If States Send People to Prison, They Need to Be Prepared to Treat the Trauma They Create
The criminal legal system loves to talk about “accountability.” It loves the language of consequences, deterrence, and punishment. But here’s…
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.
Why Survivors Don’t Report Anymore — And Why the System Doesn’t Deserve Their Trust Yet
There’s a growing trend in Michigan and across the country and if you talk to real survivors instead of press…
I’m Not Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving.
Every year around this time, the internet turns into a giant Hallmark card:gratitude lists, turkey emojis, staged family photos, “happy”…
Justice Work Gets Heavy: Why Advocates Must Step Back, Breathe, and Celebrate Wins
Criminal justice reform work is not for the faint of heart. If I have to describe it best, I would…
Understanding & Combating Online Violence Against Women and Children
Online violence against women and children, a term that encompasses harassment, cyberstalking, non-consensual image sharing, deep-fakes, doxing and more, is…
When the Michigan Supreme Court Says “Look Again”: Why Today’s Remand Order Is a Quiet but Significant Win for Justice
This morning, I did my routine check on a court docket for cases that I monitor. And today, the Michigan…
When Someone You Love Is Incarcerated: Anger, Grief, and Learning to Live Again
There’s a truth too many people carry quietly: when someone you love is incarcerated, the grief doesn’t follow a clean…
The Trial Penalty Is Real: How Fear of Long Sentences Forces Innocent People to Plead Guilty
Every day across the United States, people accused of crimes face an impossible gamble: plead guilty (even if they’re innocent)…
Macomb Correctional Facility Was Using a Golf Course’s WiFi — And It Explains the Temujin Kensu “WiFi Stick” Story
In recent weeks, public discussion around the Temujin Kensu case has intensified, particularly following reporting by The Murder Sheet podcast regarding digital…
Michigan’s ICAC Task Force and the “Opening the Door” Campaign: Protecting Kids from Online Predators
The internet should never be the doorway to a child’s worst nightmare. In Michigan, the State Police Internet Crimes Against…
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