HomeTopicsCriminal JusticeThe latest news on Pennsylvania's criminal justice system, including state police, department of corrections, criminal courts, and more.
Nov. 21, 2023Joe Lamberti / For Spotlight PAA dying man won release from prison after Spotlight PA highlighted his case. It shouldn’t be that hard, advocates say.by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Sept. 25, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PAJailbreaks in Pennsylvania are not as common as recent events implyby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Sept. 18, 2023Yaasmeen Piper / Spotlight PAFour takeaways from our event discussing incarceration and mental health in Pennsylvaniaby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Aug. 28, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesGov. Shapiro refuses to intervene on Pa. police officer data disclosureby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Aug. 16, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesA plan to stop diverting road dollars to Pa. State Police could be a final piece of this year’s budgetby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA
July 11, 2023Gov. Josh Shapiro / Commonwealth MediaWhy some say an effort to fix Pa.’s outdated probation law does more harm than goodby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
May 24, 2023Jose F. Moreno / Philadelphia InquirerPa. State troopers more likely to do optional searches for Black, Hispanic drivers than white onesby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
April 26, 2023HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerPa. doesn’t fund public defense. Shapiro’s budget would change that.by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
April 5, 2023Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro’s proposed Pa. State Police fund saves road dollars but raises accountability concernsby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA
March 20, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PA and PINJHow some police, attorneys, and jails are trying to help Pa.’s ailing system for mentally ill peopleby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
March 9, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PA and PINJCompetency proceedings in Pa. typically involve minor crimesby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA and Brittany Hailer of The Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
March 9, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PA and PINJHow Spotlight PA and PINJ reported ‘A Criminal Solution’by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA and Brittany Hailer of The Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
March 9, 2023Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PA and PINJDetermining if someone is mentally fit for trial in Pa. often traps them in the place making them worse — jailby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA and Brittany Hailer of The Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Jan. 31, 2023MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia InquirerSome Pa. courts are excluding probation officers from requirements under police misconduct lawby Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College
Nov. 21, 2022HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerJudges in Pa. can now dismiss charges against people ‘incompetent’ to stand trial, but flaws remainby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA and Brittany Hailer of the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Oct. 31, 2022Missing traffic stop data from Pa. State Police undercut 2021 analysis for racial disparitiesby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Oct. 20, 2022ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia InquirerJail officials across Pa. sound alarm as mental health crisis puts people at risk, survey findsby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA and Brittany Hailer of the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism
Oct. 12, 2022Ed Mahon / Spotlight PAYork County agrees to improve public access to criminal court records in response to suit by Spotlight PA, othersby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA
Aug. 26, 2022Jose F. MorenoNew report on racial bias in Pa. State Police traffic stops delayed by data problems, officials sayby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
Aug. 24, 2022Courtesy of PennDOTYour license plate frame is enough for police in Pa. to pull you over, court rulesby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA
July 21, 2022ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia InquirerA beginner’s guide to requesting public records on Pa. law enforcementby Emma Dooling of Spotlight PA
July 14, 2022Abby Drey / Centre Daily TimesJudge makes public search warrants involving Penn State student crime victims after university had them sealedby Sarah Rafacz of Spotlight PA State College
July 11, 2022ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer5 takeaways from our event on Pennsylvania’s flawed police hiring databaseby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
July 6, 2022Andy ColwellMeet Min Xian, local accountability reporter for Spotlight PA State Collegeby Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College
June 27, 2022Conflicting reports, gaps in data obscure true number of Pa. law enforcement agenciesby Emma Dooling and Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
June 21, 2022MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia InquirerStatewide Pennsylvania police hiring database hindered by loopholes, lack of enforcementby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
May 23, 2022Commonwealth Media ServicesLawmaker urges Pa. legislature to make it easier for attorney general to investigate police killingsby Christina Baker for Spotlight PA
May 18, 2022TIM TAI / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRERDespite high vaccination rates among Pa. prisoners, some COVID restrictions remain in placeby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
April 21, 2022Danielle Ohl / For Spotlight PATo successfully use Pennsylvania’s ‘compassionate release’ law, he had to choose to dieby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA
April 5, 2022DAVID SWANSON / Philadelphia InquirerWATCH: A free virtual panel on Pa.’s medical release law for state prisonersby Spotlight PA Staff
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