A new proposal aims to make trailheads near Seattle safe from car break-ins — but some worry it could compromise their own safety.
Law enforcement
Posted inArticles
A new investigation reveals depth of skewed policing in Siskiyou County
A staggering percentage of stops by county deputies targeted Asian-American residents.
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The Supreme Court’s attack on tribal sovereignty, explained
Four federal Indian law experts digest the Supreme Court’s ‘shocking‘ decision to grant state governments the power to prosecute crimes in Indian Country.
Posted inMay 1, 2022: New Ways of Seeing the West
Why is this California sheriff suddenly interested in ‘environmental crimes?’
Law enforcement takes center stage in Siskiyou County’s fight over who can, and can’t, use land and water.
Posted inNovember 1, 2021: The Radioactive Waste Next Door
Hmong Americans in Northern California fight wildfire — and distrust
Wary of local authorities, a community forms an ad-hoc firefighting force to defend its property.
Posted inOctober 1, 2021: In The Graces of Grasses
When public health becomes the public enemy
Far-right extremists are robbing the West of the officials who protect community health.
Posted inOctober 1, 2021: In The Graces of Grasses
In Arizona, a radical change in juvenile detention
How a rural town transformed a juvenile facility into a safe space for teens.
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A tale of two teens in trouble
A comic explores the disparity between juvenile cases in Wyoming’s and South Dakota’s criminal justice systems.
Posted inSeptember 1, 2021: Where Wolves May Tread
Tree DNA thwarts black market lumber
How the genetic code of flora helped catch timber thieves.
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Illegal marijuana grows are stealing from California’s scarce water
As drought grips the Golden State, water thefts have increased to record levels. The most common offender: illegal pot farms.
Posted inJuly 1, 2021: An Urban Greenspace Revolution
The incarcerated women battling wildfires
In ‘Breathing Fire,’ Jaime Lowe uncovers the benefits and drawbacks of California’s inmate fire program.
Posted inJune 1, 2021: Once and Future Fires
The fight for racial justice in Montana, one year out
From Havre to Bozeman, the push for equity persists.
Posted inJune 1, 2021: Once and Future Fires
The everyday violence of Indian Country’s ‘bordertowns’
In ‘Red Nation Rising,’ violence in the communities abutting reservations illuminates colonialism’s continued presence.
Posted inJune 1, 2021: Once and Future Fires
Tribes unveil landmark missing and murdered Indigenous person response
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes worked with federal agencies to complete a first of its kind plan to address the crisis.
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How activists fought Joe Arpaio’s immigration roundups
Latino-led opposition brought down the Maricopa County sheriff.
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The story of Stephen Vest’s killing and how wildfires intensify tragedy
Vest survived California’s largest wildfire but was left unhoused. Last year he was killed in an incident where police shot at him 11 times.
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The essential — and dangerous — work prisoners do
Incarcerated people respond to pandemics, wildfires, avian flu outbreaks, mudslides and more.
Posted inMay 1, 2021: Beauty and Biodiversity in the Borderlands
Charges dropped for Black Hills protesters
After months of organizing, charges against Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective president and CEO, and all others arrested will be dropped.
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Mass shootings are a product of America’s violent culture
The bloodthirsty legacies of settler-colonialism and Western expansion endure today.
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New federal funding for police alternatives
The latest COVID-19 relief bill provides a ‘down payment’ for crisis response programs.