What We Do

Criminal (In)Justice

Criminal Justice in America is anything but just. Talking with activists in the field is an opportunity to learn more deeply about the breadth of issues. It helps inform my funding decisions.

Who We Are

The Criminal (In)Justice Education Circle is one of the most recent education circles at WDN, formed in 2008. One of our goals is to educate others and advocate for a just system, so that even those who are not directly impacted by incarceration or the criminal justice system recognize why this issue is so critical. Another goal is to bring a gender lens to the U.S. criminal justice system, especially as the issues affect women and children.

What We Do

Our circle will investigate criminal justice issues both nationally and on a local level with a specific focus on women, children, and families. Mapping projects, team research, and site visits will be undertaken around the following concerns:

• Incarcerated women, their families, and their children: What are the broader impacts on imprisoned women and their families?
• Sentencing guidelines: What are the differential impact and regional differences?
• Programs: What are the programs that help women and their families?
• Post incarceration: What are the post incarceration issues and programs?
• Structural racism: What are the disproportionate impacts on communities of color? Is incarceration the new Jim Crow? Are incarcerations being used as a form of social control?
• Privatized prisons: What is the impact of the privatization of prisons?
• Immigration issues: What is the impact of detention centers, especially privatized facilities on immigrant communities, and undocumented workers?
• Media: How are blogs portraying prisons and the incarcerated? Who are the best interrogators of the criminal justice system?  
• Legislation: What is the impact of legislation such as domestic violence laws, tough on crime initiatives, and termination of parental rights on various communities?
• Relocation of prisoners: How does the relocation of prisoners out of a region or state impact families and communities?
• Education: Are prisons the new educational system? What is the relationship between the de-funding of educational institutions and the funding of prisons?

Resources

Race to Incarcerate by Marc Mauer

Governing Through Crime by Jonathan Simon

Arbitrary Justice by Angela J. Davis

Indefensible by David Feige

Courtroom 302 by Steve Bogira

The Criminal (In)Justice Education Circle reflects WDN’s key theme of Social and Economic Justice: Ensuring that all people to have the right to basic necessities and economic well being through the equitable distribution of wealth and power. This is one of our seven key areas of work and study.