The Criminal Justice System Is Not Broken. It’s Doing What It Was Designed to Do.
Alec Karakatsanis’s book “Usual Cruelty” is a powerful takedown of the U.S. mass punishment bureaucracy, also known as the criminal justice system.
Alice Speri
Alice Speri writes about U.S. foreign policy, abuses by military and security forces, and the repression of dissent. She has reported from Ukraine, Palestine, Haiti, El Salvador, Colombia, and across the United States. She is originally from Italy and lives in the Bronx.
Posts:
The Presidential Town Hall on Mass Incarceration Was a Historic Moment and a Missed Opportunity
Formerly incarcerated people questioned Democratic candidates about their positions on the criminal justice system. But only three candidates showed up.
The FBI Spends a Lot of Time Spying on Black Americans
The FBI released a new trove of documents relating to its surveillance of black activists. They’re mostly redacted.
The FBI Has a Long History of Treating Political Dissent as Terrorism
A new report documents the FBI’s history of violating the civil rights of political dissidents.
A Presidential Town Hall on Mass Incarceration — Who Will Show Up?
Formerly incarcerated people want Democratic presidential candidates to speak with them about mass incarceration.
Baltimore Courts Restrict Access to Courtroom Audio After Podcast Airs Recordings From Keith Davis Jr. Trials
State law grants public access to courtroom audio, but broadcasting it is prohibited. Press freedom advocates say that’s a violation of the First Amendment.
The Largest Gang Raid in NYC History Swept Up Dozens of Young People Who Weren’t in Gangs
The prosecution of the Bronx 120 raises serious questions about due process and the abuse of federal conspiracy charges.
Baltimore Police Tried to Kill Keith Davis Jr. Prosecutors Have Been Trying to Convict Him of Murder Ever Since.
In a case of mistaken identity, Baltimore police fired 44 shots at Keith Davis Jr., hitting him three times. He now faces his fourth trial for murder.
As Black Activists Protested Police Killings, Homeland Security Worried They Might Join ISIS
Unfounded speculations that black protesters might be linked to terrorists exposed activists to the risk of additional police violence.
The Threat Within
The Strange Tale of the FBI’s Fictional “Black Identity Extremism” Movement
The only connection between the men referenced in the FBI’s “black identity extremism” report, besides their race, is a thread of anger at police violence.