Two years after Ahmaud Arbery’s jog through a south Georgia neighborhood ended in his murder, the tragedy received a rare designation on Feb. 22, when the three white men who killed him were also convicted of executing a hate crime. A federal jury found that Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, along with their […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
‘We Are Not Sub-Citizens’: Black Gun Owners Assert Their Rights after Amir Locke’s Killing
MINNEAPOLIS – In a scene that has become all too familiar to Black residents in this region, mourners gathered in a church sanctuary Feb. 17 to grieve the early death of a Black man and denounce the actions of the police who killed him. Relatives and friends of Amir Locke, who was shot by police […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
The Supreme Court Debate Reveals the Unique Ways Black Women Are Questioned
When President Joe Biden announced last month that he will abide by his campaign promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, it sparked a flurry of criticism, particularly among white male Republicans. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said that specifying a Black woman for the role is “offensive.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker charged […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
“The Blood Is on All of Your Hands:” No-knock Warrants Persist Despite Promises of Reform
The parents of Amir Locke, the young Black man killed by Minneapolis police last week, have called for no-knock warrants to be abolished, as protesters demand the resignations of local officials who failed to prevent the latest in a string of high-profile fatal shootings by officers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who led the city through […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
‘The Blood Is on All of Your Hands:’ No-knock Warrants Persist Despite Promises of Reform
The parents of Amir Locke, the young Black man killed by Minneapolis police last week, have called for no-knock warrants to be abolished, as protesters demand the resignations of local officials who failed to prevent the latest in a string of high-profile fatal shootings by officers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who led the city through […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
The Reading List: Black Lives Matter and Policing in America
Ten years ago, in February 2012, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman while walking home in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman’s subsequent acquittal sparked outrage, protests, and catalyzed the Black Lives Matter movement. BLM was founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, who describe the organization and its work as “an ideological and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
The Rise and Fall of Prison Education
Within days of his arrival at a maximum security prison in Illinois, Kilroy Watkins was given an exam book, a pencil, and one hour to complete a required test to assess new prisoners’ skills and abilities. When the results came back, the 20-year-old was very disappointed. “It was embarrassing,” Watkins said, recalling his shock three […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
The False Promise of the Black Police Chief
New York City Mayor Eric Adams made history last month when he publicly confirmed his appointment of Keechant Sewell as the city’s police commissioner. She is the first woman and the third Black person to hold the position in the department’s 176-year history. With Sewell’s appointment, New York City joined the growing number of police […]