A recent NPR report examines why the release of millions of pages of federal investigative files has not led to new criminal charges. Prosecutors point to familiar constraints, including evidentiary thresholds, statutes of limitations, and the difficulty of building cases that meet the burden required in court.

As Diane Goldstein of Law Enforcement Action Partnership notes, “If you don't have a legitimate police investigation to start, you're not going to get any type of criminal filing.” Her observation reflects a core challenge: even extensive documentation cannot substitute for the procedural and evidentiary foundations required to move a case forward.

The gap between public disclosure and legal accountability highlights a broader structural dynamic. Transparency can surface patterns and raise awareness, but without clear investigative pathways, its impact remains constrained.

Read the article here.