Blog
CJPC Staff and Interns Lobby for Second Chances
On May 7, the staff and interns of the Carolina Justice Policy Center visited with state legislators to encourage them to pass the Second Chance Act. Today in North Carolina, justice-involved people must carry their criminal record with them for life, as it...
CJPC Board Member Kristie Puckett-Williams Discusses Promising New Alternative to Cash Bail on Charlotte Radio Show
This April, CJPC board member Kristie Puckett-Williams, the regional field director for the ACLU of North Carolina, joined Mecklenburg DA Spencer Merriweather, Mecklenburg district court judge Elizabeth Trosch, and Mecklenburg public defender Kevin Tully on the WFAE radio show Charlotte Talks.
CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove Receives 2019 Emerald Award
This April, the Raleigh Chapter of the Links, Incorporated honored CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove with an Emerald Award at their 70th Anniversary Gala. The Emerald Award is an annual recognition program honoring women who have made significant contributions to the community. Blagrove was recognized for her commitment and advocacy for justice-involved people across North Carolina.
Serial Podcast Episode Shows Exactly Why Only Voters Can Hold Judges Accountable
Every day at CJPC, we teach communities across North Carolina about the power their local elected officials have to make our criminal justice system more equitable, fair, and humane. Judges are one of the officials we talk a lot about, because their courtrooms are where they alone can determine if and for how long people are incarcerated.
Alamance County NAACP Kicks Off Movement with Event Featuring CJPC
On February 16, the Alamance County NAACP kicked off their latest movement, “Stand Against Countywide Acts of Racial & Immigrant Criminalization” in an event that featured CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove.
Johnston County Sheriff Meeting Inspired by CJPC Vote4Justice Training
In January, CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove traveled to Smithfield, North Carolina, to provide a Vote4Justice training for members of the African-American Caucus of the Johnston County Democratic Party and other community advocates.
CJPC Helps Aim for Solutions, Not Promises in Forum
On Saturday, January 19, CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove joined Judge Josephine Kerr Davis, Durham District Attorney Satana Deberry, leaders of African-American Caucus of the NC Democratic Party, and others to discuss criminal justice reform in North Carolina. The event took place on the campus of St. Augustine’s in Raleigh, and spanned several hours, drawing […]
Are Corporations the Cause for Incarceration? No, but Capitalism Might Be.
When we examine the current state of justice in America there seems to be no rationality for why we incarcerate 2.3 million people. Yet if we peel away the layers of the prison system a possible answer comes to light: corporate interests.
What I Learned from Court Observations in Forsyth County
Real court is not like Law & Order. Although this sounds like a fairly obvious truth, I didn’t grasp how truly different the real justice system was until I visited the Forsyth County courts. And perhaps the biggest misconception TV shows promote is the notion that a person can “have their day in court.”
The Death Penalty: Going Beyond Moral Arguments
The debate over the death penalty has long been about morality. Those in favor argue that the punishment must fit the crime, and that the taking of the life deserves the loss of one’s life.
Listen to CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove's Interview on WNCU 90.7 Legal Eagle Review
On December 16, 2018, CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove joined Irving Joyner and April Dawson, law professors at North Carolina Central University School of Law, for their weekly one-hour show.
CJPC Shares Common Sense Policing Reforms at NC NAACP Convention
This December CJPC, Executive Director Dawn Blagrove was able to share her breadth of expertise on a police accountability panel at the 75th Annual NAACP of NC State Convention in Raleigh.
Filter Provides In-Depth Look at the The Power and Prejudice of DAs on Drugs
Prosecutors wield enormous power in the “war against drugs.” They have the ability to widen the net of who is convicted of drug charges in the way they interpret and pursue laws. This ranges from charging mothers addicted to drugs with child abuse, to combating anyone whose opinion differs from their own.
CJPC Supports and Strategizes with Stop Killing Us
On Saturday, December 8, CJPC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove joined Rev. Curtis E. Gatewood, President & Founder for JUSTICE Ministration and the Stop Killing Us (SKU) Solutions Campaign and other community activists and families of police violence victims for a “Uniting the Streets” gathering in Durham (both pictured above).
Midterm Wins for Reform Means Change is Possible — with Your Help!
While the election was truly a nail-biter, and ultimately filled with outcomes both wonderful and challenging, one thing was clear – the people of North Carolina are beginning to demand accountability and reform from their local elected officials. For that, we are inspired to keep the momentum going to bring real and lasting change to North Carolina’s criminal justice system, county by county.