by Mandie Sellars | Apr 10, 2018 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News
In Richmond, VA, a new diversion program is providing an opportunity for transformative self reflection. The program, called “Writing Your Way Out: A Criminal Justice Diversion Program” allows participants to take a Virginia Commonwealth University writing course as...
by Mandie Sellars | Mar 7, 2018 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Mass Incarceration
In theory, debtor’s prisons in the United States have been abolished long ago. In practice, however, the criminalization of poverty is a common problem. North Carolina is no exception. Not only are people often jailed for the inability to pay court fines and fees,...
by Mandie Sellars | Feb 28, 2018 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News
Inspired by the 2018 Women’s Marches focused on taking women’s “power to the polls”, Democracy NC has created “Women Vote in 2018” postcards for distribution. The cards feature important information about this year’s justice...
by Mandie Sellars | Jan 30, 2018 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Ending the Death Penalty
While prosecutors have a large amount of discretion in their work, they are not permitted to hide evidence that could be exculpatory for a defendant. In a recent Colorado case, prosecutors possessed two reports that that pointed to other suspects since the beginning...
by Mandie Sellars | Jan 30, 2018 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News
Serving as yet another example of the importance of making informed decisions when choosing judges at the ballot box, a judge made an appalling racist statement during a speaking engagement at a law school. While delivering a lecture on mediation and negotiation at...
by Mandie Sellars | Oct 12, 2017 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Mass Incarceration
by Molly Riesenberger The ACLU report, “In for a Penny: The Rise of America’s New Debtors’ Prisons,” presents the findings of a yearlong investigation into “debtors’ prisons,” exposing how poor defendants are increasingly being jailed for failure to pay legal debts...
