For those of you who don’t know, Carl is our resident horse’s mouth when it comes to the criminal justice system in America. Few people can talk about it like those who have been through it. And few people are more qualified to talk about how badly it needs to be reformed like those who…
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As its name suggests, the first real steps taken in a long time toward making recidivism a thing of the past happened earlier this year with the passage of the FIRST Step Act. This landmark legislation righted some terrible wrongs within our criminal justice system of the past. Indeed, some 500 inmates have already secured…
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The school to prison pipeline is threatening the fabric of our American society by placing an emphasis on juveniles entering into the criminal justice system for minor offenses. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund depicts the pipeline as “funneling of students out of school and into the streets…
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There’s an old saying that all of our problems come down to education. Ultimately, education is what frees us as people. From it, we learn that some foods are better to eat for our overall health than others. We learn how money can improve our daily life. We learn how to better raise our children.…
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One of the biggest debates over criminal justice reform in the United States has been about the culture and goals of our prison system. The form something takes is, in many ways, shaped by its goal. As such, when we make the goal of our prison system to simply punish people for wrongdoing, they tend…
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Recently, we wrote about the FIRST STEP Act — the basics of what it is, why it’s necessary, and how it can be a major game changer in the fight to stop recidivism in the United States. Indeed, recidivism is a huge issue in America, and we have to work harder to help educate our friends and…
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HBO recently released a film on its channel, O.G. Starring Jeffrey Wright, of Westworld, and directed by Madeleine Sackler, O.G. is about an older man whose done over 20 years in prison and is about to be released back into the world. The film was shot in an actual prison, Pendleton Correctional Facility – a…
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When talking about incarceration rates in the United States, the conversation will likely come as a surprise. One of the most core American values is individual freedom. It’s referenced heavily in the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and in the writings of all of the Founding Fathers. Liberty is one of the most critical…
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Two Different Standards While growing up, I had to learn unofficial rules that my white male counterparts did not have to worry about. While they were worrying about acne breakouts, girls, learning to drive, and moving up (or down) the social hierarchy of their school, I was stressing about more serious matters. Matters that have…
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The Rehabilitation Experience: My First Prison Visit I remember my first day getting a contact visit in prison. This gorgeous woman, inside and out, came to visit me. I hugged her and didn’t want to let go. This beautiful soul drove eight hours to come to see little ol’ me. Yes, you read that right,…
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