Criminal Justice Reform
Uncompromising laws and policies enacted over the last forty years guarantee that a prison cell is the destination for many who commit minor or non‐violent crimes. These laws and policies were deliberately enacted and are purposefully enforced in such a way that a disproportionate number of persons of color are currently incarcerated under this system. It is a complicated and interwoven issue, but we are called to understand its causes and effects and to assist in untangling it so that all have access to equal justice.
Become Informed:
-
Be introspective, prayerfully examining the United Methodist stance on social issues and your own beliefs and habits. Becoming a strong ally in a social justice movement requires ongoing self-reflection, learning, and openness to growth.
Books:
-
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (Alexander)
-
Just Mercy (Stevenson)
-
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults) (Stevenson)
-
The Shadow System: Mass Incarceration and the American Family (Harvey)
-
Prisons Make Us Safer and 20 Other Myths About Mass Incarceration (Law)
Articles:
Websites:
Videos:
-
The Khalif Browder Story (Netflix)
-
13th (Netflix)
Podcasts:
Help:
-
Be in prayer for those who are victims of social injustice and those who work to advocate for them
-
Volunteer for an organization that supports criminal justice reform and an end to mass
incarceration
Advocate:
-
Become a part of a Burke UMC team that focuses on criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration
-
Write an article on criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration for the Burke UMC Connections Newsletter
-
Write to legislators by clicking HERE to show your support for the Breathe Act
-
Find and join an organization that supports criminal justice reform and an end to mass incarceration
Donate:
-
Donate to organizations listed above or other organizations that work to for criminal justice reform and to end mass incarceration
-
Donate to bail funds
Rise Up:
-
Attend demonstrations or protests aimed at demanding criminal justice reform and an end to mass incarceration