Most of the 41 terror suspects who remain confined at Guantanamo Bay are unlikely to be released from custody any time soon. But the possibility that new detainees may soon be sent to the facility argues for early action to accelerate the legal proceedings against those already being held.
Court practices to protect the right to a fair trial have not kept pace with rapidly evolving electronic communication and devices. In this context, a panel of judges, lawyers, educators, and other experts explored strategies to protect witnesses from intimidation and jurors from compromising their independence.
The widening gap between how the law is expected to be (and generally is) practiced, and certain events transpiring in America's political and policymaking realms, is of increasing concern.
The International Criminal Court may be the most ideal institution to try accused terrorists. The court would take into account the legal status of terrorists, the nationalities of their victims, and the location of the crimes — while upholding the core values of Western democracies.
Discussions of U.S. immigration are dominated by arguments that pit “rule of law” proponents — focused on apprehension, detention, and deportation — against “humanitarian” supporters seeking a pardon or amnesty that will allow immigrants to stay in the country. Minor changes to the statute known as “Cancellation of Removal” could offer a compromise.
About 11 million people live in the United States without lawful immigration status. Proposed solutions typically focus on deportation versus amnesty, but a minor change to the current immigration law could offer a compromise.
Experts agree that the main role of the U.S. corrections sector should be to help improve offenders' behavior. Better staff training, the elimination of operations that generate revenue, and a cultural shift to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment could help.
Data collection, and our reliance on it, have evolved extremely rapidly. The resulting algorithms have proved invaluable for organizing, evaluating and utilizing information. How do individuals' rights come in to play, when data about their lives is compiled to create algorithms, and the resulting tools are applied to judge them?
RAND conducted a feasibility study to establish a survey panel of representatives of small, rural, tribal, and border criminal justice agencies. Such a panel would enable policymakers to collect up-to-date information on priorities and challenges.
Californians have a lot to consider when it comes to decriminalizing possession. But now is the time for a rigorous discussion about removing criminal penalties for drug possession, rather than rushing to judgment in the heat of a future election season.
Workers' compensation fraud costs insurers and businesses billions of dollars each year nationwide. This report focuses on the intentional manipulation of rules and procedures by providers of health care services and supplies.
While a California ballot initiative reducing penalties for some criminal offenses promised to save local governments money, quantifying such savings will require significant changes in the way local agencies track workloads.
While a California ballot initiative reducing penalties for some criminal offenses promised to save local governments money, quantifying such savings will require significant changes in the way local agencies track workloads.
Empowering those under criminal justice supervision to cease drug use on their own - rather than forcing them into formal treatment against their will - is a policy approach that warrants further evaluation.
Following the 2008 financial crisis, fiscal pressure on the states has led to corresponding pressure for court system retrenchment. In January 2015, the UCLA–RAND Center for Law and Public Policy held a conference to examine the depth of the resourcing problem and identify policy options and practical steps to mitigate the challenges.
Personal devices such as smartphones and wearables gather and store personal data. How much of this “digital footprint” should be available for criminal investigations?
Budget cuts at the state court level can mean courthouse closures, hiring freezes and layoffs, leading to longer wait times for the public. Educating the public about the role and importance of the state courts is key to preventing more budget cuts in the future.
Electronically stored information (ESI) from smart appliances, fitness trackers, and other devices is making its way into the U.S. court system. Judges and lawyers need to better understand this evidence so they can challenge it or rule on its admissibility in court.
Data and computer models are becoming more and more important for making policy decisions on everything from prison sentences to tax bills. But citizens should be able to “check the math” on decisions that affect them.
