Every year, advocates and lawmakers work to advance policies to challenge mass incarceration and collateral consequences.
This webinar highlighted successful efforts to scale back collateral consequences and challenge racial disparity in state sentencing policy, including state activity in New Jersey to address racial disparities, a recent victory in Missouri authorizing a “ban the box” fair chance hiring policy, and a coalition effort to expand expungement for certain felony convictions in Kentucky.
The webinar slides are available here, and a video recording can be viewed below and here.
Presenters:
Patty Berger, Second Chance Coalition and Let’s Start, Missouri
Rev. Charles Boyer, AME Minister’s Coalition 4 Redemption & Justice, New Jersey
Ed Monahan, Department of Public Advocacy, Kentucky
African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons across the country at more than five times the rate of whites, and at least ten times the rate in five states. This report documents the rates of incarceration for whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in each state, identifies three contributors to racial and ethnic disparities in imprisonment, and provides recommendations for reform.
Justice organizations urge the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia to pass Bill 4-0338, the Redefinition of Child Amendment Act of 2021 as a necessary, common sense approach to juvenile justice reform that will create better outcomes for youth and communities, will treat children as children, and will make significant steps forward in advancing racial equity.
