The federal government has the opportunity to look to agencies beyond the Department of Justice to advance progressive criminal justice reforms.
The U.S. Department of Justice seems poised to restore pattern-or-practice investigations to promote constitutional and effective policing.
Bipartisan momentum for clean slate and fair chance licensing policies—which remove barriers to economic opportunity for people facing the stigma of a criminal record—has grown significantly in the states in recent years.
With the U.S. Department of Justice beginning to collect data pursuant to the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013, Congress and state legislatures should take the initiative to ensure the dependability of the forthcoming data.
The automatic clearing of eligible criminal records can help to foster civic engagement and build a healthier democracy.
Broad reforms and targeted services are needed to reduce the harms of incarceration for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV as they reenter their communities.
It is time to end the federal criminalization of marijuana and right the wrongs caused by the war on drugs—especially for communities of color.
The Biden administration should improve policies around admissions, financial aid, and housing to ensure that people with criminal records have fair opportunities to pursue a college education.
Policymakers must take long-overdue action to undo intentionally harmful housing policies that discriminate against people with criminal records and perpetuate racial discrimination.
Justice reform measures can help ensure that women with a criminal record are given a fair chance at quality job opportunities, and these reforms are needed now more than ever in light of the pandemic’s devastating impact on women.