By: Katie Hall     Under current case law, political, or partisan, gerrymandering is a federally legal practice legislators can utilize to ensure their parties secure legislative seats. The Supreme Court heard cases of partisan gerrymandering throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, establishing different standards for evaluating its constitutionality. In 2019, the Supreme Court decided in Rucho v. Common Cause that partisan gerrymandering was a non-justiciable … Continue reading Creating a New Standard for Assessing the Unconstitutionality of Political Gerrymandering

By Emma Wilson 36% of Americans reported feeling “serious loneliness” according to a study by Harvard Graduate School of Education.[1] American individualism and isolation are an epidemic which is corroding the well-being of society. [2] Growing homelessness, apathy to disasters, increased cynicism, and political frustration are hallmarks of American socio-political life today.[3] Unfortunately, this reality of American life was prophesied in the early 1800s by … Continue reading How Urban Planning Can Increase a Sense of Community

By: Sophie Fields In many high-poverty communities, the challenges often perceived as “struggles” by those in more affluent circumstances are a product of limited access to adequate funding and opportunities. Moreover, it’s important to recognize that there are rarely one-size-fits-all answers to systemic issues such as lack of affordable housing. Specifically, the implementation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) in communities create significant opportunities and … Continue reading Empowering Communities: A Look at the Future of LIHTC

By: Gracie Elliott I started working at the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) shortly after my 1L year came to an end. Originally, I was working with the Board of Local and Regional Jails (BOLRJ). “The role of the board is to establish standards and guidelines for local and regional jails that are designed to guarantee the health, safety, and welfare of staff and offenders … Continue reading Enhanced Sanctions and the Disciplinary Process for Drug Offenses in Virginia Jails and Prisons

By: Caroline Brady             The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution asserts that “excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”[1] The Constitution does not require bail but mandates that when bail is given, it cannot be excessive.[2] The Supreme Court held that bail is excessive when it is set at … Continue reading The Elimination of Cash Bail in Illinois

 By: Payton Ward   Introduction             In a country incarcerating nearly 1.9 million people,[1] 61% of inmates have work assignments[2] and “have been stripped of even the most minimal protections against labor exploitation and abuse.”[3] Oftentimes, prison workers are assigned to work under dangerous conditions and generate billions of dollars worth of goods, with little to no pay.[4] If they … Continue reading Prison Labor or Modern-Day Slavery?

By Liza Garrity “Society needs women on welfare as “examples” to let every woman, factory workers and housewife workers alike, know what will happen if she lets up, if she’s laid off, if she tries to go it alone without a man. So these ladies stay on their feet or on their knees all their lives instead of asking why they’re only getting 90-some cents … Continue reading A Brief History of the National Welfare Rights Organization

By Hope Wilder Each minute, 20 people[1] experience physical abuse by an intimate partner[2] in the United States.[3] Over one-third of women and near one-third of men have experienced physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.[4] Further, nearly 50% of women and men have experienced psychological aggression[5] at the hands of an intimate partner.[6] Coercive control is the cyclical pattern of behavior … Continue reading Coercive Control: The Cost of Criminalization

By Molly Calo Roughly 34% of podcast listeners listen to true crime podcasts.[1] True crime podcasts make up, on average, one fourth of the top 300 podcasts.[2] One of the top ten television shows in the United States on Netflix is labeled “true crime”.[3] Netflix has both “Crime Docuseries,” “Courtroom Documentaries,” “Binge-worthy True Crime TV Shows,”  and “True Crime Docuseries” categories for customers to search … Continue reading Broadcasting Court Proceedings – A New Perspective

By Victoria Hagerott Many comparisons can be made between the United States’ reactions to Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Throughout history, the United States has continually violated civil liberty in the name of national security. Understanding how the United States may react to future threats is crucial to protecting civil rights. Pearl Harbor started the United States’ involvement in the most significant and deadliest war in … Continue reading A World Created by Fear