Legislature Alabama House passes several criminal justice-related bills The bills address community corrections, judicial discretion in sentencing and the cost of housing state inmates in county jails. Eddie BurkhalterFebruary 24, 2021
Legislature Two bills would expand community corrections, enhance specialized courts St. Clair County's drug and veterans courts have a combined 96 percent success rate at preventing recidivism. Eddie BurkhalterFebruary 23, 2021
Public safety Letter to lawmakers: Repeal Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act 165 former judges and prosecutors, professors and public defenders signed on in support of Rep. Chris England's bill to repeal HFOA. Eddie BurkhalterFebruary 22, 2021
Prisons Governor awards grant for drug rehabilitation in state prisons The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program is a volunteer six-month course. StaffFebruary 19, 2021
Public safety Black Alabamians are four times more likely to be jailed for marijuana Alabama has the 16th-highest disparity in the country, according to a recent report. Brandon MoseleyFebruary 17, 2021
Featured Opinion Opinion | Big issues facing the Alabama Legislature "The paramount issues will be reapportionment, gambling and prisons." Steve FlowersFebruary 10, 2021
Legislature McCutcheon says House is drafting a bill to pay for new prisons with a bond issue McCutcheon said that the legislators were concerned that under the governor’s plan, the state would never own the facilities. Brandon MoseleyFebruary 5, 2021
Legislature Criminal justice reform bills pass out of House Judiciary Committee The bills would continue a trend of more progressive reforms that are slowly rolling back mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Josh MoonFebruary 4, 2021
Legislature Habitual offender law repeal parked in a subcommittee The Habitual Felony Offender Act was aimed at stopping crime by giving a life sentence to anyone with three serious felonies. Brandon MoseleyFebruary 4, 2021
Party politics Republicans praise governor’s State of the State Address “Governor Kay Ivey set forth an agenda with big goals and a bold vision," ALGOP Chair Terry Lathan said. Brandon MoseleyFebruary 3, 2021