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LEARN MORE >> The informants are watching us... But who's watching the informants? Preliminary research indicates that up to 80% of all drug cases in America may be based on information provided by informants. An informant can be a useful law enforcement tool – a necessary evil – if used properly. But putting police work in the hands of known criminals and blindly trusting that justice will be done is an unnecessary evil. Learn more >> BREAKING NEWS: Encouraging Developments in Informant System Reform >> AUDIO: Davey D Remixes The Wire's Ed Burns >> VIDEO: Inside Recent Congressional Hearing >>

Crack, Powder Cocaine Sentencing Disparity Undermines Criminal Justice System (5/28/2009)
WASHINGTON – Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, testified today before the U.S. Sentencing Commission about the need for Congressional action to eliminate both the unjust crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity and the mandatory minimum sentences for narcotics.

House Considers Bills To Equalize Federal Crack And Powder Cocaine Sentencing (5/21/2009)
WASHINGTON – The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing today on eliminating the unjust and discriminatory 100-to-1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences under federal law. As part of the hearing, entitled “Unfairness in Federal Cocaine Sentencing: Is it time to crack the 100-to-1 disparity?,” lawmakers considered several bills to equalize crack and cocaine sentencing statutes and heard testimony from former baseball player Willie Mays Aikens; Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer; a U.S. District Court Judge; a district attorney; and a former prosecutor, among others. Federal law treats five grams of crack cocaine the same as 500 grams of powder cocaine.

US Supreme Court Rejects California Counties' Challenge to State Medical Marijuana Laws (5/18/2009)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear an appeal brought by San Diego and San Bernardino counties challenging the validity of California's medical marijuana laws. The Court's order leaves intact the rulings of California's state courts, holding that state medical marijuana laws are entirely valid despite the federal prohibition on marijuana.

US Supreme Court Hears Arguments Today On Unconstitutional Strip Search Of 13-Year-Old Student For Alleged Ibuprofen Possession (4/21/2009)
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court today heard oral arguments over whether school officials violated the constitutional rights of a 13-year-old Arizona girl when they strip searched her based on a classmate's uncorroborated accusation that she previously possessed ibuprofen. The American Civil Liberties Union represents April Redding, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, whose daughter, Savana Redding, was strip searched by Safford Middle School officials six years ago.

US Supreme Court To Review Unconstitutional Strip Search Of 13-Year-Old Student For Ibuprofen (1/16/2009)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it will review a lower court ruling that school officials violated the constitutional rights of a 13-year-old Arizona girl when they strip searched her based on a classmate’s uncorroborated accusation that she possessed ibuprofen.