Latest Stories
Here’s what we've been up to recently.
Yolo County, CA Enacts Race-Blind Charging Program To Reduce Racial Disparities
The District Attorney's Office has partnered with the Stanford Computational Policy Lab on computer software that redacts all identifying information from cases until after it has been decided whether to charge or drop a case.
Rommy Kassim
10/2/2021
Michigan Governor Signs Bills Allowing Expunction Of First-Time Drunken Driving Convictions
One past mistake shouldn't dictate the direction of your future. House Bills 4219 and 4220 will grant deserving Michiganders a second chance at a clean criminal record by allowing certain first-time drunk driving convictions to be expunged five years after an individual's probation ends.
Rommy Kassim
9/28/2021
North Carolina Restores Voting Rights To Approximately 55,000 Former Felons
North Carolina is seeing the most significant expansion of voting rights since the 1960s with a new policy that restores voting rights to roughly 55,000 North Carolinians on parole or probation for a felony conviction.
Rommy Kassim
9/18/2021
U.S. Senate Approves Bill That Allows Researchers To Study Marijuana From Dispensaries
As part of an infrastructure bill passed in August, the U.S. Senate approved provisions allowing scientists to study marijuana purchased from state-legal dispensaries instead of relying solely on government-grown cannabis.
Rommy Kassim
9/12/2021
Michigan Is Spending Millions To Study The Effects Of Medical Marijuana For Veterans
The state of Michigan recently announced a new study that will examine the mental health benefits of marijuana, specifically for veterans. If proven effective in treating certain disorders like PTSD and suicidality, the plant may soon be covered by a veteran's insurance.
Rommy Kassim
9/9/2021
Illinois Bans Police Officers From Conducting Background Checks On People Attending Public Meetings
Citizens voicing their opinions at public meetings is an important part of our democracy. What is equally important, one could argue, is that law enforcement does now abuse their power and violate the privacy of these speakers in retaliation.
Rommy Kassim
9/7/2021
Survey Finds Increasing Number Of Workers Are In Favor Of Hiring Applicants With Criminal Records
It's no secret that individuals with criminal records face added scrutiny during the job application process. However, according to a new survey, most Americans support businesses hiring individuals with prior convictions.
Rommy Kassim
8/22/2021
Kansas City Mayor Wants To Ban Pre-Employment Drug Testing For Most City Government Positions
Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) recently introduced a proposed ordinance that would eliminate pre-employment marijuana testing for most city government positions, with exceptions where the "employee could significantly impact the health or safety of other employees or members of the public."
Rommy Kassim
8/14/2021