Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey pushes efforts to reduce recidivism

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has announced several new programs to try to reduce recidivism among convicted felons.


Police Chief Jeri Williams calls community engagement critical to success

Police Chief Jeri Williams brings ‘different hats’ to her job, including deeply-rooted ties to the city.


About this project

"Racial Divide," an in-depth look at race and policing in Arizona, is the fall 2017 graduate student project for Cronkite News. The students spent the past three months collecting data from Arizona law enforcement agencies, conducting dozens of interviews and examining the role race plays in policing our communities.


Arizona police departments try to repair rifts with communities

PHOENIX – When Jeri Williams took over as Phoenix police chief last year, she made it a point to address the tension between law enforcement and the community.


Some Arizona residents push back against police through protests, ballot box

PHOENIX – As thousands of protesters hit the Phoenix streets in July 2016 to protest the killings of black people by police, the Rev. Jarrett Maupin felt their anger.


Arizona law enforcement doesn’t reflect state’s diversity

WINSLOW – Despite national calls for more diverse law enforcement agencies, very few, if any, Arizona police departments reflect the demographics of the communities they serve - though diversity is not always their top priority.


Repercussions: How does lack of diversity affect policing?

PHOENIX – Arizona police departments don’t always reflect the racial diversity of the communities they serve, but experts disagree on the degree to which that makes a difference.


Justices grapple with baker’s right to deny service to same-sex couple

WASHINGTON - Supreme Court justices wrestled Tuesday with the line between art and commerce in the case of a Colorado baker who said making a wedding cake for a same-sex couple would violate his First Amendment rights.


House panel OKs bill to allow concealed gun carry across state lines

WASHINGTON - A House committee gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would let gun owners with concealed-carry permits cross state lines without prior approval, as long as they followed local concealed-carry laws.


Police push back on report criticizing body-worn camera policies

WASHINGTON - Police department policies on the use of body-worn cameras, including policies of three Arizona departments, present the possibility for abuse of the technology, according to a report released this month by a national civil rights group.


ASU ‘evaluating’ whether Charlie Rose will keep 2015 Cronkite Award

PHOENIX — Arizona State University officials are “evaluating” the 2015 award presented to former CBS anchor Charlie Rose by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, after the Washington Post detailed allegations of sexual harassment made by eight women.

Charlie Rose

Court: Online service must identify anonymous users to grand jury

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that an online job-rating site has to turn over the identities of anonymous users who posted comments about a company being investigated for its handling of a Department of Veterans Affairs contract.