Innocence in capital crimes is a pervasive problem further perpetuated by racism, implicit bias, and the presumption of guilt. Policymakers, states, and voters must confront these disparities and prioritize the death penalty’s abolition.
The Public Purpose
The Graduate Journal of American University's School of Public Affairs
Incarceration
The People’s Response Act: Can We Reimagine Public Safety?
Most Americans do not expect the criminal justice system to prevent crime and ensure a fair administration of justice. If we want to build safer communities and trust in our justice system, the People’s Response Act offers a way forward.
COVID-19 Exposes Inhumanity in the Social Justice System
COVID-19 has and continues to impact each of us differently; however, the pandemic has further revealed how the United States has continuously failed to address the country's disparities. COVID-19 has shown Americans that minority communities are the most...
Private Prisons: Profiting from Families, Controlling Inmates’ Fates
While we've heard plenty about Big Oil, the gun lobby, and Big Pharma throughout this 2016 Presidential race, few have been talking about another highly influential industry: private prisons. According to ProPublica, private prisons in the United States grew by 37%...
A Glance at America’s Incarceration Problem: Culprits, Costs and Responses
If someone asked you to name the place with the highest incarceration rate on Earth, what answer would you give? Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba? In fact, the United States outranks all of these authoritarian regimes in the number of citizens imprisoned per capita....
Time to End Felon Disenfranchisement
“Nearly 6 million American citizens weren't able to vote in the 2014 midterm elections due to their criminal records.”Vox “There are more felons barred from voting for Senate in Georgia than there will be voters in Alaska” The Washington Post Felon disenfranchisement...