Criminal Legal Archives

Police reform advocates win legislative concession in Olympia

By Aaron Hedge ● Criminal Legal ● January 27, 2026

As part of its lobbying efforts, The Washington Coalition for Police Accountability convinced a lawmaker to alter a bill the organization believes would weaken law enforcement accountability.

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County tips off ICE contractor to records request

By Aaron Hedge ● Government ● January 23, 2026

GEO Transit, which carts immigrants from Spokane to Tacoma for deportation, had its lawyer call the requester to make sure ‘you’re not gonna hurt my peeps.’

Police accountability proposals coming to WA legislature

By Aaron Hedge ● Criminal Legal ● January 7, 2026

Many organizers asking the state for police justice reforms are based in Spokane — home to some of the highest rates of police violence in the US — and want stronger state oversight of local agencies.

Four of the Spokane 9 accept plea deals

By Aaron Hedge ● Immigration ● December 9, 2025

ICE protesters facing federal charges made a hard choice, but some fear a chilling effect: ‘They want to frighten people so they are afraid to use their First Amendment rights.’

Native American kids less likely than others in WA to be offered second chance in juvenile court, data shows

By Melanie Henshaw, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● November 23, 2025

Lawmakers and researchers push for new tracking measures as racial disparities and decentralized practices shape youth justice outcomes

Native American children significantly more likely to be arrested, detained in Washington

By Melanie Henshaw, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● November 22, 2025

Before and after trial and even for low-level, nonviolent crimes, Native American youths are locked up at higher rates

From one voice to many: Women speak out on Idaho prison abuse

By Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest & Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● October 26, 2025

Inspired by Andrea Weiskircher, scores of women revealed sexual abuse by Idaho prison staff. Most of their cases were buried.

Idaho law challenges prosecutors seeking to penalize prison guards for sexual abuse

By Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest & Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● October 26, 2025

When guards are charged, plea deals offer leniency

In Idaho women’s prisons, guards get away with sexual abuse and victims are blamed

By Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest & Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● October 14, 2025

A yearlong investigation finds rampant sexual abuse by guards, systemic cover-ups, and punishment for victims

The Idaho prison guard who preyed on women — and the system that hid his ‘predatory’ conduct

By Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest & Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest ● Criminal Legal ● October 13, 2025

This is the first installment in a new InvestigateWest series called “Guarded by Predators,” exposing rape and abuse by Idaho’s prison guards and the system that shields them