John,
Today, The Sentencing Project released a new report: “One in Five: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety.” This report, the final installment in the “One in Five” series, examines numerous criminal legal laws and policies – such as fines, fees, predatory pricing, exploitative wages, collateral consequences, and the diversion of effective investments in public safety – that exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities.
Certain regulations intensify the marginalization of justice-involved people – who are disproportionately people of color – by wearing down economic and social buffers against crime and increasing the likelihood of police contact. States and local jurisdictions have initiated promising reforms that reduce the harms of criminal convictions and redirect resources to more effective interventions. Policymakers and practitioners must protect and expand these reforms to help reduce the burden on those who, in many cases, are already at a socioeconomic disadvantage. |
The complete “One in Five” series from The Sentencing Project offers a comprehensive look at racial inequities within America’s criminal legal system and highlights reforms that have helped to mitigate these sources of disparity. Check out the rest of the reports here. |
