Michigan’s Broken Prison Grievance System Is Failing Incarcerated People—and a Federal Judge Just Called It Out
Direct Answer U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Stafford has called Michigan’s prison grievance system a “sham” — a…
Rita Williams
Rita Williams is a Michigan-based judicial oversight analyst and founder of Clutch Justice, an investigative platform focused on court system accountability, sentencing integrity, and SCAO policy. Her work examines how courts, policies, and administrative systems operate in practice, with a focus on where process breaks down and harm is created. Drawing on lived experience and systems-level analysis, she writes to make legal structures more readable, expose institutional gaps, and advocate for reforms grounded in both evidence and human impact. Rita’s writing bridges legal analysis, institutional critique, and public education, with a consistent focus on accountability without losing sight of the people most affected by the justice system.
How a Board of Commissioners Can Influence Prosecutions and Why It Matters
Direct Answer When people think about the criminal justice system, they typically focus on police, prosecutors, judges, and defense attorneys….
Court Watching Meets Data: How Kalamazoo Is Building Accountability Through Community Observation
Direct Answer NowKalamazoo and Kalamazoo Defender have launched the Kalamazoo Court Observers program — a community-based accountability initiative funded by…
Michigan’s Rural Defense Attorney Crisis: How Legal Deserts Threaten Constitutional Rights
Direct Answer A significant shortage of criminal defense attorneys in Michigan’s rural communities is producing conditions that threaten the constitutional…
Allegan County District Court Judge William Baillargeon Resigning
Direct Answer Judge William Baillargeon of Michigan’s 57th District Court in Allegan County announced his resignation via livestream on May…
The Eugenic Origins of Three Strikes Laws: How “Habitual Offender” Sentencing Laws Were Used as a Means of Sterilization
Direct Answer Habitual offender laws — the legal predecessors to modern three-strikes sentencing — did not originate in the 1990s…
From Mass Incarceration to Restorative Justice: The Best Books to Understand and Reimagine Justice
Direct Answer The best restorative justice reading lists do more than recommend books about healing. They also explain the systems…
Supporting People with Autism in Federal Prisons: A Growing Need for Compassion and Reform
Direct Answer Federal prisons offer some disability and mental health support for autistic inmates, but autism-specific care remains limited, inconsistent,…
Fighting to Survive: How Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Can Lead to Addiction
Direct Answer PTSD can lead to addiction because trauma reshapes how people experience fear, stress, safety, and relief. For many…
Kalamazoo County Courts 2023 Annual Report: Transparency, Progress, and Persistent Gaps
Direct Answer Judges carry implicit biases shaped by race, socioeconomic assumptions, and professional norms, and research confirms they act on…
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