Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • What turns some children into criminals? A look into the effects of emotional trauma

    In South Africa, several programs help young people who come from backgrounds of violence and trauma find new ways to engage in the world through sports, or teaching empathy and positive communication. Others focus on parents of young children to teach healthy ways to cope with discipline issues. These are part of a wider policy push in the country to focus on restorative justice and early child development to short-circuit youth crime.

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  • Redina's story: A mother's troubled journey home from prison

    For Redina, and others suffering from addiction, it is hard to break the cycle. 'Women Working for a Change' is a program that tries to change addicts' thinking in order to prevent a relapse.

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  • When Communities Say No One Should Stay in Jail Just Because They're Poor

    Across the United States, organizations like Southerners on New ground and the Bronx Freedom Fund are posting bail for individuals facing low-level offenses who cannot afford it on their own. Such initiatives have gained in popularity because of the Black Mamas Bail-Out, a coordinated effort during May of each year. In posting their bail, these organizations are working to equitably help people of color, who are disproportionately affected by the cash bail system.

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  • Mental health court could lower recidivism, cut costs

    For offenders with a co-occurring mental health disorder, the regular prison system is not viewed as an optimal environment. A mental health court would help lower recidivism and increase the offender's quality of life by treating their mental health issues in order to focus on the underlying issue contributing to the criminal acts.

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  • Masculinity and Mental Health in Post-Genocide Rwanda

    1 million people were killed, primarily by men, in the Rwandan genocide. Now, community-based sociotherapy is helping men who were both perpetrators and victims heal together while building trust in their communities.

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  • Assisting the Poor to Make Bail Helps Everyone

    Organizations that supply funds to provide bail for people arrested for misdemeanors not only saves money for taxpayers, but reduces the number of guilty pleas, and could possibly save lives. Those who cannot pay for bail must either await trial in jail or plead guilty, leading to permanent criminal records. Organizations like the Bronx Freedom Fund supply $2,000 or less to help these individuals keep jobs, housing, and reduce the risk of suicide in jail without requiring them to plead guilty.

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  • Can a Philly community bail fund fix our criminal-justice system?

    Crowdfunding initiatives in Philadelphia offer an alternative to the cash bail process that disproportionately affects African Americans in problematic ways. “Community bail fund activists” raised almost $60,000 for Black Mama’s Bail-Out Day. Now, they are scaling the effort into a Philly Community Bail Fund to help not just Black mothers, but any of the poor, who are detained and kept away from their families and jobs while they await trial. Other crowdsourcing initiatives are springing up in the city, and all are needed to address the problem.

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  • Can Screen Time Reduce Prison Time?

    In Madera Juvenile Detention Facility, teens have access 6 hours a day to tablets loaded with learning and entertainment materials. The program aims to help teens productively use their time in prison and advance their education. Even though there are some positive outcomes, many critics argue that the program only treats a symptom and not the overarching problem of the juvenile prison system that needs reform.

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  • A prosecutor meets the juvenile lifer he locked up for 40 years - and apologizes

    A Philadelphia man imprisoned for 40 years for a crime he did not commit was finally freed when the prosecutor who helped put him behind bars realized he made a mistake and worked to get him out. The U.S. Supreme Court found automatic life sentences for juveniles unconstitutional, but despite that and the previous prosecutor's change of heart, Ronald Brinkley has not been exonerated and the current district attorney stands by the case. However, the former prosecutor has offered to help Brinkley as he transitions back to the outside world.

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  • When he was 13, he shot her in the face. 20 years later, she helped get him his freedom.

    A man convicted to a life sentence for a shooting he took part in at age 13 reached out to the woman he injured from prison and over the years they built a friendship based on forgiveness and trust. She helped him win an appeal for release after 26 years and has been part of his support network as he learns to navigate the world as an adult. Their story offers a great example of the power of forgiveness and building personal connections.

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