It’s clear that America can’t shrink its reliance on mass incarceration until we confront our approach to punishment. Today the Brennan Center launched a new series of expert essays that over the next several months will examine the past and present of extreme criminal punishment. They also offer ideas for a more just future. Addressing a range of issues — from policing to prosecution to incarceration to life after prison — the writers highlight how our nation has prioritized punishment over more supportive and less traumatic ways of dealing with social harm, especially for communities of color. // Read More

In the introductory essay, Jeremy Travis of Arnold Ventures and Prof. Bruce Western of Columbia University define the vast scope of the problem and what is needed to address it. “A clear-eyed realization of how far the country has strayed from the path of true justice requires more than system reform,” they write. “This history compels the conclusion that we face a democracy deficit.” // Read More

On Thursday, the head of the Bureau of Prisons will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the first time since he got the job over a year ago. Director Michael Carvajal has a lot to answer for, from inadequate Covid-19 measures to solitary confinement. It’s crucial that senators spend less time making speeches and more time pressing Carvajal for specific answers so they can fulfill their oversight role, writes Brennan Center Fellow Andrew Cohen. // Read More

In the last year, election officials have been heralded for their courage and commitment in carrying a logistically challenging election. But more ominously, they have also become the targets of thousands of false accusations, protests at their workplaces, and even harassment and threats. Such mistreatment is now taking a new and more sinister form: legislation in several states proposes to strip election officials of their power to act on behalf of voters. Some bills would even criminalize various actions they might take in the course of performing their duties. “These bills add the danger of arrest and prosecution to already challenging working conditions,” writes Lawrence Norden. “They should be beaten back by all who are committed to preserving American democracy.” // Foreign Affairs

Some have criticized Major League Baseball’s pulling the All-Star Game from Georgia. They argue that it is easier to vote in the Peach State than in Colorado, the game’s new site, or in New York, the home of MLB headquarters. But the comparison to New York is misguided, and the comparison to Colorado is downright absurd. “Colorado is widely seen as a leader among states in expanding access to democracy,” writes Sean Morales-Doyle, adding that “Georgia and New York are heading in opposite directions.” // Read More

Last week, the Arizona Legislature passed a resolution decrying the sensible federal reforms in the For the People Act. This over-the-top resolution goes hand in hand with Republican state lawmakers’ attempts to enact new voter suppression laws that the For the People Act would combat. Other troublesome bills have been introduced in Arizona, including one that would allow officials to purge people from the early voting list if they do not vote in both the primary and general election in two consecutive election cycles. Another would establish burdensome ID requirements for mail voters. “As in other states driving voter suppression, there are no good justifications for these Arizona bills,” writes Eliza Sweren-Becker. // Read More

• VIRTUAL EVENT: Tax the Rich: How to Tackle Wealth Inequality in America
  Wednesday, April 21 | 12:00 p.m.–12:45 p.m. ET
  It’s a period of historic inequality in the United States — and the wealthiest Americans have taken steps that will worsen the trend. In their new book, Tax the Rich! How Lies, Loopholes, and Lobbyists Make the Rich Even Richer, Morris Pearl and Erica Payne of the Patriotic Millionaires explain how the tax code has been structured to exacerbate both economic and political inequality. They’ll be joined by the Roosevelt Institute’s Kyle Strickland to discuss how the tax code harms working people, how reforms can create a fairer economy, and the implications for American democracy. RSVP today.
  This event is produced in partnership with the Roosevelt Institute.
• VIRTUAL EVENT: Supreme Injustice: How a Conservative Court Will Reshape America
  Thursday, April 22 | 12:00 p.m.–12:45 p.m. ET
  Donald Trump’s legacy will live on for decades through the three justices he appointed to the Supreme Court. How will these justices use their power? In his new book, The Agenda: How a Republican Supreme Court Is Reshaping America, Ian Millhiser, senior Vox correspondent and former federal appellate court clerk, presents an unflinching view of an increasingly partisan court. In conversation with the New Republic’s Osita Nwanevu, Millhiser will discuss how the Court will shape the nature of American government. RSVP today.
  This event is produced in partnership with New York University’s John Brademas Center.

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• Michael German on a Justice Department report that falsely equates the threats of left and right-wing extreme terrorism // Daily Beast
• Michael Li on how the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision will affect the upcoming redistricting // Georgia Recorder
• Lawrence Norden on state laws criminalizing election officials’ work // CNN
• Yurij Rudensky on partisan gerrymandering // Peacock