Misdemeanors, not violent offenses, dominate criminal justice. A decade of reforms has shrunk the sprawling misdemeanor system, but the prosecution of shoplifting, traffic violations, and other lesser offenses remains a burden on vulnerable communities and law enforcement resources even as public concern over physical and social disorder in public spaces spurs calls for renewed enforcement. 

A new Brennan Center report zooms in on New York City as a case study for how misdemeanor enforcement has changed in recent years, offering insights into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and reform initiatives like the decriminalization of low-level drug possession. But even as overall caseloads have declined, stark racial disparities persist.   

Listen to the recording of our virtual panel from earlier this month, “Misdemeanors by the Numbers.” Bria Gillum, senior program officer at the MacArthur Foundation Criminal Justice Program, and Michigan County Sheriff Jerry Clayton join Brennan Center Senior Research Fellow Josephine Hahn in a discussion moderated by the Brennan Center’s Rosemary Nidiry. 

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You can check out the Brennan Center’s report Misdemeanor Enforcement Trends in New York City, 2016–2022 here: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/misdemeanor-enforcement-trends-new-york-city-2016-2022 

You can keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing: https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing

Listen to the recording of our in-person event from last month, Decoding the Trump Indictments. Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann, coauthors of the new book The Trump Indictments, discuss the historic charges against the former president in a discussion moderated by Brennan Center President Michael Waldman. Murray is the Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law Faculty and director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center at NYU Law. Weissmann, a professor of practice at NYU Law and a legal analyst for MSNBC, previously served as general counsel to the FBI and one of the senior prosecutors on Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation.

If you enjoy this program, please give us a boost by liking, subscribing and sharing with your friends. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please give a 5 star rating. 

You can find Melissa and Andrew’s bestselling new book, “Decoding the Trump Indictments,” at your favorite local bookseller or online: https://wwnorton.com/books/the-trump-indictments

You can keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to Michael Waldman’s weekly newsletter, The Briefing: https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing