Drawing the I.Q. line for the death Penalty
An in depth look into the relationship between intellectual disabilities and the death penalty sentence.
Eighth Amendment
Very Unusual Punishment
Some states offer sex offenders castration as an alternative punishment. Is it too cruel and unusual?
Fixing a “broken system”—a step towards ending solitary confinement in prisons
President Obama announced a series of executive actions that included a ban on solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prison.
Indiana agrees to end solitary confinement of mentally ill inmates
In late January, Indiana joined other US states in the recent trend of restricting the use of solitary confinement by prohibiting seriously mentally ill inmates from being held in restrictive housing.
Killing a human for a fictional character: the details and impact of the Slender Man case
Two thirteen-year-old girls are being tried as adults after brutally stabbing a twelve-year-old in order to prove their loyalty to the fictional character “Slender Man.”
Supreme Court OK’s new lethal injection drug
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court holds that midazolam is a sufficient lethal injection substitute, and consequently does not violate the Eighth Amendment.
How Nebraska killed the death penalty
Nebraska repeals the death penalty in a landmark override vote by the state legislature.
The Eighth Amendment and an Inmate’s Right to Gender Reassignment Surgery: Should Taxpayers Have to Pay?
The Eight Amendment provides medical protections for transgender prisoners, but at the expense of the taxpayer’s pocket.