Wilson Center for Science and Justice
Duke Law logo

Blog

Event Recap: Henry McCollum, Leon Brown Attorneys Talk Wrongful Convictions

October 25, 2021

By Annie Han

In 1983, Red Springs, North Carolina, 19-year-old Henry McCollum and 15-year-old Leon Brown were wrongfully arrested for the rape and murder of a young Sabrina Buie. With the teens’ intellectual disabilities (McCollum’s IQ being 51 and Brown’s … Continue Reading →

National Harm from Suspending Licenses in Response to Unpaid, Unaffordable Court Fines and Fees

October 7, 2021

By Annie Han

Driving is critical for many people in North Carolina. North Carolinians need to drive to work, to take their children to school, and to complete other everyday tasks like grocery shopping and attending to their health. But, … Continue Reading →

Wilson Center Releases New Report on NC Fines, Fees, and Driver’s License Suspensions

September 29, 2021

For some of us, an $80 speeding ticket is an unpleasant inconvenience. Yet for others, particularly those living in poverty, that same ticket can turn into a years-long nightmare of crushing debt and even the loss of their driver’s license … Continue Reading →

Everything You Need to Know About Clemency in North Carolina

September 17, 2021

By Ben Finholt and Jamie Lau

On April 8, 2021, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 208, establishing the Juvenile Sentence Review Board. This board is a new mechanism for executive clemency, which has been described as “provid[ing] … Continue Reading →

#StartSmall Provides Wilson Center Almost $500,000 Gift to Fund Forensics Reform Work

September 10, 2021

The Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law is excited to announce a nearly $500,000 gift from Twitter and Square co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall philanthropic initiative, to support a new project aimed at rethinking policy regarding … Continue Reading →

LEAD Program Allows Police Officers to Divert Individuals to Resources Instead of Arrest

August 30, 2021

By Neiman Araque

Charlton Roberson, a Harm Reduction Specialist who works with the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program in Fayetteville, NC, and Cumberland County, said his colleagues working in emergency services or law enforcement often experience compassion fatigue. He … Continue Reading →

After One Year, Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Task Force Still Working Toward Change

August 25, 2021

By Travis Thorpe Jr.

Our Gov. Roy Cooper founded the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC) with Executive Order 145 in June 2020. The mission of this task force is to promote equity in the criminal legal … Continue Reading →

Connection, Trust, and Recovery: Interview with Eugene Wilson, NC FIT

August 12, 2021

Editor’s Note: If you’ve ever needed help but weren’t sure where to turn, then you know how important just one trustworthy guide can be. This blog post is part of an occasional series called “Connection, Trust, and Recovery,” by Michele … Continue Reading →

Prison Gerrymandering Disenfranchises Incarcerated People in Political Process

August 10, 2021

By Annie Han

Danny R. Young won a city council seat with just two write-in votes, one from his wife and the other from his neighbor. The city of Anamosa, Iowa was split into four wards, with each one containing … Continue Reading →

North Carolina Prisons See Drop in COVID Cases For Now, Delta Could Bring New Threat

August 9, 2021

By Ruthie Kesri

More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, 10,000+ North Carolina prison-incarcerated people have tested positive for the virus. In the last three months though, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) has noted a striking … Continue Reading →

Wilson Center Welcomes Ben Finholt in New Role Addressing Sentencing, Racial Disparities

August 4, 2021

Ben Finholt, Director of the Just Sentencing Project, joined the Wilson Center this month. He previously worked at North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services.

Finholt’s work at the Wilson Center will aim to address extreme sentencing and racial disparities categorically through … Continue Reading →

Newby’s Adverse Childhood Experience Task Force to Meet for First Time This Month

August 2, 2021

By Carmyn Brown

Recently, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby announced a Task Force to address and study ACEs. ACEs are short for Adverse Childhood Experiences which suggests that childhood trauma and stress can lead to major illness, … Continue Reading →