about this issue.

We would all love to send our loved ones gifts to cheer them up. If your loved one is in prison, books, letters, and money are the only options. However, books are great gifts. A good book can pass the time or even change someone's life!

For anyone facing a criminal trial with a possible prison sentence, it can be one of the most stressful situations one can find themselves in. If a prison sentence is imminent, or at least a likely outcome, then it makes sense to orientate oneself to the reality of imprisonment.

Sometimes, people do monumentally stupid things that cause injury to themselves, and then they feel someone should compensate them financially for their brainless behaviour.

New York City’s Halls of Justice developed a well-earned and fearsome reputation as a place to steer clear of.

Prisons were primarily designed to control men, and current efforts to house women in facilities designed for men will create many problems. While there are some cases of violent women criminals, this article argues that women should not be housed in prisons.

This article consists of arguments in defense of imposing capital punishment in the Philippines. Countries that use the death penalty often have more security and economic growth, and I believe that capital punishment must be implemented to execute true justice.

The Crumlin Road Gaol saw approximately 25,000 political prisoners pass through its grim doors in its 150-year life as a prison.

Wrongful convictions are a common problem in the American justice system. This list of true crime books consists of personal stories involving the wrongfully convicted and books on how miscarriages of justice can come about.

Being in prison is totally unlike life on the outside, so it’s best to be prepared for being incarcerated. Some well-heeled criminals even hire prison coaches.

Criminals protect themselves. They will do whatever it takes to keep themselves out of prison, even if that means ratting out fellow criminals. Here are five times that criminals helped catch their fellow criminals.

Our criminal justice system has taken steps to improve the efficacy and reliability of its outcomes. But several innocent individuals have been incarcerated or executed due to negligence. Some were exonerated after years of suffering in prison.

Here's what you need to know about the current design of the correctional system and the psychological impact of solitary confinement. Should anyone ever be kept in solitary?

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." Or does it? This article considers some of the pros and cons of capital punishment, also known as the death penalty.

Budget cuts, among other things, have led many mental health consumers to get caught up in the criminal justice system. This article discusses specific causes of and potential solutions to the problem.

This article provides tips for dealing with abusive restraining orders based on false allegations filed for retaliation or out of spite.

When working to reduce crime, which method is more effective: punishment or rehabilitation? What is rehabilitation? What is punishment? Here's what you need to know.

Learn these simple ways that will get you excused from jury service. You'll never have to worry about receiving a jury summons in the mail again!

Leonard Peltier is a Native American who has spent more than four decades and counting in prison for a crime many believe he did not commit.

The death penalty is an extremely divisive topic and has been argued over for decades. This article takes a look at capital punishment and whether or not it is an effective means of achieving justice.

Many people are unaware that prisons actually have libraries. And prisons should have libraries. Here's why.

This article explores the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), which was mentioned by O.J. Simpson during his parole hearing. Everyone should participate in this project; it's the best prison program.

When facing the executioner, some people are remorseful, some defiant, some courageous, while others even try humour in their final message to the world.

In the United States, executions are carried out in the presence of witnesses.

This article discusses books written by prisoners who are either still incarcerated or have been previously. The ones on this list are my favorites.

Ninety years later, convincing evidence has been given that Susie's brother, Alexander Williams, did not commit the murder he was electrocuted for. As a minor Alexander was convicted and put to death by an all-White male jury, without fully comprehending why. “Hallelujah” he was recently exonerated.

The inmates at Louisiana’s Angola Prison hold rodeos as fundraisers several times each year, and the events are so popular that they often sell out.

Humans have been submitting to clinical trials for years with successful outcomes. Human subjects are necessary to show the safety of unproven medical therapies. What are the benefits of inmates volunteering for clinical trials?

How much abuse must a woman endure before she can turn on her violent partner, perhaps kill him, and use a self-defence plea?

Their names, race, county of crime, and date of execution is all the information the state offers about the men they've executed. Now I share the stories of how they got there.

In the early morning of August 14, 1936, 22-year-old Rainey Bethea was hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky, before an admiring crowd of 20,000 people. Why? Here's the full story.

Humans are social creatures, so isolating someone from contact with others can have profound and negative psychological effects.

Those who have the job of carrying out a death sentence often end up in poor emotional shape brought on by the nature of their work.

Shoplifting is a serious crime, but some people do it for fun. Have you ever wondered what happens if you get caught shoplifting?

Your first trip to the El Paso County CJC can be not only unpleasant but also pretty intimidating. Here are a few guidelines to follow and information on what to expect when you get there.

It has been said that if a released inmate says the food inside wasn’t too bad, then he or she is very likely to return to prison.