FWD.us’ Post

🚀 Support Meaningful Criminal Justice Reform in New York🚀 I'm calling on employers and advocacy organizations to join the movement for impactful change by supporting two critical bills championed by FWD.us: The Earned Time Act and The Second Look Act These legislative initiatives provide meaningful incentives for incarcerated New Yorkers to participate in vocational and educational programs. This not only reduces recidivism but also contributes to the safety and well-being of our communities, both inside and outside of prison walls. 🔹 The Earned Time Act: Encourages personal development and rehabilitation by allowing incarcerated individuals to earn reduced sentences through active participation in educational and vocational programs. 🔹 The Second Look Act: Offers a chance for reconsideration of sentences after a significant period, promoting fairness and a second chance for those who have shown genuine reform. Reach out directly for more information! #CriminalJusticeReform #SupportTheEarnedTimeAct #SupportTheSecondLookAct #ReduceRecidivism #CommunitySafety #FWDUS

The reinstatement of Pell Grants for incarcerated learners marks a significant shift, providing greater access to postsecondary education within prisons. This move not only opens doors for educational opportunities but also has the potential to reshape our understanding of these pursuits. Click to learn more about how advocating for #HigherEdinPrison at the state level can bring positive impacts to both incarcerated learners and the general public. #AscendiumEP

Check out the piece below if you want to know more about how Ashley Parker and I are working to support the return and expansion of higher ed in prison to public systems.

JustMedia’s new curriculum guides critical conversations about the criminal justice system, accompanying Deanna Van Buren’s TED Talk envisioning a world without prisons. Designed for a 1-hour classroom lesson or workshop, the toolkit builds an understanding of the impacts of mass incarceration, particularly on communities of color. First-person narratives and data unpack the roots of systemic racism in policing and prisons. Discussion questions encourage reimagining justice. Explore the Mass Incarceration Curriculum and transform perspectives on reform: https://lnkd.in/g4DT2ESq

‘Transformative’: More college programs are slowly coming into prisons. Officials from state corrections agencies in Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin report that since Pell grants became available, more colleges and universities have shown interest in establishing prison education programs. Since last summer, 44 state corrections agencies and the federal Bureau of Prisons have developed systems to approve these programs, according to the Vera Institute of Justice. Read more: https://ow.ly/2XER50Sqb0g #PrisonEducation #HigherEducation #CriminalJusticeReform #STEMOPS #Innovation #EducationDevelopment #sySTEMImpactedpodcast #advocacy #STEMeducation #STEMcareers #equityineducation #reentry #formerlyincarcerated #mentoring #hope #rehabilitation #reintegration #lifeafterprison #secondchancesprograms #opportunity #empowerment #hopeforchange #breakingthecycle #transformativejustice #socialjustice #equity

Companies are in business to make money. The prison industrial-complex is made up of a broad range of corporations. This system reaches into most of our lives. Many of those incarcerated work in agriculture or manufacturing for extremely little pay producing food, household items and clothing from furniture and mattresses to lingerie and solar panels. You could unknowingly have these products at your home. The justice system in conjunction with prisons, banks and a large number of other businesses benefit from the imprisonment of individuals, mostly from historically marginalized communities of color. Banks offer prison stocks on the global market to stockholders who expect a return on their investment. They also play a major role in the bail bond system. Some prisons dangle “low turnover rates” to businesses that want a stable and cheap workforce. Unfortunately, most of these companies will not hire individuals with a felony conviction even though during their incarceration these individuals worked for them. The justice and the prison industrial-complex systems impact frontline communities in disproportionate and destructive ways keeping them economically, environmentally and educationally vulnerable. The lack of family and community cohesiveness, due to high incarceration and recidivism rates, make it hard to create safe, healthy, thriving, and sustainable community environments. Additionally, trying to build community capacity to prepare and respond to climate change events and crises is challenging for many communities. It certainly takes another major toll on the health and wellbeing of families and communities with high mobility to and from jails, detention centers and prisons. It is time for equitable decision-making, treatment, access, accountability and justice. We all have to take responsibility for our shared future. #economicjustice #communityhealth #prisons #justiceequity #climateaction #economicempowerment #climatechange #communityimpact #educationalequity #communitybuilding #communityaction #climatejustice

🔓📚 Education in prisons plays a crucial role in transforming lives. It offers inmates a beacon of hope and empowerment, guiding them towards self-improvement and successful reintegration into society. By providing access to academic courses, vocational training, and skill development programs, we equip individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to rebuild their lives and enhance their employment prospects upon release. Education serves as a catalyst for personal growth, instilling a sense of purpose and self-worth. It not only imparts practical skills but also instills values, resilience, and a commitment to a brighter future. By investing in education within the prison system, we not only support individual rehabilitation but also contribute to the creation of responsible, informed citizens prepared for a successful life beyond bars. Want to learn more about the transformative impact of education in prisons? Check out the first comment! Join us in our mission to break the cycle of recidivism and create a brighter future for individuals in the prison system. Together, we can make a difference. 💪🌟 #EducationInPrisons #BreakingTheCycle #Empowerment

Accessibility continues to be a critical and urgent issue in the field of higher education in prison, as nearly two in every five people who are incarcerated have at least one disability. In light of the restoration of federal Pell grant funding for students who are incarcerated, Ess Pokornowski and K.M. Begian-Lewis unpack the current landscape of research on #disability and #accessibility in higher education in prisons and discuss interventions. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eFiNbg8W

Let's talk about re-entry program. So, I have seen that 2023 DOJ had awarded 11M for about 13 programs that average 300 people per a program that they can helped so roughly 3900 they can help. Does it sound right to you? So, every year we have these competitions for grants that we can only help 3900 families hopefully they all succeed. How many prison populations today? By 2023 statistics about 1.8M as 500%!? Average every year 600k released from prisons. If the program could only help 3900 people for a year and roughly $750k average funding, how much longer can we catch up? #re-entry

The reinstatement of #PellGrant eligibility for students who are incarcerated opens access to postsecondary education for 767,000 people in prisons and other corrections facilities. JFF will soon launch its Normalizing Education Resource Center to ensure educators and corrections professionals have open access to tools and guides to help build high-quality programs. Sign up now to be notified when resources are available: https://lnkd.in/dNxQ7Hfk #prisoneducation #NormalizingOpportunity #NormalizingEducation