Aviva Stahl
Behind Bars for 6 Months, Teen Accused of Killing Abusive Father Awaits Justice
15-year-old Bresha Meadows is accused of aggravated homicide for shooting and killing her father as he slept. Advocates say she and her family were victims of his prolonged abuse, and that Bresha is a hero who was acting to save them. Tomorrow, at her...
How a Clinton-Era Law Is Still Criminalizing Immigrants Today
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibly Act reinforced the idea that there are "good" immigrants and "bad" immigrants, and the bad ones should be deported straight away.
The Questionable Science Behind Government Terrorist-Prevention Efforts
Is it ethical—or even possible—to determine who's a terrorist in the making?
The Impossibility of Asylum When You Have a Criminal Record
Calvin Carter fled Jamaica after he says his boyfriend was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime. But with two misdemeanors on his record, gaining protective status in the US is next to impossible.
Here's Who Profits Off of Mass Incarceration After Private Prisons Close
In a groundbreaking move, the Department of Justice has announced that it will end its use of private prisons—but for-profit immigration detention centers with brutal, abusive conditions will be unaffected by the directive.
How Immigrants Get Deported for Alleged Gang Involvement
Xochitl Hernandez, a grandmother of four, is just one example of what can happen when deportations are linked to alleged criminal activity without any presumption of innocence.
The Woman Who Turned 410 Days of Solitary in Iran into a Play
Sarah Shourd did 410 days in solitary after famously getting arrested hiking in Iran. But putting total isolation on the stage wasn't easy.
Trans Woman on 31st Day of Hunger Strike to Protest Housing Conditions in Jail
In the San Francisco County Jail, trans women are currently being housed alone in an area of the men's facility, a move that seemingly violates federal regulations as well as the city's own proposed policies.
'This Is an Epidemic': How NYC Public Schools Punish Girls for Being Raped
According to multiple federal complaints, young black students in New York City are being forced out of school after being sexually assaulted.
Why Sex Criminals Get Locked Up Forever
Even after serving decades-long sentences, sex offenders are often held indefinitely in prison-like conditions—a situation that critics say is legally and ethically dubious.
Reclaiming What It Means to Be Muslim, One Open Mic at a Time
Since December 2014, the Muslim Writers Collective has organized events around the United States where Muslims from all backgrounds can gather to talk about everything from Islamophobia to online dating.
This Four-Year Saga Shows How the US Became the Global Cops in the War on Terror
Mahdi Hashi was just sentenced to nine years in US prison for supporting al Shabaab — but the feds admit he wasn't plotting any attacks on American soil.