Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA

Gov. Josh Shapiro Refuses to Intervene on Pa. Police Officer Data Disclosure

Local NewsA coalition of newsrooms requested Pennsylvania’s database of police officers, but officials denied the info, citing safety concerns for undercover officers.

Why Some Say an Effort to Fix Pa.’s Outdated Probation Law Does More Harm Than Good

Local NewsPennsylvania's probation system can trap people in yearslong cycles of monitoring and incarceration for noncriminal violations.

Pa. State Troopers More Likely to Do Optional Searches for Black, Hispanic Drivers Than White Ones

Local NewsDespite optional searches being more likely for Black and Hispanic drivers, contraband seizures from searches occurred more often for white drivers, according to new report.

Pa. Doesn’t Fund Public Defense. Shapiro’s Budget Would Change That

Local NewsThe $10 million proposal would be the most funding the state has ever dedicated to supporting the constitutional right to counsel.

How Some Police, Attorneys and Jails Are Trying to Help Pa.’s Ailing System for Mentally Ill People

Health NewsWithout a statewide solution, some local officials are finding ways to prevent people unfit to stand trial from getting trapped in the criminal justice system.

Determining if Someone Is Mentally Fit for Trial in Pa. Often Traps Them in the Place Making Them Worse — Jail

Local NewsA Spotlight PA/PINJ investigation found few state hospital beds for those with severe mental illness, ill-equipped jails and a system so broken some defense attorneys avoid it entirely.