Malikai and Mason Orozco-Romero, 8 and 4, were killed when their mother’s vehicle was rear-ended by a driver fleeing San Diego police. The reason for the high-speed car chase? A faulty headlight.
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After Deadly Car Chases, San Diego Police Oversight Body Wants To Restrict Pursuits - Bolts
Every year, police departments nationwide initiate thousands of high-speed car chases, often with little public inquiry regarding protocols and pol...
A city in California is considering making it illegal for someone to be "aiding [or] abetting, a homeless camp, Cal Matters reports. calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2025/02/fremont-ordinance-aid-abet/
A federal appeals court is set to hear a GOP attempt to invalidate 60,000 ballots in the race for a seat on North Carolina’s top court, NC Newsline reports: https://ncnewsline.com/2025/01/10/a-federal-appeals-court-will-hear-the-nc-supreme-court-elections-case/
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a leader in the progressive prosecutor movement, is facing a tough re-election fight in 2025. It’s one of the many local elections defining criminal justice policy that we are tracking:
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The Local Elections That Will Define Criminal Justice Policy in 2025 - Bolts
Big-city mayor, prosecutor, and sheriff elections this year could carry high stakes for policing and punishment.
Michigan’s juvenile justice system disproportionately impacts Black children. A report found that in recent years they were detained at six times the rate of white youth and stayed an average of seven days longer, racking up additional fees.
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How Michigan Stopped Saddling Children with Millions in Court Debt - Bolts
Last year, Michigan stopped imposing court fines and fees on kids, and relieved millions of dollars in past debt. Now, it may also ensure that kids...
Alyshia Dyer, a former deputy and social worker, will soon take office as sheriff of Washtenaw County, Michigan. She plans to align law enforcement with reforms focused on harm reduction and alternatives to arrests.
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A Michigan Sheriff and Prosecutor Join Forces to Implement Progressive Policy - Bolts
On Jan. 1, Alyshia Dyer will take office as sheriff of Washtenaw County, Michigan, an event that will mark the union of some strange bedfellows in ...
California led the U.S. in eugenics, sterilizing over 20,000 people in state institutions from 1909 to 1963. Nazi Germany even studied California’s program while designing its own sterilization policies.
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For Survivors of Forced Sterilization in California Prisons, a Rushed Shot at Justice - Bolts
A state board deciding reparations for women sterilized against their will rejected most applications. Advocates are now racing against a January d...
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After the 2024 elections, who will run each state’s government? Bolts sums it up in one graph:
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The GOP Came Out Ahead in Legislative Races, But Their Gains Were Modest and Uneven - Bolts
Our annual review of incoming state legislatures breaks down the swing in each chamber and the five biggest political and policy takeaways.
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Data shows that California property crime rates are at historic lows. But “people's perception of how at risk they are has changed over the last four years,” one researcher noted, in large part due to shoplifting videos that have gone viral on social media.
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How California's Embrace of a Tough-on-Crime Measure May Undo a Decade of Reform - Bolts
The passage of Prop 36 marks a return to harsher punishments for some drug and theft crimes. Advocates worry it will also lead to a surge in prison...