We already know that the American criminal justice system perpetuates racial and economic inequality — but now we can put a dollar amount to it. Our new report shows the staggering numbers and how dire the consequences are to people’s lives. People who have spent time in prison see their subsequent annual earnings reduced by an average of 52 percent, translating to an loss of nearly $500,000 over a lifetime just because of incarceration. Even a misdemeanor has lasting economic consequences, with annual earnings after conviction reduced by an average of 16 percent. And while white people who have a prison record see their earnings trend upward over time, Black and Latino people experience a relatively flat earnings trajectory. Because Black and Latino people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, these effects are concentrated in their communities and exacerbate the racial wealth gap.

There are a number of policy changes that could help stop conviction and incarceration from trapping people in poverty. But most importantly, we must end mass incarceration. It’s not just an economic imperative, it’s a moral one.

Near-unanimity is a persistent feature of Black voting behavior. From 1964 to 2008, an average of 88 percent of Black votes went to the Democratic presidential nominee, and in the last three presidential elections, this number increased to 93 percent. But it’s not an innate characteristic of Black Americans — it’s a reaction to the racial polarization that has always infected American politics. In the New York Times Magazine, Theodore Johnson weaves together personal experience and American history to demonstrate how Black voters are canaries in the democratic coal mine.

We need transformational change in order to fix policing. Ronald Davis, former police chief and executive director of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, recently shared, “After 30 years in local law enforcement trying to reform it, I would frankly say we cannot reform our current system.” Read his remarks from a recent public discussion on defunding the police, what community-driven policing looks like, and how reallocation of government funds can improve community-led public safety strategies.

The Justice Department revealed last week that it’s trying to replace Trump’s personal lawyers to defend him against a defamation lawsuit. According to Brennan Center Fellow Zachary Roth, it’s the latest example of how Trump has undermined the traditional independence of the department, turning it from a largely apolitical law enforcement agency to a taxpayer-funded law firm representing the president’s political and personal interests. The systemic damage that Trump has done by politicizing the government is profound and extensive.

In the United States, martial law usually refers to a power that, in an emergency, allows the military to take the place of the civilian government and exercise jurisdiction over civilians. Yet the concept has no established definition. Throughout history, different people have used the term to describe a wide variety of actions, practices, or roles for the military. The law governing it is complicated, but this explainer breaks it down.

The Fight to Vote
Thursday, September 24 | 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. EDT | This is a virtual event.
Experts warn that Covid-19 will make it harder for millions of Americans to vote this November. But the public health crisis is hardly the only cause of this: intensified voter suppression efforts have been enacted over the past decade, creating barriers to the polls that often target people of color. In this virtual conversation, Emory University professor Carol Anderson and the Brennan Center’s Theodore R. Johnson will discuss how communities, activists, and organizations are leading the fight to protect the vote — and what’s at stake for American democracy. RSVP today.

This event is produced in partnership with New York University’s John Brademas Center and NYU Votes.

Transformative Criminal Justice Reform: Where Do We Go From Here?
Friday, September 25 | 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. EDT | This is a virtual event.
What’s next for criminal justice reform — and what will it take for the United States to truly grapple with its long history of racial injustice? Join Laura Arnold (cofounder of Arnold Ventures), Lauren-Brooke Eisen (director of the Brennan Center’s Justice Program), Rashad Robinson (president of Color Of Change), Topeka K. Sam (founder and executive director of The Ladies of Hope Ministries), Bruce Western (Bryce Professor of Sociology and Social Justice and codirector of the Justice Lab at Columbia University), and Melissa Murray (professor at NYU School of Law) for a discussion about potential courses of action during a pivotal time — after months of renewed racial reckoning, amid a public health crisis that has disproportionately impacted Black and Latino Americans, and before a critical national election. RSVP today.

This event is produced in partnership with New York University’s John Brademas Center and NYU Votes.

Sign up for the Brennan Center events newsletter to learn more about upcoming virtual programs.

What We’re Reading
Ames Grawert, senior counsel in the Brennan Center’s Justice Program, recommends America, This is Your Chance by Michelle Alexander. The article argues for the country to “face our racial history and our racial present” and that economic justice and racial justice are inextricably linked.

There’s Still Time to Join Defenders of Democracy!
The Defenders are a group of the Brennan Center’s most loyal supporters who sustain our work through a monthly gift. With your support, we can work harder to make sure every eligible voice is heard this November — whether they vote early, by mail, or in person. Through September 30, join Defenders of Democracy for just $5 a month and get a free vote tote.