Earlier this month JPI participated in the Center for American Progress/American Constitution Society panel on civil rights. The discussion, entitled “Continuing the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement through Criminal Justice Reform,” included JPI’s Executive Director, Tracy Velázquez, David Domenici, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Aderson Francois, Associate Professor of Law, Howard University; and Christina Swarns, Director of the Criminal Justice Practice, NAACP Legal Defense and Educationa l Fund and was moderated by Deborah Barry, reporter for Gannett News Service reporter. During the discussion, Velazquez pointed out that the U.S. criminal justice system should not be used as a jobs program.

In February, we partnered with the ACLU for its Congressional briefing on private prisons. Media, congressional staff and advocates attended the gathering as experts including Velázquez shared their perspectives on the impacts of private prisons on unions, families and the economy.

Having our work accessible on the web, through videos such as these, is critical.  Please help us continue to expand our social media presence, by voting to send Zerline Hughes, JPI’s communications manager, to the annual Netroots Nation Conference,  an annual convening of progressive bloggers in Providence, Rhode Island this summer. Learn more about the convening by reading her JustPolicy Blog post and then cast your vote. 

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