Eli Hager
ProPublica
Phoenix, AZ, United States
Contact Eli
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Eli:
Police Need Warrants to Search Homes. Child Welfare Agents Almost Never Get One.
Each year, child protective services agencies inspect the homes of roughly 3.5 million children, opening refrigerators and closets without a warrant. Only about 5% of these kids are ultimately found to have been physically or sexually abused. → Read More
Help Us Investigate Racial Disparities in Arizona’s Child Welfare System —
ProPublica is reporting on the Arizona Department of Child Safety. We want to hear directly from the community. → Read More
A Mother Needed Welfare. Instead, the State Used Welfare Funds to Take Her Son.
Arizona spends a majority of its welfare budget on the Department of Child Safety. The agency then investigates many poor parents, sometimes removing their children for reasons stemming from their poverty. → Read More
These Single Moms Are Forced to Choose: Reveal Their Sexual Histories or Forfeit Welfare
Women who apply for welfare often have to identify who fathered their children and when they got pregnant, among other deeply personal details. State governments use that information to pursue child support from the dads — and then pocket the money. → Read More
Many Juvenile Jails Are Now Almost Entirely Filled With Young People of Color
Thousands of kids were freed from juvenile detention during the pandemic. They were more likely to be White, data shows. → Read More
The 470,000 Potential Voters Most Likely To Be Disenfranchised Next Election
Voting rights for people in jail is becoming another casualty of COVID-19. → Read More
Court Is Closed Due to Coronavirus. But You Still Owe Those Fines and Fees.
As states and cities face budget shortfalls amid the COVID-19 crisis, many courts seek payments largely owed by the poor. → Read More
Coronavirus Leaves Foster Children With Nowhere to Go
New placements, family visits and child-abuse investigations falter across the country. → Read More
In Foster Care, “Short Stays” Can Mean Lasting Trauma
Every year, thousands of children are removed from their homes by officials who fear for their safety—only to be returned within days. It “felt like being kidnapped,” one said. → Read More
What’s the Meaning of Life in Prison for Juveniles?
The Supreme Court ended automatic life without parole for children. What replaces it remains unclear. → Read More
Facing Intimidation, Black Women Prosecutors Say: "Enough"
A lawsuit filed by St. Louis's first black female prosecutor highlights the virulent opposition progressive black women in the role say they have encountered. → Read More
How Detroit’s Indigent Defense System Fails Poor Defendants
In Detroit, court-appointed lawyers for the poor are encouraged to take on large caseloads at the expense of their clients, a new report says. → Read More
NYPD Has Databases of Expunged Stop-And-Frisk Arrests, Bronx Defenders Say
In New York City, officers are illegally using information from arrests that have been sealed, according to a lawsuit. The practice is legal in more than two dozen states. → Read More
These Massachusetts Students Exposed Their School’s Use of Prison Labor
“Whatever would come of this, they wouldn’t expel me or anything,” said a 17-year-old reporter. “I’m just presenting the facts.” → Read More
The Latest Dream Act Excludes Young Immigrants Who Aren’t Perfect
In a little noticed tweak, minor offenses such as underage drinking or shoplifting could lead to people being deported, critics warned. → Read More
Juvenile Restitution Laws Punish Kids With Years of Debt
Courts often order children who break the law to pay thousands of dollars in restitution to victims—even when the victim is an insurance company. → Read More
Indiana Safeguards Parental Rights of Parents in Prison
The Marshall Project reported that thousands of incarcerated parents were losing their children forever. Now Indiana has passed a law to prevent the severing of family ties. → Read More
Many 'Violent Offenders' Have Committed Nonviolent Crimes
Embezzlement and selling drugs near a school are among the offenses some states classify as "violent." → Read More
Why the Definition of "Violent Crime" Matters
Embezzlement and selling drugs near a school are among the offenses some states classify as violent. → Read More
Prison Transport Outfit USG7 Won’t Pay Death Judgments
Transport company ignores court rulings despite pattern of severe injuries → Read More