A deepfake video uses artificial intelligence to alter an image so that it appears to be someone else, or say something else, or depict someone doing something other than what they really were. Done with care, a deepfake can show almost anything you like, and it can be virtually impossible for the naked eye to recognize the illusion.
Will judges and juries be able to identify deepfake evidence?
Major poll says 94% of Americans want criminal justice reform
Weeks of nationwide and global demonstrations after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have had their effect, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The vast majority of Americans now see the need for criminal justice reform. And, a large majority (69%) now says that the system needs either a complete overhaul or major changes.
Study: Many courts allow unscientific psychology tests as evidence
Recently, a report appeared in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest that indicated large variability in what psychological tests are being allowed in American courts. These tests are used in both civil and criminal cases and can have enormous impact. In a criminal case, a psychological test could influence everything from whether the defendant gets bail to their ultimate sentence.
In Iowa, African Americans are 7.3 times more likely to be arrested for weed
In its report "A Tale of two Countries: Racially Targeted Arrests in the Era of Marijuana Reform," the ACLU points out that marijuana arrests continue to clog the criminal justice system even though there is broad support for legalization. And, 9 out of 10 marijuana arrests continue to be for simple possession.
Arrests, jail more common in rural and small/midsize counties
As we consider the causes of mass incarceration in the United States, we start with the knowledge that crime has been dropping since the mid-1990s. That should mean that arrest rates are also dropping, but that isn't always the case.
Marijuana still the drug involved in 40% of all US drug arrests
According to data collected by the FBI, law enforcement officers in the U.S. arrested approximately 663,000 people for marijuana-related offenses in 2018, the latest year for which data is available. It's still the most commonly charged drug in the U.S., despite the fact that 33 states have at least partially legalized it.
Study: Iowa's incarceration rate has jumped over the past 40 years
How much has the mass incarceration trend affected Iowa? More than you might think.
Marijuana arrests up again last year despite more legalization
Even though more and more states have legalized marijuana, the overall number of arrests for marijuana offenses continued to rise in 2018, according to new data from the FBI. There were 663,367 marijuana arrests nationwide last year, up from 659,700 in 2017. That itself was a jump from 2016's total of 653,249. Before that, marijuana arrests had been dropping steadily for more than a decade.
Study: Asset forfeiture does little to reduce crime, drug use
A recent study released by the Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leading public interest law firm, calls into question a number of justifications for civil asset forfeiture. Contrary to claims by law enforcement, seizing property from criminal suspects does not appear to meaningfully reduce crime rates or lessen drug use. Far from being used to fight major drug traffickers, civil asset forfeiture is usually deployed against the poor and people of color.
In parts of Iowa, 20% of all arrests are for marijuana possession
With so many states legalizing marijuana, you might think that the urgency to enforce marijuana laws is waning. After all, states wouldn't be legalizing if they were still convinced that marijuana's effects were as dangerous as those of other drugs.
