"Poverty often sends people to jail, and poverty often greets them once they get out."
AUGUST 28, 2022
by The Independent
It’s time to think way bigger when it comes to criminal justice reform.
All of the forces that taint mass incarceration in the US – disproportionate impacts on the poor and people of color, wasted resources, a culture of stigmatisation and degradation – these dark marks don’t end at the jailhouse gate. In fact, for many formerly incarcerated people, the end of their prison sentence is just the beginning.
Thousands of laws around the country implicitly or explicitly discriminate against formerly incarcerated people. These barriers make living after prison its own kind of death sentence, disconnecting people from the necessities of full participation in society.
As we have reported at The Independent, “clean slate” laws that automatically clear old convictions are giving thousands of people a fresh start as they look for jobs and housing.
It’s why The Independent has committed to reporting on progressive new approaches to criminal justice, rehabilitation, and conscious business practices, topics we will explore in-depth this May and beyond as the official media partner of the 2022 American Workforce and Justice Summit.
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