criminal justice reform

Common Sense Economics

Criminal Justice Reform

CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Goals of the Training

Differentiate myths from facts

Explain the history and growth of incarceration in the U.S.

Identify how the current system hurts the economy and workers of the criminal justice system

Articulate the unfairness of our current system focused on punishment and not on rehabilitation

Review the labor movement’s position on the issue

Take action


Definition of Mass Incarceration

Mass incarceration is a rate of imprisonment that is marked above the historical and comparative norm for societies of this type.

It is when imprisonments ceases to be the incarceration of individual offenders and becomes the systematic imprisonment of whole groups of the population.


AFL-CIO Position on Criminal Justice

Reform our criminal justice system that spends too much on punishment and not

enough to help people change, reintegrate and contribute to our society.

Oppose mandatory sentences for nonviolent crimes, end indiscriminate privatization of

correctional facilities.

Have restorative justice: job-training, education, probation and parole programs etc.

Make illegal drug use a public health issue.

Fully restore the rights of American citizenship for those who have served their time.


Introductions

Your name, and an endearing nickname people

gave you when were young, if you had one.

What have you heard about our criminal justice

system or the issue of mass incarceration?

and/or have you or someone close to you

experienced incarceration?


THE HUMAN GRAPH

United States vs. the World

Human Graph: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Statistic: The U.S. has 25% of the world’s prison population

United States vs. the World


United States Prison Population


Statistic: 60% of the incarcerated in the United States are

people of color

United States Prison Population


Workers of the Criminal Justice System


Statistic: 44% of correctional officers reported symptoms

of PTSD and also reported higher levels of depression,

sleep difficulty and memory impairment

Imprisonment of People with Health Issues


Statistic: 56% of the United States prison population was

found to have mental health issues

Disenfranchisement


Statistic: 40% of formerly incarcerated Black males will permanently lose

their right to vote

Disenfranchisement


Common Sense Economics on Criminal Justice Reform

THE RISE OF MASS INCARCERATION

The Rise of Mass Incarceration: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Activity

The Rise of Mass Incarceation: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

If we recognize mass incarceration as a form of

systemic oppression and domination, please share a

story about a time you felt the rules, norms of society

or laws left you feeling oppressed, dominated or

restricted (i.e. restricted your social or economic

opportunities).

THE HUMAN SIDE OF MASS INCARCERATION

The Human Side of Mass Incarceration: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Activity


Please brainstorm a list of solutions to the problems the person or

community in your scenario is facing. Think creatively and from any

perspective you want!

What can the individual facing the challenges do to improve the

situation?

What can the local community do to improve the situation?

What can the local labor unions do to improve the situation?

What type of legislation can be passed to fix the problem?

MASS INCARCERATION & THE ECONOMY

Mass Incarceration & the Economy: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Mass

Incarceration

Only works for

Greedy

Corporations

Bad policy promoted by greedy corporations and allies

Investment in punishment and prison privatization

Unfair criminal justice system

KeepUnemployment

and poverty high

Communities incarcerated, divided, poor, disenfranchised

Overcrowded prisons create unsafe working conditions

Mass Incarceration is a vicious cycle


Corporate Agenda + Big Money = Bad Policy


ALEC /

GEO / CCA

We need a fair Criminal Justice System

A

Virtuous

Cycle

No incentives for profiteers

Invest in Education and Rehabilitation

Fight poverty

Pass Fair Laws

Strong communities

Safe working conditions in prisons


Discussion

What can the labor

movement do dismantle the

economic systems that

continue the cycle of

incarceration?


We can light a

path to a fair

criminal

justice system

and end mass

incarceration

We can light a path

to a fair criminal

justice system and

end mass

incarceration


AFL-CIO POSITION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE

AFL-CIO Position on Criminal Justice: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

The AFL-CIO Fights to:


Reform our criminal justice system that spends too

much on punishment and not enough to help

people change, reintegrate and contribute to our

society.

Oppose mandatory sentences for nonviolent

crimes, end indiscriminate privatization of

correctional facilities.

Have restorative justice: job-training, education,

probation and parole programs etc.

Make illegal drug use a public health issue.

Fully restore the rights of American citizenship for

those who have served their time.

AFL-CIO Position on Criminal Justice: CSE Criminal Justice Reform

Text JUSTICE to 235246

John Legend and the Purdy Women’s Visit: CSE Criminal Justice Reform