prison reform
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76-Year-Old Black Woman Released From Prison Amid Pandemic, Sent Back for Missing Phone Calls While Taking a Class
Gwen Levi shouldn't have had to go back to prison over a petty violation.
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Two Black Men Who Spent Nearly 18 Years in a Michigan Prison for a Crime They Didn't Commit File $160 Million Lawsuit
It’s not always easy being a writer whose main focus is documenting racism and racial injustice in America. It’s a job that consistently requires the covering of sad and often infuriating stories. Among the hardest stories to cover are those that involve Black people spending years and even decades in prison for crimes they didn’t…
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'I Feel Like I'm Finna Die': Why Everyone in Alabama's Prison System Has a Death Sentence [Updated]
For a portion of his 22 years, Bernard Jemison has been incarcerated at Kilby Correctional Facility, a maximum-security penitentiary located just outside of Montgomery, Ala. According to Alabama Department of Corrections documents reviewed by The Root, in September, 1031 men were housed in a prison designed to hold 440 men, an occupancy rate of 234…
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'If Black Lives Matter, What Are You Doing About Detroit Pistons Owner Tom Gores?': Advocacy Group Calls Out NBA In Full-Page Newspaper Ad
If you cracked open the New York Times on Sunday, you might’ve been greeted by the following full-page ad: “If Black Lives Matter, what are you doing about Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores?” That’s a hell of a question. And if you ask Worth Rises, a New York-based non-profit that would love nothing more than…
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New Los Angeles District Attorney Announces Plans to End Cash Bail, Office Will No Longer Seek the Death Penalty
Newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced plans to enact sweeping reforms— including ending cash bail and the death penalty—while being sworn in on Tuesday. According to CNN, Gascón’s plan to immediately end cash bail for specific crimes could see hundreds of currently incarcerated people released as soon as tomorrow. While these releases…
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Pope Francis Shouts Out NBA Players for Their Work in Addressing Racial Injustice: 'You're Champions'
When the NBA made its triumphant return in July after COVID-19 tried its best to steal our joy, it looked like nothing we’d ever seen before. Not only were there virtual fans in the stands, but players were adorned in “VOTE” t-shirts, “Black Lives Matter” was etched onto the court and coaches and players alike…
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New Jersey Releases More Than 2,200 Incarcerated People Under New Public Health Law
Considering all we know about COVID-19, it’s incredibly obvious that the conditions in American prisons aren’t exactly the best for mitigating the spread of the virus. To address this clear problem, New Jersey has released over 2,200 incarcerated people under a recently passed law. According to CNN, the law is the first of its kind…
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63-Year-Old Black Man Granted Parole After Spending Nearly 24 Years in Louisiana Prison for Stealing Hedge Clippers
In August, The Root reported that 63-year-old Fair Wayne Bryant—who was given a life sentence for stealing a pair of hedge clippers in Shreveport, La., more than 20 years ago—was denied a request to have his sentence reviewed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Since Bryant had already spent much of his adult life behind bars…
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Maya Moore Announces Marriage to Jonathan Irons, Who She Helped Free From Wrongful Conviction
When Maya Moore decided to step away from the WNBA in 2019 in order to fight for criminal justice reform, little did we know she was also fighting for love. On Wednesday, the WNBA superstar announced on Good Morning America that Jonathan Irons, who she helped to regain his freedom after serving 22 years for…