Dear Friends,
I’m back from a short newsletter hiatus. I hope you’ll excuse my absence, but I promise it was for a good reason! I just submitted the first draft of my new book on second chances to my editors at the University of California Press. Hurray (and whew)! I’ll share more in the coming months, but for now, I’m exhaling and celebrating this major milestone.
Second Chances Through Clemency
Even as prison populations decline nationally, the number of people serving life without parole and other long sentences continues to grow. That’s why advocates around the country are calling for governors to use their clemency power as a tool to remedy overly harsh sentencing policies and reduce the lifelong burdens that come with a criminal record.
Some governors have heeded the call.
California Governor Gavin Newsom last week announced new clemency grants. Since he took office in 2019, Gov. Newsom has issued 247 pardons and approved 160 commutations!
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s categorical clemency initiative is also breaking new ground. Since he announced his clemency plan last June, Gov. Murphy granted 129 clemency applications,. with more to come. I’m honored to be a part of it. As a member of the Clemency Advisory Board, I spent the summer reviewing hundreds of clemency applications. Look for future announcements that will bring second chances to people throughout New Jersey.
Troubling National Trends in Criminal Justice
Even as New Jersey offers reasons to hope, the national picture remains troubling.
The Trump administration abruptly cut over $820 millions dollars in DOJ grants, which defunded programs focused on violence prevention, juvenile justice, victim services and more. In the meantime, Trump is distorting crime data (and firing officials who dare tell the truth) to justify sending in the National Guard. His claims of a crime crisis do not align with the facts, although his funding cuts could provoke their own crime-spike.
A focus on hope.
Now in its third season, the Just Justice podcast continues to shine a light on the people and movements reimagining justice and our criminal legal system.
I’ve found hope in recent conversations with Andrew Hundley, Executive Director of the Louisiana Parole Project, law professor Michael Pinard, advocate for juvenile justice across the state of Maryland, and Philip Alvin Jones, direct from a Washington State prison.
Season 3 begins this week in conversation with Amanda Carrasco, a family survivor of abuse and murder, about her passion for restorative justice and her new memoir Becoming the Brave One. If you are looking for inspiration, join us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
With Labor Day in the rear-view window (how did that happen?), it’s also time to move forward.
Not just by sending financial contributions (although that always helps). If you are on social media, amplify their messaging by liking, commenting and sharing posts. Write a letter to the editor supporting their work. Sign a petition or call your elected officials to demand change.
I have seen how even the smallest steps can ripple outward in powerful ways. If we stay rooted in hope and committed to justice, we can do hard things. Together, I truly believe we can make a difference.
Be safe and well,
Jessica