Tag: Criminal Justice System

The Legality of Deadly Force: Three Critical Questions about the ICE Shooting in Minneapolis | Seth W. Stoughton | Verdict | Legal Analysis and Commentary from Justia

The recent fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis has already prompted intense public debate, much of it unfolding before the relevant facts are fully known. That instinct is understandable—police shootings, particularly those involving federal agents engaging in controversial actions, implicate profound questions about authority, accountability, and public safety—but it is also precisely the moment when caution is most warranted. It is far too early for anyone to offer a definitive conclusion; indeed, doing so would be professionally inappropriate. It is possible, however, to identify the questions that will need to be answered to come to a definitive conclusion about whether the officer complied with or violated applicable law.
— Read on verdict-justia-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/verdict.justia.com/amp/2026/01/09/the-legality-of-deadly-force-three-critical-questions-about-the-ice-shooting-in-minneapolis

Universal Mental Health Screening in Schools

Mental health screening in public schools has grown in recent years. As of 2021, nearly one-third of American schools reported that their district mandated student screening.[1] While widespread implementation has occurred somewhat inconspicuously, empirical evidence has shown that universal mental health screening does not improve clinical or academic outcomes and indeed has harmful effects. This […]
— Read on manhattan.institute/article/universal-mental-health-screening-in-schools-a-critical-assessment

New York Bans Anonymous Calls to Child Abuse Hotline — ProPublica

New legislation will require callers to the state child abuse hotline to identify themselves. ProPublica’s reporting in 2023 found that many anonymous callers made false allegations that led to intrusive investigations of families’ lives.
— Read on www.propublica.org/article/new-york-bans-anonymous-child-welfare-reports

Statistical Transparency of Police. STOP

Executive Summary

House Bill 2355 (2017) mandates all Oregon law enforcement agencies to submit officer-initiated traffic and pedestrian stop data to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC).

The resulting Oregon Statistical Transparency of Policing (STOP) Program, housed at the CJC, was created with assistance from the Oregon State Police (OSP) and the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). This is the seventh annual report to the Oregon Legislature by the STOP Program examining data submitted by law enforcement agencies.

Table 0.1 reports descriptive statistics for

Tier 1 (100+ officers),

Tier 2 (25 – 99 officers), and

Tier 3 (<25 officers) agency stops.

Most drivers stopped were white and male. All minority races combined accounted for almost 30% of stops by larger (tier 1) agencies and a smaller portion, just over 20%, for smaller agencies, reflecting differences in urban and rural driving populations.

Read the report here:

www.ci.oswego.or.us/sites/default/files/STOP Report 2025.pdf

A Blueprint for Department-Wide Restraint

An Analysis of NYPD Excessive Force Complaints, Claims, and Lawsuits

Executive Summary

Allegations from the public that New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) officers have used excessive or unnecessary force increased significantly during the Adams Administration,[1] increasing risks to New Yorkers, costly claims payouts, and the erosion of community trust that can undermine public safety. Incidents of excessive or unnecessary use of force investigated and closed by the City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) jumped by 49% between 2022 and 2023, to the highest number since 2013. In addition, in Fiscal Year 2025, “Police Action” claims—including those involving excessive or unnecessary force—were the most common tort claims against the City, with 6,082 claims filed and over $113 million in settlements, making the NYPD the City’s largest source of claims.[2]

Some recent developments suggest that the NYPD is taking steps to better address officer misconduct. In March 2025, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that the NYPD imposed discipline in 100% of substantiated cases prosecuted by the CCRB.[3] The NYPD has also shifted from sending officers who conducted unconstitutional stops solely to retraining, imposing stricter disciplinary measures such as suspension in some cases. However, gaps remain. For example, after CCRB substantiated charges following a Force complaint, NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Trials, Rosemarie Maldonado, found that Lt. Jonathan Rivera’s shooting was not justified under New York law, found him guilty of Assault in the First Degree, and recommended termination in a March 5, 2025 decision. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch reversed that decision, finding Rivera not guilty on all specifications on August 15, 2025, and allowed him to remain employed as an NYPD police officer. Read on HERE

Get the report HERE

Use of Force By NYPD Officers Surged 20% Last Year

Use of force by members of the NYPD surged 20% last year to 11,746 incidents — a record high since the department began detailed record-keeping on the issue in 2016, according to a police department report quietly posted online in recent days. 
Roughly half the incidents of force occurred in response to crimes or violations in progress, which often result in arrests. Incidents involving people in mental or emotional distress and encounters with prisoners accounted for 14% and 7% of the total, respectively, according to the report. 
The department recorded just over 260,000 arrests last year, the highest total since 2017, when there were 286,230 arrests. That year, however, there were 7,369 incidents where force was used — nearly 40% fewer than last year.

Read More HERE

See the report HERE