Posted February 28, 2024 State Lawmakers Wade Into Third-Party Litigation Funding In a world where it seems that just about everything is for sale these days, is it any wonder that there’s a burgeoning market for investment in lawsuits? The practice, known as “third-party litigation funding” is a growing... State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted January 10, 2024 Recent State Laws Strengthen Rights of Juveniles During Interrogations More than 50 years after a Supreme Court decision guaranteeing due process rights for juveniles during police interrogations, states are enacting laws to close gaps in those protections. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted December 7, 2023 Across the Aisle | Academy Sparks Bipartisanship on Police Accountability The NCSL Legislator Police Academy brings together lawmakers from different parties and backgrounds to find common ground on policy related to police accountability. State Legislatures News, News to Use, Across the Aisle, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted November 28, 2023 Out With the Old: States Continue to Rethink Justice Strategies Forecast ’24: Legislatures in 2024 will continue battling the opioid crisis and crimes of opportunity while expanding approaches that help keep justice-involved people from getting entrenched in the system. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted November 7, 2023 Building Boats and Brighter Futures By giving young people who have been adjudicated delinquent a chance to learn boating skills, woodworking and other crafts, a Tacoma, Wash., program has helped to reduce youth incarceration by more than 90%. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted October 31, 2023 Policymakers Weigh Pros and Cons of Court Fines and Fees Financial assessments in the justice system can create an unjust cycle of debt for those who can’t pay. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted October 23, 2023 Lawmakers Cautious as Genetic Tests Help in Cracking Cold Cases Law enforcement’s use of DNA evidence and consumer genealogy records to find perpetrators of violent crimes has led to breakthroughs in dormant investigations, giving hope to victims’ families and raising privacy concerns. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted October 18, 2023 Punishment Isn’t Always the Best Way to Address Crime To help people who might benefit more from treatment than jail time, lawmakers are getting rid of low-level offenses and reducing sentences for some crimes. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, Legislative Summit
Posted September 26, 2023 Care Campus Has ‘No Wrong Door’ Policy for Those in Need The Care Campus, a Rapid City, S.D., facility that houses several social service operations in one location, is connecting people with mental health treatment and reducing jail intakes for misdemeanor offenses. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, Human Services
Posted August 16, 2023 States and Congress Act to Protect Judicial and Election Workers Recent laws safeguarding the personal information of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers, and providing for additional physical security, can be a model for election officials who face violent threats. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, Elections, Legislative Summit
Posted June 5, 2023 Jail Is Tough, but Some Groups Hope to Improve What Happens After Release With jails and prisons often housing more people with behavioral health needs than state-run psychiatric facilities, lawmakers and other stakeholders across the country are exploring ways to connect those who need treatment with community-based... State Legislatures News, Civil and Criminal Justice, Health, Human Services
Posted May 31, 2023 Lawmakers Discuss Ways to Make Clearing a Criminal Record Easier A bipartisan group of state lawmakers recently gathered in Miami at NCSL’s Clean Slate Record Clearing meeting to simplify the process of clearing or sealing the criminal records of people who have completed their sentences and remained... State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted May 1, 2023 Supreme Court to Reexamine Use of Civil Asset Forfeiture The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case that could determine the ability of state law enforcement agencies to use civil asset forfeiture, a practice that four states have abolished entirely. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, State-Federal
Posted April 21, 2023 Lawmakers Seek New Directions on Public Safety Lawmakers are addressing the public safety challenges that emerged during the pandemic by tailoring juvenile and criminal justice policies and using evidence-informed and community-tailored strategies to reduce violence. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted April 19, 2023 New Mexico Among States Easing Burden of Court Fines and Fees The monetary penalties and legal financial obligations associated with being involved in the criminal justice system—and their effect on low-income defendants—have been a growing cause of concern among policymakers. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted January 4, 2023 Lawmakers Seek New Directions on Public Safety As the nation navigates the lingering challenges of the pandemic, new public safety concerns have emerged, among them fentanyl overdoses, carjackings, catalytic converter thefts and other crimes of opportunity. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted December 7, 2022 Hottest Policy Topics for 2023? It’s All About the Workforce The struggle to employ workers tops the list of concerns state lawmakers will focus on in 2023 legislative sessions, according to NCSL CEO Tim Storey. State Legislatures News, Civil and Criminal Justice, Education, Environment and Natural Resources, Fiscal, Health, Labor and Employment
Posted October 5, 2022 Restorative Justice: A Better Way for Victims of Crime? After her father was killed in a hit-and-run, she wanted the 13-year-old driver punished. Until she didn’t. “I had an epiphany one night: that he was 13 and did not wake up that day saying, ‘What 71-year-old man can I kill... State Legislatures News, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted August 22, 2022 Life Sentences Without Parole: Too Extreme for Juvenile Offenders? Because adolescents are not fully developed and will change over time, 23 states and the District of Columbia have banned life without parole for young offenders. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted April 11, 2022 Policing Bills Address Officer Well-Being, Community Interaction and More Law enforcement policy remains a hot legislative topic in 2022, with more than 700 new measures addressing officer well-being, collaborative efforts to improve community interactions with law enforcement, limitations on police use of technology... State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted March 28, 2022 Pregnant in Jail: Dealing With Special Challenges With women representing the fastest-growing population in the justice system, policymakers are examining the conditions, rights and unique challenges presented by justice-involved women, particularly those who are pregnant. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted March 23, 2022 4 Things You Need to Know About Virtual Court Hearings A new report looks at what the use of virtual hearings means for state courts, the people who use them and the legislatures that oversee them. State Legislatures News, Civil and Criminal Justice
Posted February 9, 2022 Mental Health Emergencies, Law Enforcement and Deflection Pathways First responders are turning to deflection pathways to help connect individuals with substance use or mental health issues to community-based treatment and services as an alternative to making an arrest. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, Health
Posted February 7, 2022 How 4 States Cut Their Criminal Justice Budgets Without Sacrificing Safety Reducing a criminal justice budget while maintaining public safety is no easy task. Programs in Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon and Missouri offer some strategies. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice