News

Groundbreaking Research Reveals Increase in Life-Without-Parole Sentences Amid Decline in Serious Crime

During a time in which homicide rates continue to fall, and death sentences plummet, life-without-parole (LWOP) sentencing persists at record levels. Although research has examined drivers of incarceration generally, and death sentencing specifically, there has been little research on LWOP sentences, despite their growing prominence. In a new, groundbreaking study, a team of researchers from […]

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October 27, 2020

ADA Event Panelists Discuss Vital Protections for Disabled People, Concerning Future for Law

By: Jeremy Yu When George H.W. Bush signed the Americans With Disabilities Act into law in 1990, he famously said “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” In celebration this year of the 30th anniversary of this landmark piece of civil rights legislation, the Wilson Center’s Dr. Marvin Swartz, Professor in Psychiatry […]

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October 26, 2020

Student Post: Winston-Salem Police Should Adopt Reform to Exhaust All Alternatives Before Shooting

Editor’s note: There are several Duke University and Duke Law students working with the Wilson Center for Science and Justice this semester, including some who are working on a “blog team.” Those students are learning about the intersection of the criminal system with communications. As part of a recent assignment, four students wrote op-ed-style articles […]

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October 23, 2020

Student Post: Wilmington Police Policies Should Reflect Mental Health Best Practices

Editor’s note: There are several Duke University and Duke Law students working with the Wilson Center for Science and Justice this semester, including some who are working on a “blog team.” Those students are learning about the intersection of the criminal system with communications. As part of a recent assignment, four students wrote op-ed-style articles […]

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October 21, 2020

Student Post: Updated Greensboro Police Department Policies a Good Start with Room to Grow

Editor’s note: There are several Duke University and Duke Law students working with the Wilson Center for Science and Justice this semester, including some who are working on a “blog team.” Those students are learning about the intersection of the criminal system with communications. As part of a recent assignment, four students wrote op-ed-style articles […]

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October 20, 2020

Join Us at Virtual Event Celebrating 30 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

This year marks the 30th anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. Join us later this week for a panel Q&A exploring the past, present and future of the ADA, and how and the extent to which it has increased access to services for an entire generation. […]

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Student Post: It’s Time for Raleigh Police to Defer Mental Health Crises to Trained Professionals

Editor’s note: There are several Duke University and Duke Law students working with the Wilson Center for Science and Justice this semester, including some who are working on a “blog team.” Those students are learning about the intersection of the criminal system with communications. As part of a recent assignment, four students wrote op-ed-style articles […]

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October 19, 2020

Wilson Center Signs Letter Calling for Federal Rule Amendment to Stop Use of Unreliable Science in Court

The Wilson Center for Science and Justice has signed on to a letter to the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure at the Administrative Office of the United States Courts calling for the use of only sound scientific evidence in the criminal legal system. “Our respective experiences underscore the importance of amending Federal Rule of Evidence […]

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October 16, 2020