Text by K. Cecchini/Production Stills and Series Image Courtesy of Think Ten Media Group After spending a total of 18 months in solitary confinement during multiple prison stays, William Brown – who has been a free man for five years – willingly reentered the ‘hole’ last summer. This time, though, he went in with cameras.Continue reading “In the ‘Hole’: On Screen & Off”
Category Archives: Prison Reform
The Most Significant Domestic Threat?
#Halfby2030. Glenn E. Martin’s key vision is to cut the United States incarceration rate by half in 15 years – while reducing the crime rate. To learn about his progress since our interview in June, I followed up with him on the phone last week regarding the vehicle for his objective, JustLeadershipUSA. Since then, JustLeadershipUSAContinue reading “The Most Significant Domestic Threat?”
“I Can’t Breathe.”
Text and Photo by K. Cecchini Justice cannot breathe in our nation, either, while our African-American brothers -and sisters- disproportionately suffer at the hands of our justice system. Whether the system puts a tag on their toe or cuffs on their hands, African-Americans -and other people of color- are prey to the inherent theme inContinue reading ““I Can’t Breathe.””
Prison Reform: (Part 5) Freedom Isn’t Free
Text by Kimberly Cecchini Please support justice reform with JustLeadershipUSA Read Dr. Bowman’s book, Color Behind Bars Glenn E. Martin might be selling sunglasses today had he been given 1 of the 40 some jobs he applied for after his release. It was the only interview the college graduate had landed. Why? It’s highly likelyContinue reading “Prison Reform: (Part 5) Freedom Isn’t Free”
Prison Reform (Part 4): Peering Through the Bars
Text and photo by Kimberly Cecchini “I mean for a guy who used to pull guns on people in the streets…get into fights at parties, I went to Riker’s and was scared shitless. It’s gladiator school. And the only way to survive is to be a gladiator.” Glenn E. Martin gestures to a stab woundContinue reading “Prison Reform (Part 4): Peering Through the Bars”
Prison Reform (Part 3): An Opportunity to Pass Go-Prison Alternatives
Text by Kimberly Cecchini A mother awaits her son’s transfer from county to state prison. Her son is considered a ‘wobbler’ for having accumulated a few charges due to his drug use. At this point, according to the state of California, the district attorney has the authority to classify the charges as felonies or misdemeanors.Continue reading “Prison Reform (Part 3): An Opportunity to Pass Go-Prison Alternatives”
Prison Reform (Part 2): Looking Upstream
Google+ Glenn E. Martin wants to focus more conversations on “going further upstream,” or “… paying attention to how people get into the system as opposed to reentry – which is like building an emergency room to solve cancer”. Although we will address recidivism later in our prison reform series, Glenn finds it unfortunate that manyContinue reading “Prison Reform (Part 2): Looking Upstream”
Prison Reform (Part 1): Glenn E. Martin, Advocate
Text by Kimberly Cecchini Today, Glenn E. Martin is an accomplished prison reform advocate who has co-led such organizations as The Fortune Society and the National HIRE Network at the Legal Action Center and is currently developing JustLeadershipUSA. He has written for the New York Times, appeared on cable news shows and has had theContinue reading “Prison Reform (Part 1): Glenn E. Martin, Advocate”
Orange is the New Black: Don’t Tell Me “Freedom Was Inconvenient for You”
Text by Kimberly Cecchini Orange is the New Black returned to Netflix yesterday with a second season ready for binging. While I am certainly tuning in to see Chapman’s fate with her wrecked romances and her Christmas run in with Pennsatucky, I am also interested in some of the social issues the show embeds at times. Some of the storyContinue reading “Orange is the New Black: Don’t Tell Me “Freedom Was Inconvenient for You””