Policing and Criminal Justice

Their names have become famous: Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, and now George Floyd. All were black men or boys killed by police, and their deaths sparked outrage and protests across the nation and the globe. Following these tragedies, APM Reports has produced stories investigating police tactics, training, hiring practices, weapons and efforts to hold officers accountable for abuse. In addition, reporters have examined numerous criminal justice issues.

December 20, 2017

Some states training police to use words, not guns

A follow up to an APM Reports investigation finds that five additional states have mandated de-escalation training for officers, bringing the total to only 21.

December 14, 2017

Minneapolis police recruits get less psychological testing than they used to

The protocol is less rigorous than best practices nationally and the evaluator lacked the proper license. Police leaders are moving to replace him for another reason: They believe he screened out too many minority candidates.

May 5, 2017

Most states neglect ordering police to learn de-escalation tactics to avoid shootings

In 34 states, training decisions are left to local agencies. Most, though, conduct no, or very little, de-escalation training. Chiefs cite cost, lack of staff, and a belief that the training isn't needed.

May 5, 2017

Three case studies: When police untrained in de-escalation shoot unarmed people

A review of 31 cases shows more than half of officers involved had fewer than two hours of training past five years.

April 25, 2017

Sanner retires suddenly; Rassier files suit, claiming mistreatment by Sanner and others

Sanner, who led Wetterling investigation, has not apologized to Rassier, and has said he stands behind his actions as sheriff for 14 years. He hasn't commented on the lawsuit.

January 9, 2017

Ryan Larson files federal lawsuit against Stearns County sheriff, attorney and others

Update from Episode 8: The man falsely suspected of killing a police officer claims his constitutional rights were violated.

December 30, 2016

It took nearly 27 years to solve a notorious child abduction. Why?

Reporter Madeleine Baran, host of the podcast In the Dark, writes the story of how the 1989 abduction of Jacob Wetterling in central Minnesota baffled local, state and federal investigators for years. In four chapters, she reports why it shouldn't have.

October 4, 2016

Sex-offender registries: How the Wetterling abduction changed the country

The number of people on the nation's sex-offender registries has exploded to hundreds of thousands. But researchers question the registries' effectiveness, note their inconsistencies and suggest they might be doing more harm than good. Even Patty Wetterling has changed her views.

September 27, 2016

In a trap: What it means to be a 'person of interest'

The police twice used the label "person of interest" in the Wetterling case. It's an imprecise term that stops short of calling someone a suspect but can leave a person in a long-term limbo.

September 27, 2016

The questionable science of tire track and shoe print analysis

They can rule out a suspect, but shoe prints and tire tracks in the dirt lack solid standards for use as forensic evidence.

September 27, 2016

What did Dan Rassier say when he called 911 the night of the abduction? We don't know

APM Reports tried to get a transcript of Dan Rassier's 911 call. First the Sheriff's Office said no; then it said it didn't have it.

September 20, 2016

Inconclusive: The truth about lie detector tests

Investigators in Jacob Wetterling's disappearance used lie detectors "a lot," one of them says. But some research suggests they're not much more reliable than flipping a coin.

September 20, 2016

Does hypnosis help solve crimes?

Wetterling investigators used hypnosis to prod memories, but some experts fear the process can cause people to remember things that didn't happen. So while it may help investigations, courts have been wary to accept it as evidence.

September 20, 2016

Not photographs: The misunderstood police composite sketch

Early on, investigators circulated a number of police sketches, hoping they would generate better leads in Jacob Wetterling's abduction. But sketches can be tricky and lead potential witnesses down the wrong path.

September 13, 2016

DNA and the Wetterling abduction

DNA profiling has grown up since the Wetterling abduction, becoming both more powerful and, sometimes, as much art as science. It played an important role in shaping the case against the man who led authorities to Jacob's remains.

September 13, 2016

It's a match. Or is it?

DNA analysis has come to be one of the most relied-upon tools in forensic criminology. Here's a look at when it's simple and when it's not.

September 8, 2016

College behind bars: Keeping an idea alive

After an abrupt reversal 20 years ago, some prisons and colleges try to maintain college education for prisoners.

September 7, 2016

The Jacob Wetterling 911 call: Audio and transcript

Stearns County sheriff's office transcript of 911 call from Merlyn Jerzak, a neighbor of Patty and Jerry Wetterling. His daughter, who had been babysitting at the Wetterling house, called him to come to the Wetterling house when she learned of Jacob Wetterling's abduction from Jacob's brother, Trevor, and their friend, Aaron Larson.

September 7, 2016

Transcript of Heinrich testimony

At a plea hearing on Sept. 6, 2016, Danny James Heinrich admitted kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing Jacob Wetterling on Oct. 22, 1989.

September 6, 2016

In the Dark

In the Dark is a serial investigative journalism podcast, hosted by Madeleine Baran and a team of reporters. In Season 1, we looked at the abduction of Jacob Wetterling in rural Minnesota and the accountability of sheriffs in solving crime. In Season 2, we examined the case of Curtis Flowers, who was tried six times for the same crime.

August 25, 2016

Restorative justice: A new approach to discipline

Schools facing dilemmas over disparities in discipline policies are turning to an approach known as restorative practices, focusing on how to repair harm done.

August 25, 2016

What exactly should school cops do?

Police officers have been in schools for years, initially brought in as a means of student protection. But some say they have become too involved in school discipline.

May 26, 2016

Incidents and complaints at Minnesota DOC juvenile centers, 2009-2016

Minnesota's Department of Corrections tracks reports about the 60-plus juvenile residential treatment centers it licenses. But it does little to disseminate that information. APM Reports obtained the data about what the department calls incidents and complaints for 2009 to March 2016 and sorted it in this searchable table.

May 12, 2016

Numbers elusive when it comes to trafficking

Estimating the number of human trafficking victims in the United States is notoriously difficult.

May 12, 2016

Victims, not criminals: Rebranding teen sex trafficking

The nation is changing the way it thinks about teen sex trafficking. States have decriminalized it for teens and offered help, and some are attacking the demand for commercial sex.

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