By Leslie Acevedo
LOS ANGELES, CA – Fair and Just Prosecution Executive Director Miriam Krinsky commended the White House’s “Alternatives, Rehabilitation, and Reentry Strategic Plan” announced this week for “acknowledging that America can and should be ‘a nation of second chances,’ and for working towards a safer and more just future for all.”
“(O)ur country continues to incarcerate at a rate that is among the highest in the world and that disproportionately impacts underserved and too often forgotten communities of color. We commend the White House for recognizing these truths,” noted Krinsky.
Krinsky argued that “providing second chances and setting people up for success after incarceration are investments in public safety…as Second Chance Month comes to a close, we applaud President Biden, his administration and the Domestic Policy Council for working with leaders in the field to understand the barriers that prevent people from successfully returning to their communities and for taking action to address these issues.”
Krinsky added, “A criminal record should not be a life sentence to limited opportunities, and federal leadership is critical to ensuring that more people get the second chances they, their families and their community deserve.”
And, Krinsky insisted, “we can promote safer and healthier communities when we: look for ways to reduce unnecessary criminal legal system interventions and recognize that a punitive and carceral response isn’t always the best way to address individuals struggling with mental health challenges, substance use issues or the manifestation of poverty.”
Krinsky encouraged ways to “promote and advance opportunities that attend to the needs of those who do come into the justice system and return to their communities, including through efforts aimed at addressing barriers to housing, health care, employment and voting; and proactively create mechanisms to revisit past excessive sentences and offer a pathway for those who can and should safely come home to their family and loved ones.”
