mass incarceration
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Alabama Man Finally to Go Free After Spending 36 Years in Prison for Robbing a Bakery of About $50
When criminal-justice reform advocates speak of the ills of policies like “three strikes” laws that mandate long prison sentences for even the most minor of crimes for repeat offenders, the story of Alvin Kennard may just come to mind. Kennard has spent more than half his life in prison, 36 years to be exact, for…
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Late Charge: Judge Says Prosecutors’ Demand to Free ‘Innocent’ Man Jailed for Murder Comes 24 Years Too Late
Despite overwhelming evidence by prosecutors that a man sitting in a Missouri prison was wrongfully convicted of murder, a judge has denied a bid for a new trial saying, essentially, that the request comes 24 years too late. Twenty-four years is how long Lamar Johnson has been trapped in prison for what even prosecutors say…
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It’s ‘Racial’: Illinois Prison Banned Books on Black History and Empowerment From Inmate Program
Some 3 out of every 4 inmates in Illinois prisons are black, yet, an Illinois prison banned an inmate education program from using books discussing black history or empowerment due to their “racial” content. Now, prison officials are apologizing and pledging to overhaul their review system, according to the Chicago Tribune, but not before officials…
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She’s Married Now: Cyntoia Brown Got Hitched to Christian Rapper J. Long Behind Bars—Via a Stand-In
Cyntoia Brown came home after spending 15 years in prison for killing a man to a brand new life of freedom—and a new husband. Tennessee prison officials confirm that Brown got married while still behind bars to Christian rapper J. Long, the Tennessean reports. Not surprisingly, theirs was no conventional ceremony. The bride was married…
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Swedish Judge Deems A$AP Rocky a Flight Risk, Rapper Ordered to Stay in Jail for 3rd Week
A$AP Rocky will spend at least three weeks in a Swedish jail before being charged with a crime. As TMZ reports, a judge ordered the rapper, born Rakim Mayers, to stay in jail an additional week as prosecutors continue their investigation into a fight that took place between Rocky, his entourage, and two men in…
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T.I., the Central Park Five, and Ebenezer Baptist Church Kick Off Summit to End Mass Incarceration
Anyone who thinks the black church is a bygone relic with no relevance to the social justice struggles of today may need to reassess. “The church” is obviously not a monolith and is taking on everything from mental illness and HIV/AIDS to voter suppression and mass incarceration. In that vein, Rev. Raphael Warnock and the…
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91 Percent of Inmates Freed by First Step Act Were Black. Should We Give Republicans Credit?
As soon as the U.S. Sentencing Commission released its new report on the effects of criminal justice legislation promoted by Jared Kushner, introduced by Republicans and signed by Donald Trump, the GOP immediately began taking credit. Trump will undoubtedly count the report showing that the First Step Act significantly reduced the sentences of more than…
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When They See Us Is the Haunting Masterpiece the Central Park Five Deserve
After watching Netflix’s upcoming miniseries When They See Us ahead of its release, here are five observations. 1. While the tragic tale of the Central Park Five is at least vaguely familiar to most, this miniseries does an exceptional job of exploring the myriad of ways in which Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, Yusef…
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Philadelphia DA Accuses Judge of Bias, Says Meek Mill Should Get New Trial
Meek Mill’s legal woes have not only been lengthy, but have provided a textbook example of just how deeply flawed our criminal justice system is. But after years of bad news, the Maybach Music signee might finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. USA Today reports that on Wednesday, Philadelphia District…
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'Ex-Con,' 'Ex-Offender' and 'Ex-Inmate' Are Words That Reduce Millions to Stereotype
For those with criminal backgrounds, who decides when they get to be human again? text When President Donald Trump signed the recent First Step Act into law, many people considered it to be the most important criminal justice reform measure in years. I’ve followed the legislation with some interest because I served a sentence in…