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2015 End of the Year Newsletter 


From political candidates to Congress and celebrity A-listers, justice reform has become the social change movement of the year.
 
As 2015 comes to a close, we ask you to help us continue our work by supporting JPI at this critical time.
 
While some are new to the cause of promoting policies and practices to end mass incarceration of adults and youth alike, JPI is continuing its legacy of reform work from the ground up.
 
Here's a snapshot of what we've been working on...


JPI in the Field

State-Based Reform

JPI's Keith Wallington 
spoke  at the Maryland 
Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council's stakeholder meetings
J PI is support ing  advocates and policymakers in Virginia and Maryland to reduce prison populations, and reinv est these savings into the communities most impacted by incarceration. This year, JPI provided research, communications, and organizing assistance to advocates to pus h the 
Maryland's Justice Reinvestment process , and Virginia's parole and criminal justice reform commission to embrace the boldest reforms possible
Partnering with the Prison Policy Initiative to Release The Right Investment


The Right Investment? Corrections Spending in Baltimore City a joint report by the Prison Policy Initiative (PPI) and the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) , was released in February 2015. The report highlighted the lack of opportunity, low levels of educational achievement, and high rates of incarceration in particular communities in Baltimore. By contextualizing the broader set of issues and circumstances, JPI set a bold policy agenda focused on reducing incarceration and investing the savings into impacted communities, which became more poignant on the heels of the tragic Freddie Gray incident. To this end, JPI's Marc Schindler and Keith Wallington both co-authored an insightful op-ed and letter to the editor, about the conditions in Baltimore city as well as the need for positive investments into marginalized communities. 


Research to Reduce Joblessness Through Criminal Justice Reform

Full Employment: How Can We Get There and Stay There? Why Does It Matter?
Full Employment: How Can We Get There and Stay There? Why Does It Matter?

What role does America's overreliance on incarceration play in America's stagnant jobs picture, and what are the strategies for change? Along with the  National Employment Law Project , JPI was commissioned to develop a white paper for the  Center on Budget and Planning Priorities  to chart  Strategies to Full Employment through Criminal Justice Reform.   JPI and NELP's report was covered on C-SPAN, incorporated into a book on how to reduce joblessness in America, and  used to advocate for law changes to lift barriers for formerly incarcerated people to work.
 
Partnering with Advocates to Reform Texas' Juvenile Justice System

To help support a legislative agenda designed to 
reduce the number of incarcerated youth and frame the issue for legislators, JPI partnered with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) to develop a critical policy paper, Unfinished Business: Deepening the Gains in Texas Juvenile Justice Reform. In part because of this work, Texas enacted legislative changes that will result in even more youth kept closer to their home communities by regionalizing the state-run juvenile justice system.  





 

Supporting Youth Deincarceration Campaigns in States

New campaigns are starting in a half-dozen states designed to reduce the number of young people incarcerated. JPI developed a policy brief designed to help support campaigns in a half-dozen states working with the Youth First! Initiative to keep young people out of juvenile facilities, and build more community approaches to serve youth in their home communities.

2015 was a big year for criminal justice reform and JPI. Thank you for supporting the movement and allowing us to continue advocating for those who need it most. Supporting JPI is the  #RightInvestment. Help us promote policies that build strong, healthy, and safe communities. A contribution today can help us work to end the  #IncarcerationGeneration and invest in communities, not cells.
 
JPI is dedicated to reducing the use of incarceration and the justice system 
by promoting fair and effective policies. 
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Office: (202) 558-7974