Voters of color are among the biggest victims of North Carolina’s new congressional map. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
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Brennan Center for Justice
 
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After the pandemic-era spike in violence, the FBI’s 2022 national crime report offers signs of a decline, with murder rates dropping by 6.5 percent. Motor vehicle thefts increased by more than 10 percent, however — a trend that unfortunately seems likely to continue this year. There is no single reason why violent crime is falling now, but the drop further undermines politicized explanations, such as blaming criminal justice reform for the earlier rise in violence. Our experts’ new analysis explains the latest crime trends and what to watch for in 2023.
North Carolina legislators have transformed the state’s congressional map from among the fairest in the country to one of the most biased. Its new district lines are highly skewed in favor of Republicans, and they dilute the voting power of the Black community. This extreme gerrymander proves why Congress must pass robust national protections against discriminatory map drawing.
The Department of Homeland Security uses secretive data systems to determine which travelers can enter the country and which are flagged as potential risks. As a new Brennan Center report explains, these automated systems are often used in discriminatory ways, and it’s past time for DHS to improve their design and implementation. Greater transparency and oversight are needed to protect privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, a watchdog agency in the executive branch, has urged Congress to substantially reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a controversial law that has been used to spy on Americans. The board stressed that popular surveillance reforms are necessary and practical, and there’s no evidence that they’ll make the public any less safe.

 
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Term limits for justices would make the Supreme Court more representative of modern values — and the reform has broad public support. Learn more on TikTok >>
 

 
Virtual Events
 
Supreme Court: Ready for Reform?
Tuesday, November 14, 1–2 p.m. ET
The Supreme Court is mired in controversy. Public support has collapsed to the lowest level ever recorded in polls. We want a fair and independent judiciary. Is it time to reform the Court? What can the public, the media, and Congress do to bring accountability to this institution?

Check out the virtual premiere of a previously recorded conversation with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), featuring a live YouTube chat with Brennan Center President Michael Waldman. Whitehouse and Waldman discuss important proposals for term limits and ethics reform, in conversation with NYU School of Law’s Kenji Yoshino. RSVP today.
 

 
 
 
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