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Landmark Criminal Justice Bill Clears Congress, Heads to Trump’s Desk
The House overwhelmingly approved the most significant reforms to federal prison and sentencing laws in more than two decades - sending the proposed legislation to Donald Trump's desk. The bill is a rare bipartisan victory in an era of deep political division.
December 20, 2018
Senators Seek to Curb Federal Prison Sentences for Drug Crimes
A newly unveiled bipartisan plan would be among the most significant criminal justice reform legislation in decades.
October 1, 2015
Locked Up In America: Stephen's Story
States across the country have started rethinking the use of solitary confinement. For inmates like Stephen Kirkley, one of the worst behaved inmates at the Maine State Prison, that means a transfer out of solitary to the prison's mental health unit.
June 15, 2015
Locked Up In America: Christel's Story
Christel Tribble says she wants to be on "American Idol," or maybe even become a detective someday. But in Beecher Terrace -- a housing project where around one in six people cycle in and out of prison every year -- the odds seem stacked against her.
June 8, 2015
Justice Department Probes Another "School-to-Prison Pipeline"
In Texas, skipping school is a crime. Now, the Department of Justice is investigating whether Dallas County in Texas unfairly punishes certain kids for missing school.
April 1, 2015
New Report Slams "Unprecedented" Growth in US Prisons
Despite a dramatic boom in incarceration rates, a new report finds that the deterrent effect of tough-on-crime policies remain "highly uncertain."
May 1, 2014
For Some Felons, a Better Chance to Break the Re-entry Cycle
It’s hard for felons to start over. Among states and cities, and even some companies, there's a growing movement to change that.
April 29, 2014
Michelle Alexander: "A System of Racial and Social Control"
The civil rights advocate and scholar on why the U.S. turned to mass incarceration, and the impact it has today.
April 29, 2014
Todd Clear: Why America's Mass Incarceration Experiment Failed
It devastates communities and doesn’t stop crime, the Rutgers University provost explains.
April 29, 2014
Who's Locked Up in America
Not all of the 2.3 million people incarcerated in the U.S. are there for violent crimes. Meet four individuals, featured in tonight's "Prison State," who are rotating between custody and freedom.
April 29, 2014
In Latest Reform, Kentucky Softens Approach to Juvenile Offenders
The governor today plans to sign into law a package of reforms to the state's juvenile justice program on Friday, the latest step in Kentucky's effort to overhaul its criminal justice system.
April 25, 2014
DOJ Offers New Clemency Program for Drug Offenders
The plan means early release for hundreds serving long sentences for minor crimes. It's also a shift for Obama, who's approved fewer clemency applications than any president in modern history.
April 23, 2014
Home Video DVDs of Prison State are available from ShopPBS.
Educational DVDs of Prison State are available from ShopPBS.
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