Dear *|SALUTATION|*,
The mission of the Hatch Center is to advance policies that bridge the partisan divide. That’s why last year we devoted significant time and resources to crafting a new vision for criminal justice reform. Today, I am pleased to present the culmination of our efforts with the publication of the 2021 Hatch Center Policy Review, entitled “A Family-Centered Approach to Criminal Justice Reform.”
|
|
Conversations about criminal justice typically center around two groups of individuals: those who are convicted of crimes, and those who are victims of crime. There is another group, however, that can and must be part of the conversation—the family members of convicted individuals. Keeping families united and strong is of primary concern for all Americans—conservatives, liberals, and moderates alike. It is also essential to breaking the cycle of intergenerational incarceration. Our report outlines solutions that can bring together Americans of all political stripes by looking at criminal justice reform through the lens of family impacts.
In our report, we discuss how we can:
- Help individuals in the criminal justice system maintain and strengthen family relationships both during and after incarceration;
- Ameliorate the negative impacts of a criminal conviction on the children and spouses of convicted individuals; and,
- Leverage family and other personal relationships to help individuals find housing, education, and stable employment after incarceration.
By presenting a new, unifying framework for criminal justice reform, our report can help bring added momentum to this bipartisan effort. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Sincerely,
|
|
|
"The importance of family for individuals in the criminal justice system cannot be overstated. Family keeps you going. They motivate you to do better. They give you an incentive to do better. They remind you that you’re not alone. But too often, public officials overlook the essential role family members play in the criminal justice system." – Alice Marie Johnson, 2021 Policy Review Preface
|
|
|
|
|
