If you believe that each of us is “created equal,” then you’ll agree that all people deserve equal treatment. Has our American criminal justice system become so warped in practice that it can not provide equal treatment under the law? What kind of reform is required if we really want to live up to our ideals?
Today more people are being admitted to prison than are being released. Tremendous inequities in incarceration rates are found between blacks and whites. Last year there were over 23,000 people in State and Federal prisons in Wisconsin. How did they get there? What are their future prospects? What kind of support can we offer?
During 2024 and 2024, [a group I belong to] will support efforts to share prisoner support and visitation experiences through workshops and seminars, and efforts to research and report on the scope of the problems surrounding our prisons, to draft and share public policy alternatives,. We envision workshops and sessions with experts from Friends Prisoner Visitation and Support as well as shared experiences from [people] who have been active in prison visitation efforts.
… [My group's] effort will be structured… to help develop a shared understanding of the entire correctional system, including the intake processes from arrest, arraignment, prosecution and sentencing, through incarceration, probation, parole and release.
If you can help organize this research and education effort, if you have an interest in identifying public policy alternatives that will relieve the pressure on our correctional system while improving the lot of prisoners, please contact Frank Paynter via email: fpaynter [at] gmail [dot] com.
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