[[link removed]]Dear John,

This Thanksgiving, we’re thankful for your endless support as we push for
progress on the issues that matter most to young people. While we’ve come so
far, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that millions of people still won’t get
to spend the holidays with their families this week. Over the past 50 years, tough-on-crime legislation and bad policy choices have
broken our communities and filled our prisons. Though the U.S. represents only 5% of the world’s total population, we
represent nearly 25% of the world’s incarcerated population (1) .


Our criminal legal system has grown beyond any reasonable boundaries, and it’s
hurting our country. The impact of this system falls especially hard on young
people and people of color.






These young people, often from overpoliced Black and Latino communities, are
stripped of their family, friends, and mentors. If or when they are released
from prison, they face harsh parole terms, lost opportunities, and the stigma of
a criminal record.

Bad policy created our mass incarceration problem. Good policy can fix it.
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A few ways that we can shrink the criminal justice system are by:

* ending mandatory minimums,
* shortening terms of probation and parole to 1-2 years,
* decriminalizing or reclassifying certain crimes from felonies to
misdemeanors,
* ending cash bail (Lil Nas X gets it),
* and ending life without parole sentences.



TAKE ACTION
[[link removed]]Together, we can protect freedom in our communities. Learn more about shrinking the criminal legal system with our series of fact
sheets.
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Best,

Edwith Theogene
Director of Advocacy
Generation Progress



Citations:

(1)
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