Recently, Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail. What kind of system should states have instead?

On Point

5 mins ago

A pedestrian wears a mask as they walk through Newark, N.J., Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Radio Diary: 'How Can All This Stress Be On One Person?'

Allure and her mom live in New Jersey. They're just one of the millions of American families whose lives could be transformed if a child poverty proposal passes in Washington.

On Point

03:509 hours ago

A woman with a child carries a box of food assistance she received from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. (Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Congress Could Lift Millions Of Children Out Of Poverty. Will Politics Get In The Way?

We compare plans to cut child poverty. Even if the issue has bipartisan support, will politics get in the way of solutions that could help millions of American children?

On Point

47:31Mar 2, 2021

Nursing home residents make a line for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, a nursing home facility. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

Rethinking How We Approach Long-Term Care In The U.S.

Nursing homes in crisis. Is it time to rethink how they work? We talk about alternative models for nursing homes and how to build a better long-term care system in...

On Point

47:32Mar 1, 2021

Concertina razor wire tops the 8-foot "non-scalable" fence that surrounds the U.S. Capitol on the day after the House voted to impeach former President Trump for the second time. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Threat At Home: How The U.S. Will Confront Domestic Terrorism

After decades fighting an international war on terrorism, the U.S. turns its attention home. What will a battle against domestic terrorism look like?

On Point

47:20Feb 26, 2021

Health care workers at Brooklyn's Kings County Hospital show their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, Thursday, June 4, 2020 in New York during the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Using 'Systems Thinking' To Make Sense Of The World, From Pandemics To Politics

To solve a puzzle, you never just look at one piece of it. So why do we try to tackle the most complex problems of modern life in such a...

On Point

47:22Feb 25, 2021

Facebook is displayed on Apple's App Store. (AP Photo/Amr Alfiky)

Why Facebook Turned Off The News In Australia

Facebook hits delete on the news in Australia in response to regulation. Should the platform hold this level of power? And what could the standoff mean for journalism on social...

On Point

47:31Feb 24, 2021

People are seen social distancing in Brooklyn. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

From Variants To Vaccines: The Future Of COVID-19

New COVID variant cases are rising in the United States, waits for the vaccine are long, and most of us just want to know -- how will this pandemic end?

On Point

47:19Feb 23, 2021

The chamber of the House of Representatives in January at the Capitol in Washington. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

What's Behind The Push To Revive Congressional Earmarks

House Democrats are planning to revive earmarking, a process that will allow legislators to direct federal spending to their districts. We consider whether it can help break the gridlock in...

On Point

46:42Feb 22, 2021

Power lines are shown in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

How Texas's Power Grid Failed

Texas is the biggest energy producing state in the U.S. But this week’s frigid weather crashed the system. So what happened?

On Point

46:45Feb 19, 2021

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC on Jan. 6, 2021. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Radio Diary: Insurrection And A Viral Moment That Brought These D.C. Residents Together

"I hope in my lifetime I never see anything like that again, because D.C. is a welcoming, diverse place. We have our problems. ... But we respect each other."

On Point

04:24Feb 18, 2021

A field of flags is spread across the National Mall, with the Washington Monument in the background ahead of the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Inside The Push To Make Washington, D.C. The 51st State

More people live in Washington, D.C. than in Wyoming or Vermont. But without statehood, residents of D.C. have no voting member in Congress. We discuss the new push to make...

On Point

47:25Feb 18, 2021

Wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID19, elementary school students walk to classes to begin their school day in Godley, Texas. (LM Otero/AP)

What The Science Says About How To Reopen Schools

While some large school districts reopen for in-person learning, some say we’re not ready. Will new guidance from the CDC change the conversation?

On Point

47:04Feb 17, 2021

Voters cast their ballots under a giant mural at Robious Elementary school on Election Day, in Midlothian, Va., Tuesday Nov. 3, 2020. (Steve Helber/AP)

The Battle For The Ballot

Some Republicans oppose liberalizing access to the ballot. They’re pushing legislation to restrict the right to vote as Democrats fight back. We discuss the battle for the ballot.

On Point

47:17Feb 16, 2021

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), comforts Rep. Susan Wild, (D-Penn.), while taking cover as protesters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

'These People Are Looking For Us': Rep. Susan Wild Reflects On Impeachment, Insurrection

Trump's impeachment trial is over, but images of the insurrection endure -- including a picture of Rep. Susan Wild lying on her back in the house gallery, being comforted by...

On Point

Feb 15, 2021

President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden in Washington. (Evan Vucci, File/AP Photo)

Trump's Acquittal: What It Means For The Republican Party

The Senate voted to acquit former President Donald Trump. We discuss what it means for the Republican Party and the nation.

On Point

47:17Feb 15, 2021

Times Square area near 42nd Street in New York City. This photo is circa 1920s. (AP Photo)

'People Will Bounce Back': How COVID-19 Parallels Past Pandemics

Clinical psychologist Steven Taylor discusses his book "The Psychology of Pandemics" and shares how the COVID-19 pandemic parallels past pandemics.

On Point

05:21Feb 12, 2021

Medical worker Margaret Watkins embraces co-worker Shelly Burke as part of their morning therapy, a family check in. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

How You're Doing: The Pandemic's Impact On Mental Health

A year of COVID, economic downturns and poisonous politics. So how are you doing? Really. We discuss the pandemic's impact on collective mental health.

On Point

47:24Feb 12, 2021

Izzy Galvan, 20, wears a face mask while visiting the Griffith Observatory overlooking downtown Los Angeles, Wednesday, July 15, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

'California Exodus': Why Are So Many People Leaving The Golden State?

The 'California exodus.' From big tech to everyday Americans, many are leaving California. What's driving the state's record low population growth?

On Point

47:15Feb 11, 2021

A server brings beverages to a group of people dining for lunch at Mother Anna’s in the North End. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Risk And COVID-19: Are We Talking About It All Wrong?

Did experts and leaders get the message right when the pandemic began? Are they getting it right now?

On Point

47:30Feb 10, 2021

BBC Newsday

Cash Bail: How Eliminating It Will Change The Criminal Justice System

Radio Diary: 'How Can All This Stress Be On One Person?'

Congress Could Lift Millions Of Children Out Of Poverty. Will Politics Get In The Way?

Rethinking How We Approach Long-Term Care In The U.S.

The Threat At Home: How The U.S. Will Confront Domestic Terrorism

Using 'Systems Thinking' To Make Sense Of The World, From Pandemics To Politics

Why Facebook Turned Off The News In Australia

From Variants To Vaccines: The Future Of COVID-19

What's Behind The Push To Revive Congressional Earmarks

How Texas's Power Grid Failed

Radio Diary: Insurrection And A Viral Moment That Brought These D.C. Residents Together

Inside The Push To Make Washington, D.C. The 51st State

What The Science Says About How To Reopen Schools

The Battle For The Ballot

'These People Are Looking For Us': Rep. Susan Wild Reflects On Impeachment, Insurrection

Trump's Acquittal: What It Means For The Republican Party

'People Will Bounce Back': How COVID-19 Parallels Past Pandemics

How You're Doing: The Pandemic's Impact On Mental Health

'California Exodus': Why Are So Many People Leaving The Golden State?

Risk And COVID-19: Are We Talking About It All Wrong?