Beth Schwartzapfel
Should 'Late Adolescence' Protect Young People from Execution?
The years between 18 and 21 are a sort of societal limbo period when, in most states, you can't drink, but you can smoke—and get sentenced to die.
How New York Could Change the Game for Criminal Defendants
Governor Andrew Cuomo is pushing wide-ranging reforms to the state's criminal justice system, from eliminating cash bail to forcing prosecutors to reveal more about their cases before trial.
The Vicious Cycle of Losing a Driver's License Over Court Debt
After decades of trapping poor people, some states are starting to pull back from a Ferguson-esque practice.
Meet the Inmates Recording a New Podcast Inside Prison
The inmate-produced show "Ear Hustle," set at San Quentin state prison in California, will tell stories of daily life behind bars.
How Cops Decide if You're Too Stoned to Drive
Without a reliable breathalyzer-style test, the criminal justice system is still trying to make sense of an increasingly pot-friendly USA.
Did the Dallas and Baton Rouge Police Shooters Have PTSD?
The military veterans were clearly isolated and troubled when they came home from the Middle East.
The Scandal-Plagued Prosecutors Who Want to Be Judges
For decades, California DAs covered up unethical deals with jailhouse informants, and now they want a promotion.
Congress Just Voted to Put a 'Scarlet Letter' on the Passports of Sex Offenders
The White House has not said whether President Obama plans to sign the bill, which critics argue would make it too difficult for people with sex crimes on their record to travel abroad.
Is America Ready for Safe Injection Rooms?
As heroin use hits suburban white neighborhoods hard, it's fair to wonder if the United States might soon follow the example set by Canada and some European countries by setting up safe spaces to get high.
What It's Like to Be a Jailhouse Lawyer
Prisoners who help other inmates with legal filings can actually have a major impact.
Federal Prisons Could Release 1,000 Times More Drug Offenders Than Obama Did
Colloquially known as "drugs minus two," a sentencing tweak made last year could reduce the prison time of as many as 46,000 inmates.