Public Safety
Covering topics such as corrections, criminal justice, emergency management, gun control and police/fire/EMS.
A recent survey finds over a third of households with children lacked enough food as federal support for food programs falters.
The technique, which teaches how to identify guilt and deception from the word choice, cadence and grammar of those calling 911, relies on junk science. But law enforcement agencies continue to use it.
A 2021 investigation revealed Chicago’s deeply flawed inspection system for identifying and responding to safety issues in residential buildings. Since the report was published, 53 more people have died in residential fires.
The June ruling struck down New York’s law on who can carry a concealed weapon, expanding Second Amendment rights. Critics say the court focused too much on history and didn’t consider the ruling’s modern-day impacts.
Environmentalists are pushing back against a proposal to install 12 moveable gates in local waterways. They say the plan needs more local input and less focus on the storm surge problem.
The state has signaled its support for allocating an additional $70 million to Gov. Tina Kotek’s initial request of $130 million in emergency funds to help move residents off the streets and keep them housed.
Missouri's Legislature has a plan to take over the police force in St. Louis. It's just one example of states taking direct control of public safety in their largest cities.
A tale of two trains: When something bad happens, local and state officials increasingly are shouldered aside. The people and the pundits now expect all solutions to come from Washington.
Lawmakers in some states are pushing to make it harder for defendants to avoid pretrial detention. There are better ways to protect public safety that don’t conflict with the presumption of innocence.
When a police officer exhibits courtesy and empathy, it brings into focus the nuanced, complex relationship between law enforcement and the African American community.
With its residents upset by crime, homelessness and high taxes, it’s become a depressed and discouraging place. Can it once again be a shining exemplar of modern urbanist success?
The state’s House Judiciary Committee heard extensive testimony for a package of 11 bills that would implement safe storage laws, require universal background checks for the purchase of all firearms and establish red flag laws.
Lawmakers in several states are pushing legislation banning the use of a new credit-card merchant code for firearms retailers. But its use to flag unusual purchases might have prevented some mass shootings.
The state Legislature has continued its use of virtual sessions to allow virtual participation in the legislative process. But as Zoombombing occurrences have increased in recent weeks, some are reconsidering the access.
The First Step Act was meant to compassionately release people from federal prison who are terminally ill or aging and who pose little to no safety threat. But data shows that judges rejected more than 80 percent of requests.
Just four members of the public were allowed to speak on a bill that would increase penalties for inciting a riot, allows police and prosecutors to determine what constitutes a riot and escalates punishment for property damage.
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