Criminal Justice

In 2021, families of more than 5,600 young Idaho men and women were assessed so-called “cost of care" fees – while the youth were in the custody of the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections. And according to a new analysis from the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, the “system is plagued by burdensome charges and wide disparities in charges, as well as racial inequity.” In fact, one family a Hispanic youth was financially crippled by an outstanding balance of $27,950. And much of that balance was added-on collection fees.

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in September 2020.Supreme Inequality is a revelatory examination of the…

Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in September 2020.Supreme Inequality is a revelatory examination of the…

Racial disparities are deeply pronounced in state prisons across the nation – and some Western states top the list.

The pandemic delayed weddings, concerts and plenty of other life events. But for many, it also delayed justice. Idaho Matters learns about courtroom backlogs in our region from Mountain West News Bureau reporter Madelyn Beck.

For men and women returning to society from incarceration, access to affordable housing is key to their success. But with Idaho's tightening market…

The ACLU of Idaho has long lobbied for change in criminal justice, urging officials to take a closer look at things like mandatory minimums, prison…

In order to prevent people with severe mental trauma from receiving unfair treatment in the judicial system, many states have implemented an "insanity…

Over the weekend, about 20 people gathered in front of the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center in Burley to protest the death of an inmate that occurred…