Working with the Formerly Incarcerated

dismantling the criminal justice system by working with the formerly incarcerated.

by paige sweetman

restorative justice

Restorative justice uses an alternative way of thinking by approaching aspects of the criminal legal system, usch as rehabilitation, crime prevention and deterence, and incarceration. It works to move away from the criminal legal system as we know it to focus on a more positive form of rehabilitation.

It also works to focus on the harm that the criminal legal system has caused and the impact of crime on victims and society. Restorative justice looks to hold those who have caused harm accountable for their actions.

the goals of this project

The goal of this project is to recognize that incarceration is imbedded in our criminal legal system, but working to fix the harm that it has done.

While transformative justice avoids supporting the system, this idea looks to understand the damages that the criminal legal system causes, and working with those impacted by it to better the community and help others.

community support

community bail funds

Organizations across the nation are working to release those sitting in prison awaiting their trial date because they cannot afford their bond. Posting bail for others is one way that we are able to work with the system in an attempt to dismantle it.

people's budget

By reallocating funds or emphasizing the idea of the people's budget, we can start to change the system to represent what is truly important to the community and those who are impacted by these actions. Looking into defunding, devesting, or redirecting funds can have a tremendous outcome on crime before it happens rather than just reacting to it.

courtwatching

Courtwatching encourgages individuals to observe, learn, share, and organize. There are groups across the nation who focus on observing trials and court cases. This holds the judges and others in the room accountable for their actions while supporting the individual being placed on trial.

Programs that are already working with others.

Paradigm Shift

Adam Procell and Shannon Ross, the founders of this program, are both formerly incarcerated individuals working to make life easier for those who are experiencing reentry and for those impacted by the criminal legal system. Paradigm shift works to provide reentry resources and to educate the formerly incarcerated on how they can better their lives or simply what they may need to succeed in life. This program does not support prisons, but it helps to support those who have been convicted and forced into the corrupt and cruel system that is our legal system.

https://paradigmshyft.org

Adam Procell

Adam Procell spent a little less than a quarter of a decade incarcerated for first degree intentional homicide and gang related activity, which he was sentenced to life for. While incarcerated, he wrote a book about gang activity and made reforms in his life to be eligible for early release. He currently is an adjunct professor at Marquette University where he teachers inmates at RCI and Marquette students about his experiences and how to change the outcomes for others in a similar position. He is currently the founder of many programs and groups and has worked to have at least one bill passed. He works with DA's, lawyers, professors, and law enforcment to better their understanding of the incarcerated and the formerly incarcerated.

Shannon Ross

After being sentenced to 17 years in prison at age 19 for a violent crime, Shannon Ross made efforts to improve his life and work towards a positive outcome for himself and his career post reentry. He currently works in colaboration with Adam Procell as they are both creating new policies in Milwaukee and working to support those impacted by incarceration. While incarcerated, he began writing a newsletter, starting off his reformation and reentry work. Together, they have created programs and groups that are actively being used to better the lives of those in similar positions to themselves, and others reentering society after incarceration.

The Common Justice Program

Common Justice works to "transform the lives of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration." This program works to help the formerly incarcerated to better their lives and aims to educate others to understand the importance of thier support.

They provide blogs and articles with beneficial information to further educate people and to drive their purpose.

https://commonjustice.org

Community Warehouse

This is also known as "Partner's in Hope," and is a faith-based program. Works to, "...[help] willing men, women, and their families impacted by incarceration overcome social, economic, and criminal justice system barriers." This program seems extremely beneficial becasue it focuses on more than one area of concern.

https://thecommunitywarehouse.org

Both of these programs stood out because they recognize the idea that mass incarceration is an issue, but it is currently not going anywhere, so they provide resources for those impacted by it anyways.

Hope for Prisoners

This program works to inform the formerly incarcerated with resources that may help them find employment, reenter society, connect with family, and integrate into their community and/ or society again.

This is extremely beneficial because many programs focus their energy into one topic, which makes it difficult for people to use a variety of programs or resources with different purposes.

https://hopeforprisoners.org

"What is Restorative Justice and How Does it Impact Individuals Involved In Crime?"

This article helped educate me on the topic of restorative justice and its impact on the criminal legal system. It defined restorative justice as a radically different approach in comparison to "conventional criminal justice responses." Ut steers away from punishment of crimes and looks towards healing pracitces and preventative measures. This sepcific article allows the reader to reflect on the topic and their practices. By reading articles such as this, it allows the reader to better educate themselves about the toipic and learn the importance of alternative justice practices.

"Solutions to Violence: Creating Safety without Prisons or Police."

This was an articel that was foudn wtihin the common justice program. This article goes in debth about the effects of preventative measures and solutions to violence rather than purely responding to crimes and violence. Advocating fro alternate responses to violence can help to further educate individuals on how to dismantle the criminal legal system through proactive measures rather than continuing the use of our corrupt legal system right now. Continuing to educate youselves about topics such as this or related to this are extremely important in dismantling mass incarceration and the current responses to violence and crimes.

Correcting the Narrative

The community uses this perspective to break down stigmas and to reinvent people's perspective's on the formerly incarcerated. By educating people on lived experiences, publishing stories, and openly communicating the needs of these individuals, as well as raising awareness on the topic all work towards "correcting the narrative" and breaking down stigmas about those who have faced incarceration.

TJ final project.pdf

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