Criminal Justice

Race and socio-economic status are significant factors in how the criminal justice system operates and why Black people are disproportionately impacted by it. From the school to prison pipeline to the skyrocketing population of people ensnared in the system via parole and probation, Black communities have borne the brunt of harsh mandatory sentencing and crippling post-prison restrictions. The long reach of the criminal justice system destabilizes households and communities with low paying/scarce job opportunities and voter disenfranchisement. This factsheet is intended to contextualize the current criminal justice system in the United States through a racial justice/impact lens.