Law & Public Safety
Through research and policy proposals, Locke supports the protection of the public and the right to self-defense. Unfortunately, issues like overcriminalization and asset seizure have caused public safety to stray from that vital responsibility.
More Cops, Less Crime
A large and growing body of academic literature confirms that police presence deters crime and helps maintain public order. Increased police presence has been shown to be an especially effective…
“Broken Windows Policing”: Good Policy, Bad Name
Recent criticism notwithstanding, George L. Kelling and James Q. Wilson’s 1982 article, “Broken Windows,” makes two important points about criminal justice reform that are still relevant today. The economic and…
Unless It Is Quickly Brought Under Control, the Current Crime Wave Will Be a Long-Term Disaster for Blacks and the Poor
Violent crime has spiked over the last year and a half, due at least in part to the hundreds antipolice protests that took place in the second half of 2020.…
“Academics say Biden SCOTUS nominee should recuse herself in Harvard admissions case”
That’s the title of a recent piece at the College Fix. The author, Christian Schneider, goes on to say: A number of legal experts within academia have told The College Fix that Judge…
Freedom, Transparency, and Good Government Require Keeping Regulations Under Control
In our state constitution, laws are made only by elected legislators accountable to the people. Regulations carry the force of laws but are made by bureaucrats in the executive branch…
The Second Amendment Applies to Rifles, Too
On Feb. 14, 2022, on behalf of the John Locke Foundation, Jon Guze joined several legal scholars in submitting a friend-of-the-court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting review of…
Five Principles for Local Government
The scope of local government is limited. Approaches to local governing should emphasize transparency, restraint, and simplicity. Government leaders should prioritize essential services and infrastructure over any pursuit of expanded…
How America Ended Up Underpoliced and Overincarcerated
Instead of ramping up police presence in high-crime neighborhoods, America responded to the late 20th century crime wave by ramping up incarceration levels instead. The focus on punishment rather than deterrence…
Judicial Recusal Wars 1: Trying to Change the Playing Field by Removing Justices
In a pair of election cases before the North Carolina Supreme Court, litigants have produced a frenzy of motions to remove justices. A voter ID case featured two failed attempts…
Judicial Recusal Wars 2: The Case of Anita Earls
Defendants in North Carolina League of Conservation Voters v Hall filed a motion asking Justice Anita Earls to recuse herself from the case. Claims that Earls’ prior career as a…
Speaking of Black Women Who Are Well-Qualified to Be on the Supreme Court . . .
Last week John McCormack earned a “like” from me for pointing out that “Biden can keep his SCOTUS campaign promise and win the vote of every Republican senator” simply by nominating Janice…
The Late 20th Century Crime Wave Was a Disaster for Blacks and the Poor
Crime rates soared between 1960 and 1980 and remained high throughout the rest of the century, making fighting crime and restoring order national priorities. The burden of crime and disorder…