It is well documented that the United States incarcerates a larger percentage of its citizens than any other country. This statistic weighs heavily not only on the public conscience of the nation, but also the pocketbooks of state taxpayers burdened by the price of an overcrowded prison system. The “tough on crime” mentality that dominated the 1990s is losing favor across the political spectrum, especially as rehabilitative support services show promising results and the role of mental illness in criminal behavior is explored more thoroughly.
The Millennial Action Project (MAP) and its network of young legislators are leading the nation with bipartisan coalitions to address sentencing reform, recidivism reduction, and justice reinvestment. Their advancement of innovative training tactics, community support, and rehabilitation demonstrates admirable commitment to both safety and justice.
Advisory Council
In 2020, MAP launched the Criminal Justice Reform Advisory Council to advance a national conversation on improving the criminal justice system and engaging members in peer-to-peer dialogues and expert-led discussions. The Advisory Council was organized for members to share their experiences, expertise, and approaches to initiatives appropriate for them in their state.
Partners
When the film Just Mercy premiered, the response was intense: audiences everywhere were moved by the true story of Walter McMillian, a Black man from Alabama who was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death, and Bryan Stevenson, the lawyer who fights for his life. The film gave rise to Represent Justice — a campaign committed to achieving the fair legal system our country deserves — and earlier this year, MAP partnered with Represent Justice to develop new efforts in pursuit of that goal.
Legislation
Criminal justice reform is one of the most important bipartisan policy areas gaining widespread support among young Americans and legislators at all levels of government. This moment in history—a global pandemic coupled with an overwhelming public outcry for significant reform in our justice system—is prompting policy experts and lawmakers to call for bold and balanced legislative reforms. Some specific and straightforward ways in which legislators can make a significant impact in their communities are by creating innovative solutions to court fines and fees, sentencing reform, recidivism reduction, and justice reinvestment.
