Verité’s Post

NO SLAVERY. NO EXCEPTIONS. Slavery is an evil that has loomed over our nation since its founding. Passed in 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is celebrated for abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. However, to the surprise of many, the 13th Amendment includes an exception clause that has been understood throughout history to allow slavery and involuntary servitude to be used as punishment for crime. During Reconstruction, this understanding encouraged the criminalization, incarceration, and re-enslavement of Black people. Still today, more than 150 years later, people who are incarcerated and detained across our country are disproportionately Black and brown and forced to work for pennies an hour to no pay at all under the threat of additional punitive measures, such as the loss of family visits and solitary confinement. It’s time to unequivocally make the evils of slavery and involuntary servitude history, once and for all. We must pass the Abolition Amendment — sponsored by Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) and Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05) — to end the exception!

The United States can and must learn from the failure of mass incarceration. A new book, Excessive Punishment, explores the alternatives to and lessons from an overly harsh justice system:

In their latest report, 'One in Five,' The Sentencing Project lays bare the stark realities of how mass incarceration exacerbates inequality and undermines public safety. It's crucial that we listen to those with lived experiences within the justice system to truly understand and address these issues. Initiatives like @TheMarshallProject and @PrisonJournalismProject are essential in bringing these stories to light. Let's engage with these perspectives to drive meaningful reform. #CriminalJusticeReform #InequalityInJustice

No amount of bias training is going to repair the harm that has been caused and continues to be caused by the criminal legal system. A system designed to criminalize and cage people based on their skin color, cannot fix that harm simply by "calling balls and strikes" with less bias. Much, much more is needed. This is why we launched our Judicial Accountability Initiative and will continue to politicize the people to demand reparations from the judiciary - it must acknowledge the harm it played an outsized role in causing, repair that harm by implementing reparative policies, and most importantly, STOP the harm by no longer cosigning the disproportionate prosecution of people of color. It has the power to do all of these things because it is supposed to be a check on and balance to the executive branch. As Chairman Fred Hampton said "The people have to have the power—it belongs to the people." The people demand more. #BlackHistoryMonth #ReimagineAndRemakeJustice

In a recent Dezeen article, Principals and Justice+Civic Planning Leaders Lori Coppenrath, ACA, NOMA, and Marayca Lopez i Ferrer, PhD, LLB, are addressing one of America's most pressing issues: mass incarceration. https://lnkd.in/euQUvwFm   #InnovativeDesign #IntegratedDesign

Folks, I know the election is monopolizing all your attention--and maybe in not-so-healthy ways--but you can stop doom scrolling and read about something else that's really important, the problem of mass incarceration in America. Kevin Smith (U of Nebraska, Lincoln) has a new book, publishing today, THE JAILER'S RECKONING: HOW MASS INCARCERATION IS DAMAGING AMIERCA. The United States incarcerates more people than any other industrial democracy in the world. We have more ex-prisoners than the entire population of Ireland and more people with felony records than the populations of Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, and Liberia combined. Why did the United States become the world's biggest jailer? And, just as important, what has it done to us? What are the costs -- social, economic, and political, of having the world's largest population of ex-prisoners? And what can we do about it? Rowman & Littlefield Bloomsbury USA #massincarceration #prison #politicalscience #criminaljustice #

Justice delayed is justice denied It’s deeply troubling to see children as young as 10 jailed, especially as the Northern Territory moves to lower the age of criminal responsibility. Every day, I witness mothers pleading to have their children back in their care. Our “civilized” leaders seem to believe that incarceration is a solution, but it only breeds a cycle of lifelong criminalization. We need to wake up and listen to these mothers—often without the language or network to be heard—who are crying out for help. Let’s strive for support, not punishment, and ensure these young lives have a real chance for a positive future. Our state is contemplating to move to 12 years? Do these decision makers have children? Australia Jailing Children as Young as 10 Northern Territory Lowers Age of Criminal Responsibility Annabel Hennessy , Australia Researcher Last week, Australia’s new government in Northern Territory passed legislation lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10 years. This allows the territory to incarcerate 10-year-olds, a serious regression of children’s rights. https://lnkd.in/gPne6shC

When it comes to raising awareness about mass incarceration, there are two women who have brought this issue into the mainstream conversation.  – Ava DuVernay and Michelle Alexander – 🎬 Ava’s Oscar-nominated, Emmy Award-winning documentary, ‘13th’ takes an in-depth look at the United States prison industrial complex through the lens of slavery.  The 13th Amendment was meant to abolish slavery. Yet, ongoing incarceration practices – that specifically impact Black, brown, indigenous, and low-income folks – have carved a deeply prejudiced, constitutional loophole. These systems effectively criminalize citizens of color and poor people – with a distinct bias towards Black Americans – keeping the cycle of slavery alive. 📖 Michelle was featured in this documentary, for her continued activism around decarceration. In her book, ‘The New Jim Crow’, Michelle details how the ‘War on Drugs’ is utilized as a tool for discrimination and oppression. She connects the dots between being born Black in America, government policies, and the for-profit prison system, to a “stunningly comprehensive and well-disguised system of racialized social control that functions in a manner strikingly similar to Jim Crow." So in honor of Women’s History Month, we want to thank these two incredible activists for their work in exposing the dangers of racial caste systems and mass incarceration.  If you haven’t yet watched or read their work, we’ve included links in the comments. #WomensHistoryMonth #13th #TheNewJimCrow #BlackWomenLead

"Following a massive, four-decade-long buildup of incarceration disproportionately impacting people of color, a growing reform movement has made important inroads. The 21st century has witnessed progress both in reducing the U.S. prison population and its racial and ethnic disparities. The total prison population has declined by 25% after reaching its peak level in 2009. While all major racial and ethnic groups experienced decarceration, the Black prison population has downsized the most. The number of imprisoned Black Americans decreased 39% since its peak in 2002. Despite this progress, imprisonment levels remain too high nationwide, particularly for Black Americans." Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g9zR8273

Orijin applauds the incredible efforts to improve visitation rights for incarcerated individuals and their families! Read this article to learn about legislative efforts aimed to make visitation more accessible, affordable, and humane, recognizing it as a critical component of rehabilitation and support for justice-impacted individuals. At Orijin™, we stand firm in our belief that justice-impacted individuals deserve free access to education and communication. Every step toward more humane visitation policies is a step toward a more just and compassionate system. We are inspired by the advocacy and resilience of families like the Suares, and we remain committed to supporting these essential reforms. #FamilyUnity #VisitationRights #CriminalJusticeReform #OrijinImpact