In Massachusetts, it is now unconstitutional to sentence any adult under the age of 21 to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a new ruling that will protect emerging adults across the state from life sentences and give potential second chances to those who previously received them. 

There will never a perfect time to push back on racial profiling, especially when a number of legitimate crimes were committed. In this case, the gun-related charges cannot definitively justify the means used to discover the illegal handgun. However, racial dynamics disproportionately affect Black and brown people.

A bill before the Massachusetts Legislature could prevent people with substance use disorder from being sent to jail only for relapsing. If the bill is enacted, people diagnosed with substance use disorder who are on probation or are pretrial would be diverted to treatment and prohibited from being drug-tested.