ArchCity Defenders

St. Louis corrections chief Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah has returned after an unexplained three-month leave, and the former head of St. Louis County’s jail is working to assess and recommend fixes to the city jail.

Morning Edition traveled to Ferguson and spoke to residents and leaders who have continued pushing for change in the city that was thrust into the national spotlight after the killing of an unarmed 18-year-old.

ArchCity Defenders is calling for the consolidation of St. Louis’ municipal court system in a new report. It examines how legislation, litigation and advocacy efforts changed the courts a decade after the killing of Michael Brown Jr.

A coalition of racial justice organizations says the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office is not keeping its progressive promises. The Prosecutor Watch report evaluates Wesley Bell’s office on five metrics, including transparency and convictions.

ArchCity Defenders plans to help thousands of people in the St. Louis region who are experiencing housing insecurity or need help navigating the justice system. It released a guide to help renters find adequate and safe housing in Missouri and information on expunging criminal records.

Housing advocates are calling on city officials to help tenants at Fountains at Carondelet, a south St. Louis apartment complex, find new housing since the property has pest, electrical and mold issues.

The new report includes community suggestions for the riverfront building and surrounding 30 acres.

Over 35,000 people who were jailed in St. Ann between 2014 and 2021 can receive money from a $3.1 million class-action settlement. ArchCity Defenders claimed the city illegally jailing people without inquiring about their ability to make bail.

The settlement follows a lawsuit accusing Maplewood of running “a mechanism to extort payment from vulnerable targets.”

Thanks to voter-approved Amendment 3, Missouri residents will be able to legally use marijuana recreationally in the state, and thousands of people will be able to expunge criminal convictions.