Commentary
January 18, 2022

The Manhattan DA Started a Panic with Supposedly Soft-on-Crime Policies. His Critics Are Wrong.
By John Pfaff

Like other progressive prosecutors, Alvin Bragg is trying to acknowledge that prison time doesn’t fight crime.

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YNW Melly’s Trials Highlight Florida’s Unconstitutional Death Penalty Law

March 4, 2025 Investigations
If convicted in a double homicide, Melly could be sentenced to death by a non-unanimous jury — a practice with deep roots in Jim Crow.
By Sean Campbell

Bail Is A Longstanding Problem in Baltimore. Is Maryland Searching For A Solution?

February 3, 2025 Investigations
Maryland's pre-trial population has increased since bail reform was enacted in 2017. But Illinois has a reform model that might work for the state.
By Madeleine O'Neill

Who Is Voting For Reform Prosecutors?

January 9, 2025 Reports
A Split Ticket/Garrison Project data analysis of recent reform prosecutor elections.
By Armin Thomas

Democratic Pundits Have A Pernicious Crime Problem

December 23, 2024 Commentary
They say fact-checking perceptions of crime is a fool's errand because they're rooted in vibes. But they ignore that the vibes are coming from somewhere: media.
By John Pfaff

California Lets Defendants Challenge Racism In Court. Few Have Succeeded.

November 25, 2024 Investigations
A Garrison Project and CalMatters analysis of the Racial Justice Act found about a dozen successful cases in which judges took action on racial bias in the legal process.
By Sean Kevin Campbell

Baltimore Residents Held In Jail At Higher Rates Than Before Bail Reform

November 8, 2024 Investigations
A 2017 state bail reform effort led to a paradox: use of cash bail has plummeted, but most initial appearances end in a bail denial.
By Madeleine O'Neill

North Carolina Parole System Accused Of Blocking Release For People Who Committed Crimes As Children

September 25, 2024 Investigations
A lawsuit from a prisoner who been denied release more than 20 times claims that the state holds parole "perpetually out of realistic reach."
By Jacob Biba

Reports and Body-cam Video Raise Familiar Concerns About Baltimore Police Plainclothes Unit

September 20, 2024 Investigations
In May, a detective pointed his service weapon to the temple of a prone and restrained man.
By Brandon Soderberg

The COVID-19 Homicide Spike Has Vanished

August 28, 2024 Commentary
There's a story for politicians to tell of not just crime declines, but non-police interventions that made cities safer.
By John Pfaff

Claim of racial bias in Rowan County death penalty case cites U.S. Supreme Court decision

August 1, 2024 interviews
This story was produced in partnership with WFAE in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jacob Biba, a reporter based in Asheville,...

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By Jacob Biba

Taking a hard look at Baltimore’s Gun Violence Reduction Strategy

July 26, 2024 Investigations
An analysis of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's key anti-violence strategy.
By Brandon Soderberg