Duke Law Center for Science and Justice Blog

We grieve for George Floyd’s family and write to express our deep support for all who stand for justice in his case and in so many others.  We have a three-part mission at the Center for Science and Justice: to… Continue Reading →

The Minneapolis police department’s use of force policies are receiving national scrutiny after the death of George Floyd. The agency patrol guide is available online here.  Their policy begins in a way that Seth Stoughton and I have criticized, by… Continue Reading →

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Last Tuesday, Ian MacDougall of Propublica reported (also printed in Salon) some remarkable news regarding the risk assessment instrument adopted under the landmark FIRST STEP ACT of 2018.  They report: ProPublica obtained a copy of the document, which does not… Continue Reading →

A new short piece in the Harvard Law Review Blog, “Constitutional Criminal Procedure Post-COVID,” provides an overview of litigation occurring nationwide against local jails, state prisons, federal prisons, and immigration detention centers, as individual people, groups, and persons seeking class… Continue Reading →

We have launched the official website for the ODonnell Court-Appointed Monitor.  Information about our Monitor Team is available, as well as the Community Working Group, and documents, including our recently posted Monitor Plan for the first year of our work…. Continue Reading →

We have been tracking official state responses to COVID-19, as reported by their Departments of Corrections, as well as media coverage of prison releases across the country. Below are five key takeaways from that coverage so far: Prison responses to… Continue Reading →

Innocence Claims Remain on Hold During the Pandemic by Deniz Ariturk, CSJ researcher In many jurisdictions across the country, criminal courts have been closed or running on limited calendars since March, due to the coronavirus pandemic. While a useful measure… Continue Reading →

I have been reading The Shadow Bargainers,  a detailed study on plea bargaining practices in several public defender offices.  Ronald Wright, recognized for important research on prosecutors, plea bargaining and other issues, Jenny Roberts, a recognized authority on collateral consequences… Continue Reading →

Can a person be pulled over based on reasonable suspicion for driving with a revoked license? In Kansas v. Glover, the Supreme Court answered yes.  The trial court had said that merely running the plates, if one does not know… Continue Reading →