The Brennan Center’s updated annual analysis of demographic and professional diversity on state supreme courts shows that despite some modest progress in the last year, many still fail to reflect the populations they serve. Significantly, there are no justices of color in 18 states, including 12 states where people of color make up at least 20 percent of the population. And women hold only 42 percent of high court seats. Courts must have diverse representation on the bench to ensure a fair and effective judiciary.
Florida and Texas officials say they care about protecting our elections from voter fraud, but their actions tell a different story. Both states are now politicizing law enforcement to investigate and prosecute alleged election crimes. In Florida, efforts have targeted people with past felony convictions who voted without realizing they were ineligible because of confusing rules that the state refuses to fix. The hunt for nonexistent fraud appears to mask the true goal: discouraging eligible citizens with past convictions — who are disproportionately Black — from participating in elections.
Recent crime increases don’t fit conveniently into any political narrative. Our analysis of the latest crime data lays out key takeaways from the evidence we have so far. Notably, the pandemic-era spikes in murder and gun violence appear to have declined in 2022, while other types of crime continued to rise. And new research shows that bail reform wasn’t a significant driver of post-2019 increases in crime. Comprehensive crime data remains sparse, but it still provides important information that can be used for crafting smart public safety
policies.
The North Carolina Supreme Court’s new conservative majority has issued a troubling set of antidemocratic rulings in recent weeks. In an exceedingly rare move, it reversed two decisions it had handed down less than a year ago, enabling the state legislature to impose a racially discriminatory voter ID law and gerrymandered congressional districts. And it overturned a lower court decision that had restored voting rights to 56,000 North Carolinians with past convictions. With conservatives likely to hold a majority on the high court for at least six
more years, it remains to be seen if the justices will continue to turn back the clock on fundamental rights.
Throughout history, Asian Americans have been integral in shaping U.S. democracy and what it means to be an American. But this diverse and growing demographic still faces barriers to political participation. As we celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, it’s important to recognize there’s much work to be done to ensure the community can fully participate in civic life.
The Department of Justice has long withheld information on the more than 2,000 domestic terrorism convictions it claims to have won in the past decade. Data obtained by a Brennan Center lawsuit reveals that the DOJ's numbers are inflated and misleading. Given the millions of dollars Congress has contributed to the department’s counterterrorism prosecutions, it’s crucial for policymakers and the public to understand the actual extent and efficacy of these efforts.
How the Supreme Court Is Dividing America Tuesday, June 13, 6–7 p.m. ET Live streamed and in person in New York
The most extreme Supreme Court in decades is on the verge of changing the nation — again. How did we get here? How will overreach by the justices impact the 2024 election? And what can we do to protect American democracy from a deeply political, fiercely partisan Supreme Court? Join us for a discussion of Brennan Center President Michael Waldman’s new book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, about the Court’s devastating 2021–2022 term. He will be joined by moderator George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, as well as constitutional law scholars Wilfred Codrington III and Cristina Rodríguez. RSVP today.
Produced in partnership between 92NY’s Newmark Civic Life Series and the Brennan Center for Justice
