criminal justice system

'Guilty But Mentally Ill' Doesn't Protect Against Harsh Sentences

1:25pm August 02, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

Jurors often are reluctant to acquit someone who committed a crime while mentally ill, or to find that person guilty. So they take a third option: guilty but mentally ill. It's far from perfect.

'It's Just the Beginning Now,' Says Man Freed From Serving Two Life Sentences

4:36pm May 10, 2016

David Padilla is adjusting to life back home in Northeast Philadelphia. After nearly 20 years in prison, he won clemency last year, freeing him from two life sentences for nonviolent drug crimes.

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Former Judge Urges Obama To Commute Sentence He Imposed A Decade Ago

1:33pm February 10, 2016

by Eyder Peralta

Following the law, Paul Cassell sentenced Weldon Angelos to a 55 years in prison for dealing marijuana and possessing weapons. Cassell said the case was "one of the most troubling" he ever faced.

New Pardon Chief In Obama Justice Department Inherits A Huge Backlog

6:45pm February 03, 2016

by Carrie Johnson

Veteran Philadelphia prosecutor Robert Zauzmer is heading up a key priority in the final year of Obama's presidency. He tells NPR he has seen too many unfair sentences levied for low-level offenders.

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"As far as I know ... there is no problem of over-incarceration for rich, white financial or environmental executives," defense lawyer Jeffrey Robinson of the American Civil Liberties Union said.

Obama Administration Says House Bill Would Give 'Cover' To White-Collar Defendants

1:29pm November 25, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

A bipartisan bill to overhaul the criminal-justice system has hit a snag. Its higher bar to prove guilt is something the Department of Justice says could benefit top-level executives.

Poor Criminal Defendants Face 'Too Many Barriers' To Get Lawyers, Says DOJ

5:19pm November 10, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

The criminal justice system can be difficult to navigate, and without a lawyer, it's even harder. Yet the government says it's still too difficult for poor defendants to get representation.

Bipartisan Criminal Justice Overhaul Proposal Expected As Soon As Thursday

9:05pm September 29, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

A group of Democratic and Republican senators is finalizing a bill that would make major changes to the justice system. The idea has support from surprise backers like Koch Industries and the ACLU.

Last October, a 15-year-old student and member of the Tulalip Tribes in Washington opened fire at his high school with a gun obtained from his father. The tribe had issued a restraining order against the father, but that information didn't show up in the

Crime Program Aims To Close Trust Gap Between Government, Tribes

1:32pm August 25, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

Native American tribes can be hampered trying to fight crime on reservations because they don't have access to federal databases. The Justice Department wants to help.

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In Court, Your Face Could Determine Your Fate

10:16am July 20, 2015

by Nadia Whitehead

How much can someone's face affect the sentence he receives in court? A lot, according to a study that asked people to rate the trustworthiness of convicted murderers based on their mugshots.

A new report counted the race and gender for more than 2,400 elected prosecutors and found that 95 percent are white.

Does It Matter That 95 Percent Of Elected Prosecutors Are White?

7:41pm July 08, 2015

by Amita Kelly

"The group of people who are really the managers of the criminal justice system in America are concentrated among one demographic group: white men," said an author of the report.