A compelling collection of essays from justice-involved individuals offering their proposals for changes within the criminal justice system. ⁣I was particularly touched by a few entries: Teresa Y. Hodge’s convincing call for digital inclusion efforts, C.T. Mexica’s description of his experience as a youth in the prison pipeline, Terah Lawyer’s passionate advocacy for homes for recently released individuals, Mika’il DeVeaux’s reflection on prison labor as slavery, Arthur Longworth’s devastating account of his experience as a ward of the state within the justice system, and DeAnna Hoskins hopeful nudging towards a more humane system. ⁣
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The unifying theme I noticed across the essays was a woeful lack of support upon release that in many ways encourages recidivism. The experiences of the people highlighted in this collection really hammer home the inhumanity of our current justice system which functions as harsh, repetitive punishment instead of rehabilitation and accountability. ⁣
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Interestingly, it was one of the essays (Sreedhar Potarazu’s coverage of illiteracy) that is the source of my only significant critique: if his numbers are correct, at least 70% of all incarcerated individuals cannot read above a fourth-grade level. I would have liked to see some inclusion of those voices in some way, as submitting a proposal for publication was likely a daunting prospect for this wide swath of the population.