Dear Friends,
Spring is here, and the flowers are doing their best to bloom despite the torrential rains. After a long winter, I love to see the yellow daffodils and pink tulips poking through the wet ground; they serve as the perfect reminder that we always have the chance to begin again.
Perhaps that’s why President Biden and a whole coalition of organizations committed to changing the criminal legal system have designated April as Second Chance Month. It’s a time to reflect on redemption and on new possibilities. It’s a time to celebrate the resiliency and potential that all people share — especially people and their families who have been impacted by our criminal legal system.
Approximately 77 million Americans, or 1 in every 3 adults, have a criminal record — which can create insurmountable barriers to employment, housing and educational opportunities. And America remains one of the world’s largest and most punitive jailers, at a huge economic and social cost, all without a demonstrable increase in public safety. In Second Chance Month, let’s work to create new and meaningful chances for justice-impacted people to safely reenter society.
The good news about our system of justice for my fellow New Jersey-ians is that the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender has a new chief defender in town. Jennifer Sellitti is a dedicated public defender who has zealously represented hundreds of people and trained thousands of criminal defense lawyers in all aspects of the criminal trial process. I knew her from her days as an adjunct in the Department of Justice Studies at Montclair State University, so I can say with certainty that she is a brilliant and passionate advocate who will breathe new life into what it means to “do justice” in New Jersey. We are lucky to have her!
I also recently had the chance to spend some time in conversation with the amazing Harriet Hendel, a wrongful conviction advocate (and a Montclair State University alum!) who worked closely for years with the Innocence Project of Florida. She hosted me on her podcast, Pursuing Justice, which takes a deep dive into the subject of wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice. You can listen to our two part conversation here and here.
I wish you and your families a month full of chances and new opportunities!
Take good care,
Jessica