People v. Velasquez: Court of Appeals Rejects Policy-Based Sentencing Departure in Barry County
Sentencing errors don’t always show up as dramatic mistakes. Sometimes they show up as decisions that don’t hold together under…
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.
Punishment Fails on Children but Is Still Used on Adults: Exploring the Paradox of Discipline and Justice
The systems we build don’t come out of nowhere. They reflect what we’ve already normalized. Mass incarceration is often discussed…
Oakland County Prosecutor Spent $100,000 to Smear Defendants — Here’s Why It Matters
When the prosecution controls both the courtroom narrative and the public narrative, the line between advocacy and influence starts to…
When Incarcerated People Fight Wildfires: The Illusion of Choice and the Cost of Prison Labor
When the same system that incarcerates people depends on them to respond to public emergencies, the question isn’t just labor….
When Prison Drugs Come From the Inside: Michigan DOC’s Smuggling Crisis
When drugs enter correctional facilities through the people tasked with controlling them, the issue isn’t contraband. It’s structural failure. Recent…
Chicago Judge Reassigned for Circulating “My First Ankle Monitor” Meme
Judge Caroline Glennon-Goodman, Cook County, Illinois, has been reassigned after sharing a racist meme depicting a black toddler wearing a…
Something Bad is Happening in Ohio’s Correctional System
Corrections Oversight When deaths in custody, staff misconduct allegations, retaliatory behavior, and footage-access barriers start clustering around the same institution,…
Do Body Cameras Prevent Police Misconduct? Not Really.
Police Accountability Do Body Cameras Prevent Police Misconduct? Not Really. By Rita Williams January 11, 2025 2 Min Read Cameras…
Once Upon a Time, Diversion Wasn’t a Radical Idea—It Was a Presidential One
Youth Reform Once Upon a Time, Diversion Wasn’t a Radical Idea. It Was a Presidential One By Rita Williams January…
When Incarceration Feels Like Death: The Hidden Grief Families Are Forced to Carry
Family Impact When Incarceration Feels Like Death: The Hidden Grief Families Are Forced to Carry It’s a pain unlike any…
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