Criminal Justice
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Todd Clear: Why America's Mass Incarceration Experiment Failed
It devastates communities and doesn’t stop crime, the Rutgers University provost explains.
April 29, 2014
Who's Locked Up in America
Not all of the 2.3 million people incarcerated in the U.S. are there for violent crimes. Meet four individuals, featured in tonight's "Prison State," who are rotating between custody and freedom.
April 29, 2014
1h 23m
Prison State
An intimate look at the cycle of mass incarceration in America -- and one state's effort to reverse the trend.
April 29, 2014
In Latest Reform, Kentucky Softens Approach to Juvenile Offenders
The governor today plans to sign into law a package of reforms to the state's juvenile justice program on Friday, the latest step in Kentucky's effort to overhaul its criminal justice system.
April 25, 2014
DOJ Offers New Clemency Program for Drug Offenders
The plan means early release for hundreds serving long sentences for minor crimes. It's also a shift for Obama, who's approved fewer clemency applications than any president in modern history.
April 23, 2014
How Much Time U.S. Prisoners Spend in Solitary
The U.N. says anything longer than 15 days is abusive. Most stays start at 30 days, but one Louisiana man has spent 42 years so far.
April 22, 2014
What Does Solitary Confinement Do To Your Mind?
Supporters say the practice helps keep prisons safe, and that may be true. What’s undeniable, however, is that solitary confinement can also take a heavy mental toll.
April 22, 2014
Podcast: How to Fix America’s Solitary Problem
Three corrections experts on what needs to be done, and why it’s so hard to change.
April 22, 2014
"Lock It Down": How Solitary Started in the U.S.
How one warden helped create the modern-day isolation used in federal prisons,
April 22, 2014
Joseph Ponte: In Maine, "We Rewrote the Segregation Policy"
Former corrections commissioner Joseph Ponte on reforming the solitary policy in Maine — and why it's a work in progress.
April 22, 2014
Craig Haney: Solitary Confinement is a "Tried-and-True" Torture Device
What does solitary do to you? Psychiatrist Craig Haney discusses the impact of prolonged isolation on prison inmates.
April 22, 2014
A “Noble Experiment”: How Solitary Came to America
In the late 18th century, the Quakers were looking for a way to rehabilitate criminals instead of resorting to the violence of the whip or the gallows. In 1787, they began to impose sentences of solitary confinement in an experiment at the Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia.
April 22, 2014