The following piece was written by Kempis “Ghani” Songster as a speech he planned to deliver to the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. Only select speakers are allowed two minutes to share their words before the permanent forum, and Ghani was ultimately not allowed the time to share this speech in …
A Call to the United Nations to Abolish Death by Incarceration Read More »
A Letter to the United Nations In an effort to secure international support for the movement to end Death by Incarceration (DBI) sentences in the United States, the Abolitionist Law Center, Amistad Law Project, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Drop LWOP Coalition, and the California Coalition of Women Prisoners collaborated with the University of …
Last week at City Hall, community leaders rallied with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Kranser to deliver a message to Republican legislators moving forward with their attempt to oust the city’s first progressive prosecutor from office. Following the recent PA House of Representatives’ impeachment of Krasner, Republican legislators have moved the process into the PA Senate …
April is Second Chances Month, and while the state paints “victims” in opposition to second chances for people in prison, a growing network of people identifying as “dual victims” are exposing the lie behind this narrative. Dual victims are people who have lost loved ones to interpersonal violence and mass incarceration. Their lived experiences demonstrate …
“Second Chances Don’t Diminish Justice, But Fulfill It” Read More »
The following piece was written by 63-year-old Frederick Page, who was born and raised in North Philadelphia and has served 34 years of a virtual life sentence. In 1989, when Frederick was 29 years old, he was convicted of 17 misdemeanor burglaries and sentenced to 42 ½ to 102 years. Following his sentencing, Frederick said …
Virtual Life Sentences: the Least Discussed Form of Death by Incarceration Read More »
By: Mari Morales-Williams It was October 2019. The legislative body of Pennsylvania had just suppressed legislation to end death by incarceration for first and second degree convictions. In Harrisburg, Jennifer Storm, who headed up the Office of Victim Advocate (OVA) at the time, was celebrating this as a win. Storm was an advocate willing to …
Survivor Justice Network: Families Ending DBI and Building Resiliency Along the Way Read More »
We talked to three survivors of violent crime—Movita Johnson-Harrell, Antoinette Kreiselmeier and Jean Mayes—about what they need to heal.
The following piece is written by David “Dawud” Lee, who is currently serving a Death by Incarceration sentence for a crime he did not commit. Dawud is a co-founder of the Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI), a co-author of the recently released book WEology: Transformative Justice in Practice, and an incredible mentor to countless …
The Urgent Need For Second Chances In Pennsylvania’s Sentencing System What better time for justice than 2022. As we dive into this new year, we should lean into our lawmakers to urge them to bring our friends and loved ones home. As part of their continuous efforts to support second chances in Pennsylvania, Families Against …
This past week we hosted a panel highlighting the voices of survivors, both of street violence and to prisons. We were joined by a few powerful women: Antoinette Kreiselmeier is a justice reform advocate. Movita Johnson Harrell is a retired PA State Rep and former Chief of Victim Services and Restorative Justice at the Philadelphia …
Survivor Stories: Testimonies of Triumph and Tragedy Read More »