As analysts continue to pore over the election's results, there are valuable lessons for those who seek to reform government. Perhaps the most important case study is California's referendum to abolish the death penalty, where strong fiscal arguments did not sway voters.

California is in its worst fiscal crisis....

The election demonstrated to all Americans the shifting demographics of the country. However, the narrative in many homes and on television has been that President Obama won "without the white vote." CNN reported, for example, that exit polls showed 39 percent of white voters casting ballots...

When the American people reelected President Barack Obama, they signaled that their vision of the United States is one of inclusion, optimism, and an understanding of the legitimate role of government in helping the country achieve prosperity. Americans do not dream small or think narrowly. This vision of our country...

This piece is co-written by Jim Lyons, Senior Editor at the Brennan Center.

It's that time of year again. No, not carving pumpkins, watching college football, or biting nails over the Presidential election. This month is when the government releases the two most widely cited annual reports about crime.

This...

This week’s Supreme Court oral argument in Fisher v. Texas showed the Justices’ focus on the technical interpretation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution. Over the last twenty-four hours, legal and political commentators have hotly debated the validity and meaning of the concept of “critical mass” as...

As political commentators discuss Obama's lack of eye contact and Romney's unexpected charisma, it would serve us well to refocus on the substantive issues facing our country. Every topic covered in last night's debate -- from taxes to education to healthcare to rebuilding the middle class -- focused on the...

Co-authored by Roopal Patel

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times recently reported on a growing national trend in states and cities to raise and aggressively collect criminal justice fees. And as we've explained, the government often jails people who...

Coauthored with Bruce Reilly

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced a new initiative that could save government money, decrease the crime rate and strengthen urban communities. Global investment bank Goldman Sachs will invest $10 million in a program to reduce recidivism among released adolescent prisoners at...

Co-authored with Mark Ladov

California is again at a crossroads in managing its over-bloated prison population. The decision in a case pending in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals could affect whether California becomes a success story in reforming its criminal justice system.

The Brennan Center for Justice, the...

Coauthored by Alex Stamm

Politicians over the last quarter-century have held strong to the conventional wisdom that being "tough on crime" will win elections and appease the public's appetite for safety. And for the most part, it seems Americans did feel this way (if you don't think so, just ask...

On Monday, a divided Supreme Court ruled in Florence v. Burlington that any person arrested can be subject to a strip search -- even for a minor offense or traffic violation -- without any reason to suspect that they may be carrying a weapon or contraband.

As disturbing as...

I spent this past New Year's Eve lying on the floor of a New England police station. Just hours before, I was enjoying sushi with my best friend Jamal; excitedly discussing his possible political appointment and promising career.

On our way home, we were pulled over for driving 37...

It's no secret that the United States is the largest incarcerator in the world. It's also no secret that our government selectively enforces criminal laws disproportionately against poor people and people of color, resulting in the mass incarceration of black and brown Americans. Now, one in...