Two Colville women were booked into a rural Washington jail. It became a death sentence
Critics say WA jails are letting opioid users suffer from withdrawals, leading to preventable deaths
Criminal Justice
For six years, UW has wrestled with whether to revoke the Ph.D. of one of the Northwest’s most infamous child molesters
Advocates and victims argue the university should do more to hold O’Donnell accountable
After governor’s push for reforms, a new report details harsh conditions at women’s prison
Spokespeople for Gov. Tina Kotek and the corrections agency declined to answer questions about the allegations of abuse and poor conditions at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville
New report says an Oregon public defender’s poor performance affected 100 clients
The report was triggered by concerns from prosecutors in Jefferson County, who noticed the lawyer was not opening police reports and other evidence files.
Why some advocates oppose legislation requiring police get involved in human trafficking cases
Survivors say state, federal bills could put them in danger if passed
‘Their cases will never be heard’: Sex traffickers evade justice as child victims openly walk Pacific Northwest streets
Survivors, police frustrated with low convictions as reported sex trafficking soars in Washington and Oregon
New mothers can stay with their babies at this Washington prison
The state’s prison nursery is one of only a few in the country intended to support incarcerated mothers amid a simmering debate on crime and drug use.
Over 100 detainees go on hunger strike against poor conditions for immigrants at Tacoma detention center
Over 100 people are refusing meals at the privately-run Northwest Detention Center, which has a history of controversy and similar strikes.
Oregon’s public defense crisis leaves defendants to navigate legal system on their own
A ruling by a federal judge targets those in custody without attorneys, leaving thousands of Oregonians charged with crimes on their own.
The climate crisis is pushing Washington’s prisons to the brink
Many of Washington’s 12 prisons have been pushed to the brink by public health crises and years of neglected maintenance. Climate change could send them over the edge.
Idaho has obtained lethal injection chemicals. Where did they come from?
Department of Correction officials previously struggled to obtain lethal injection chemicals, leading to bill to allow firing squad as alternative under Idaho law
Indigenous people in WA incarcerated at higher rates than any other group, data show
The disparity between Indigenous and white incarceration in Washington has roughly doubled over the past decade.
Washington lawmaker vows to fix law that’s failing to help victims of child sex trafficking
Stakeholders discuss solutions in response to InvestigateWest article uncovering law’s failures