The state of Iowa could reduce its incarcerated population by 5,427 and save $360,400,064 by doing so -- all without a major impact on public safety, according to the ACLU of Iowa. The organization, along with ACLU affiliates nationwide, recently released a blueprint...
Month: March 2019
Study of 100 mln traffic stops finds pervasive racial disparities
"Driving while black" isn't a real crime, but it might as well be. African-Americans and people of color persistently report being stopped, searched, cited and even arrested for traffic offenses in situations where white people probably wouldn't be. Yet people of...
What happens during your initial court appearance?
After the police charge you with a crime, you will need to make an initial appearance in court. Before you enter the courtroom, be sure to know your rights and prepare the necessary materials. What is the purpose of an initial appearance? After an arrest, the police...
Students protesting climate policy do have rights
On March 15, students around the world plan to strike in order to highlight the global climate crisis and urge leaders to act. Many participants will be skipping school to engage in discussions, lobbying, protests and demonstrations.Unfortunately, many of those...
AP review shows the stunning consequences for felons who vote
According to some Iowa prosecutors, it doesn't matter if it was a mistake. It doesn't matter if they asked for a provisional ballot. The only thing that matters is that they were a former felon and they voted or attempted to vote.The governor has proposed that Iowa...
Report: Federal prosecutors oversold courts on FBI photo analysis
The case involved South Carolina bank robbery. Witnesses were unable to ID the robber and the bank's surveillance video turned out to be too grainy to help. When the FBI finally arrived at a suspect, the man countered that the robber had been his brother. With only...
