Activists monitor Seattle’s Boeing Field deportation flights by McKenzie Funk ProPublica / March 18, 2024
For-profit Tacoma ICE center blocks health and labor inspections Conditions in the immigrant detention facility have garnered over 300 complaints, but a law to increase state oversight is still tied up in court. by Grace Deng Washington State Standard / February 5, 2024
Politics Washington public defenders say the strained system needs funding Too many cases, too few lawyers and too little money hurt local governments’ ability to provide effective counsel to those with financial constraints. by Jerry Cornfield Washington State Standard / February 2, 2024
Indigenous Affairs Yakama Nation’s new public safety campus gives justice room to grow The tribal court system, which had occupied a cluster of trailers since the ’50s, plans to add services like a mental health or a veterans court. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore News and ICT / January 9, 2024
Culture WA authors are teaching AI how to write — without their consent Companies like Meta and Bloomberg draw upon a database of 191,000 books to train the tools. Local writers aren’t happy, and lawsuits are in the works. by Nimra Ahmad / October 5, 2023
Northwest Reports Podcast | The gray areas of surveillance tech in WA police forces Season 1 , Episode 32 / July 26, 2023 Federal relief funds are financing new surveillance technology across the state. Reporter Brandon Block discusses why privacy advocates are concerned.
News Washington Department of Corrections to close one of 12 prisons Steep drops in the incarcerated population prompted the shutdown of Clark County’s Larch Corrections Center. by Joseph O'Sullivan / June 29, 2023
Politics Jail or treatment? Seattle City Council is split on drug possession Councilmembers narrowly rejected a bill to allow the City Attorney’s Office to prosecute possession and public use. by Josh Cohen / June 7, 2023
News Courts consider lifting federal oversight of Seattle police The SPD has been under a Department of Justice ‘consent decree’ since 2012 due to excessive use of force. by Josh Cohen / May 30, 2023
Crosscut Talks Podcast | The reforms Eric Holder believes will save democracy Season 5 , Episode 4 / May 23, 2023 The former Attorney General discusses how voting rights laws and Supreme Court term limits could preserve American democracy.
Investigations Fake business loans land Yakima, Seattle entrepreneurs in prison An immigrant businesswoman and a Mariners ticket hawker faced sentencing this week over separate schemes to steal thousands in COVID-19 stimulus money. by Brandon Block / May 19, 2023
Investigations How Seattle Police put bikes at the forefront of protest clashes Local bike cops drove a national evolution toward forceful crowd tactics — and made money doing it. by Jordan Gass-Pooré & James Stout / May 17, 2023
Politics Crosscut Ideas Festival: Michael Cohen on Trump and consequences The 45th president's personal lawyer and “fixer” pulls no punches about shady dealings and ongoing legal troubles. by Crosscut Staff / May 14, 2023
Politics Crosscut Ideas Festival: Andrew Yang on the harm of primaries Ranked-choice voting is a way out of paralyzing hyperpartisanship, said the 2020 presidential candidate. by Crosscut Staff / May 13, 2023
Politics WA Legislature fails to pass new drug law; special session likely After two years of unsuccessful negotiations, Washington may not have a law against drug possession starting in July. by Joseph O'Sullivan / April 24, 2023
Politics A WA bill protecting name change privacy was just signed into law As of July 23, people who are trans or queer, those escaping domestic violence, and refugees will be able to change their name confidentially. by Crosscut Staff / April 21, 2023
Politics Washington lawmakers loosen restrictions on police chases The House and Senate agreed that pursuit is allowable when there's reasonable suspicion a violent offense has occurred, or could. by Joseph O'Sullivan / April 18, 2023