According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics report, federal arrests declined by 35 percent from fiscal year 2020 to 2021, ending at the lowest number of arrests in two decades - but the number of people charged with a federal offense decreased less than 1 percent.  Read more»

Across the country, police departments are facing critical staffing shortages, and with fewer officers joining the force and more retiring or resigning, the problem continues to worsen for departments of all sizes and locations - causing immense frustration and concern for citizens. Read more»

Thanks in part to the advocacy of Erin Smith - whose husband, D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Jeffrey Smith, died by suicide days after being assaulted during the January 6 attack - Congress passed a bill recognizing suicides by officers for what they are: line-of-duty deaths. Read more»

In order to reduce racial and ethnic disparities and enhance outcomes for young people in our country’s juvenile justice systems, those systems need to focus on diversion - generally more productive and developmentally appropriate for young people. Read more»

Last year, marijuana and hallucinogen use by young adults aged 19 to 30 increased significantly compared to five and 10 years ago - reaching record levels - and more than 1 in 10 were “daily” consumers, using marijuana 20 times or more in the past 30 days. Read more»

“Community safety interventions” are now valid uses for State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds under the Treasury Department’s amended final rule - a unique and time-limited source of funding for community-based investments to combat violent crime. Read more»

A federal appeals court has held that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers individuals with “gender dysphoria” - a ruling expanding the legal consensus on the discrimination protections available to some transgender people. Read more»

To battle rising violent crime in the sprawling Navajo nation, the FBI has implemented what may be one of the most innovative outreach initiatives in the bureau’s history - but the Navajo law enforcement authorities say they have been left in the dark. Read more»

The influx of hate mentions on social media and hateful rhetoric from far-right groups has has marked June’s Pride celebrations and led to an uptick in threats, causing many Pride events to cancel or switch online. Read more»

The Supreme Court opinion in Shinn v. Ramirez that decided two Arizona death penalty cases held that federal courts must not intervene to develop a factual record when counsel fails to present evidence, potentially sending innocent people to their deaths. Read more»

Protests in many cities became magnets for “politically motivated violence,” and while only a fraction of the demonstrations have been warped by violence, the potential should persuade policymakers to ban or restrict firearms from public gatherings. Read more»

It’s not a stretch to think so-called “permitless carry” will alter the nature of gun violence in states where residents no longer need permits, background checks, or training to carry concealed handguns in public, and law enforcement officials are concerned. Read more»

Gun deaths across the U.S. increased by 28 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a 15 percent increase in overall firearm-related incidents and a 34 percent increase in nonfatal gun injuries between March 2020 and February 2021. Read more»

Crediting people for time served — giving criminal defendants “credit” against their sentence for the time they spend detained pretrial — is a deceptively harmful practice that punishes innocent people. Read more»

The Biden administration is launching a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor with a $145 million investment to provide job training at selected Bureau of Prisons locations. Read more»