Federal surveillance tools and tactics: An explainer
Agents and officers for federal border patrol and immigration enforcement have reportedly used various technologies to monitor the public during recent immigration protests.
Criminal Justice
Research roundups, tip sheets, articles and explainers related to the topic of criminal justice
Expert Commentary
Want to understand immigration enforcement in 2026? Read these 5 reports
An immigration scholar highlights five reports with three takeaways each — and makes a case for reading deeply instead of reacting to chaos.
Expert Commentary
5 tips for reporting on crime data
In our recent webinar, an accomplished criminal justice researcher and two reporters from The Trace shared expert advice for finding and reporting on gun violence data.
Expert Commentary
Debt collection lawsuits are rising in U.S. states. Here’s what you need to know to report on them.
We break down what reporters need to know about recent research on debt collection lawsuits, racial and ethnic disparities in judgments, and one big slice of consumer debt: medical debt.
Expert Commentary
Our 10 most popular posts in 2025
Wondering which of our pieces drew the most readers this year? Wonder no more! Here’s a list of our 10 most-read pieces of 2025.
Expert Commentary
Student absences spiked in California, test scores fell in Florida amid surge in US immigration enforcement
New studies look at how the 2025 immigration crackdown has affected students in southern California and a large Florida county. Plus, 3 tips for improving news coverage of the topic.
Expert Commentary
Who controls the National Guard: The history and governance of America’s state-based military force
President Donald Trump has deployed or threatened to deploy National Guard troops to several major U.S. cities. Journalists who know the history and legal authorities of these troops can offer audiences context on the deployments.
Expert Commentary
How to gauge the quality of a research study: 13 questions journalists should ask
Asking these 13 questions can help journalists spot red flags in research, including studies that policymakers and elected officials use to defend their stances on certain issues.
Expert Commentary
Covering staffing or dangerous heat in prisons? Here are 4 things to know
The Journalist’s Resource and The Marshall Project recently hosted a webinar on staffing shortages and extreme heat in prisons. Here are 4 takeaways that can inform your coverage — plus, watch the full webinar recording.
Expert Commentary
How to make sense of ICE arrest data
An immigration scholar guides us through the process of analyzing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest data, based on datasets published by the Data Deportation Project.
Expert Commentary