Fwd: Pennsylvania's blueprint to end mass incarceration

[kaco...@aol.com]

I have clicked on the link of remedies for my state of Pennsylvania and this seems to me an excellent proposal.  The remedy for assault would have given me pause except for the caveat that they would look to alternative options for punishment or treatment.

But I'm not so sure about gun possession.  It is unclear to me whether this means that that nonviolent offenders would comprise a 40% reduction in time served or whether this is across the board or whether their proposal would weaken gun laws.  Surely that's not what they're saying.

Kathy

You can help cut mass incarceration in half. This tool shows you how.

Dear Kathleen, Even though mass incarceration is a national problem, it must be dismantled at the state level. And Pennsylvania has an important role to play. Earlier this week, you saw the release of Smart Justice 50-State Blueprints, a state-by-state analysis that shows how all of us, from community members to policymakers, can transform the criminal justice system and cut incarceration in half. Here's what you need to know about the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania and the path to smart justice in the commonwealth. Pennsylvania has the highest incarceration rate in the Northeast. Nearly half of the state prison population is Black, despite Black Pennsylvanians making up only 10 percent of the commonwealth's adult population overall. The costs are high for everyone. From 1986 through 2016, state spending on corrections increased six-fold. We partnered with the Urban Institute, state ACLU affiliates, and other partners to provide a unique snapshot of each state's incarcerated population, including an analysis of the drivers of mass incarceration and why people are imprisoned for so long. Most importantly, the blueprints offer solutions tailored for each state — solutions that will have a real, calculable impact on people's lives. The Pennsylvania blueprint details how, through policy changes like sentencing reform for low-level drug offenses and parole and probation reform, a 50 percent reduction in incarceration and addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system are absolutely achievable goals. In order to end mass incarceration, every state — and every one of us — must join the movement to cut the prison population. That starts with comprehensive, cutting-edge analysis that will inform the action and organizing it will take to win. Check out Pennsylvania's blueprint to see how we can end mass incarceration. Thanks for your support, Nick Pressley Director, Campaign for Smart Justice ACLU of Pennsylvania

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