Busted

Correction, July 7, 2016: The July 7, 2016, article, Busted, erroneously included an analysis of cocaine field tests results used by the Las Vegas police department. The sampling did not represent a broad submission of results to the department’s lab — it was an isolated group of field test failures including officer mistakes and false positives — and the data should not have been used to calculate an error rate. ​The article also misstated the​ average number of drug cases analyzed by the police department. The department says it was an average of 1,757 cases per year, not 73. And the article overstated the role field tests play in Las Vegas’s possession arrests. According to the Las Vegas police department, forms of evidence other than field tests can lead to drug possession arrests. They are not based exclusively on field test results.

Education Department Recommends Killing Accreditor of For-profit Colleges

Correction, June 15, 2016: An earlier version of this article listed an incorrect date for when the Department of Education accreditation committee is scheduled to review ACICS. The meeting is scheduled for June 23, not June 24.

The Senate’s Popular Sentencing Reform Bill Would Sort Prisoners By ‘Risk Score’

Correction, June 14, 2016: This story incorrectly said that proposed legislation would make prisoners with high risk scores ineligible for treatment programs. In fact, these prisoners could sign up for treatment programs, though they would still be ineligible to have their sentences reduced until they lowered their risk scores.

How We Analyzed the COMPAS Recidivism Algorithm

Correction, May 23, 2016: This post incorrectly described an independent variable in a model as a dependent variable.

This post also incorrectly described the numerical ratings attached to COMPAS risk scores in two other instances. This did not affect our analyses.

Additionally, this post originally described an accuracy rate as its opposite — a rate of mistakes.

Drought be Dammed

Correction, May 20, 2016: An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the Deputy Secretary of the Interior. He is Michael Connor, not Conner.

The NYPD is Running Stings Against Immigrant-Owned Shops, Then Pushing For Warrantless Searches

Correction, April 22, 2016: An earlier version of this story reported that Juana Caballero was arrested in April 2014. She was arrested in April 2013.

Investigation Exposes Failings of Oversight in NYC Group Homes

Correction, April 13, 2016: An earlier version of this article reported that four people had been arrested as a result of the Department of Investigation’s inquiry. DOI has amended its report to say only three people had been arrested.

Amid Public Feuds, A Venerated Medical Journal Finds Itself Under Attack

Correction, April 5, 2016: A previous version of this story incorrectly said that Dr. Jeffrey Drazen was the longest-serving editor of a major medical journal; he is one of the longest.

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Voter ID Laws

Correction, July 23, 2012: An earlier version of this story said Texas went to federal court to challenge the DOJ’s denial of preclearance. In fact, Texas filed a lawsuit seeking preclearance from the federal district court two months before the DOJ announced its decision. Also, some states require a government-issued photo that does not have to come from the federal government as first detailed.

Correction, July 23, 2012: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated “voting law advocates contend these laws disproportionately affect elderly, minority and low-income groups that tend to vote Democratic.” It’s voting law opponents who make that contention.

Correction, July 23, 2012: An earlier version of this story stated that New Hampshire was unsuccessful in enacting a voter ID law. In fact, its legislature overrode the governor’s veto and the law is now in place in the state.

The Referendum That Might Have Headed Off Flint’s Water Crisis

Correction, March 4, 2016: This story originally misspelled the name of state Sen. Gretchen Whitmer.

Once Again, the VA Turns Down Navy Vets for Agent Orange Benefits

Correction, Feb. 8, 2016: A photo caption in this story originally misstated Jim Smith’s years of service in the Navy as 1972 to 1973. He served in the Navy from 1972 to 1979. He served aboard the U.S.S. Butte from 1972 to 1973.

The NYPD Is Kicking People Out of Their Homes, Even if They Haven’t Committed a Crime

Correction, Feb. 4, 2016: A chart in this story, showing judges' approvals of temporary closing orders, was incorrectly labeled. The chart shows the percent of times judges approved such requests for both businesses and residences, not just for residents. Further, the judges’ combined rate of approval is 70 percent and not 75 percent.

Bad Grandpa: The Ugly Forefather of New York’s Affordable Housing Debacles

Correction, Jan. 26, 2016: This article originally misidentified the late Russell Harding. He was Bob Harding's brother, not his son.

‘Somebody Intervened in Washington’

Correction, Dec. 21, 2015: This story originally misspelled the first name of Dan Val Kish.

The Painting That Saved My Family From the Holocaust

Correction, Nov. 24, 2015: This story originally stated that Jakob Engelberg died in 1942. He died in 1941.

Correction, Nov. 24, 2015: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 97 murders occurred in Indianapolis in 2012. Ninety-six murders occurred in 2012.

How the Gun Control Debate Ignores Black Lives

Correction, Nov. 24, 2015: This story originally stated that Jakob Engelberg died in 1942. He died in 1941.

Correction, Nov. 24, 2015: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 97 murders occurred in Indianapolis in 2012. Ninety-six murders occurred in 2012.

What’s the Evidence Mass Surveillance Works? Not Much

Correction, Nov. 18, 2015: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technology’s report about the effectiveness of the NSA’s bulk collection of phone records was issued in 2014. The report came out at the end of 2013.

When Students Become Patients, Privacy Suffers

Correction, Oct. 23, 2015: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that a California appeals court agreed that the California Institute of Technology had no legal duty to protect Brian Go from harming himself. While a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge made such a ruling, the family dropped its appeal before the appeals court decided the case.

Paul Ryan Reading Guide: The Best Reporting on the House Republican

Correction, Aug. 11, 2012: This post originally said that the Mother Jones article was published in November 2012. It was actually published in May 2011.

Medicare Spending for Hepatitis C Cures Surges

Correction, Oct. 16, 2015: A previous version of this story said that before the new drugs, there was no cure for hepatitis C. In fact, some of the prior treatments for the virus cured a lower percentage of patients but the drugs often caused onerous side effects that caused patients to stop taking them.