A presentation on PIC and the Sentencing Project

1. Justina Almodovar

2. Land of opportunity

3. The Stats
 2.2 million Americans are in prison right
now
 Prison population thirty years ago was
1/8th the current size
 Population of incarcerated women in
California is now double the nationwide
women’s prison population in 1970

4. The Profiteers
 Federal & State government will contact
3 companies
 Corrections Corporations of America (CCA)
 GEO Group, Inc.
 Management and Training Corporation
 Companies are financed by:
 Investors
 Banks
 Other corporations

5. How?
 Media
 Exploits harmful stereotypes
 Public becomes aggressive on strict policing
and mass imprisonment
 Fear of Crime
 Companies lobby government to expand
policies
 Lengthen sentences to keep people in longer
 War on Drugs
 Now nearly 50% of prisoners are in for drug
offenses

6. Result
 Prisons take up more space
 Less funding to government programs
○ Education
○ Welfare
 Prioritizing punishment and security
 Does not bring any actual justice
 The goal is to fill cells
 Make more prisons

7. The Sentencing Project
 Change the way Americans see crime
and punishment
 Aims to reduce reliance on incarceration
 Raise awareness of trends and inequality in
the criminal justice system
 Promote other solutions:
 Prevention, intervention and re-entry

8. Red hook, Brooklyn
 Red Hook Community Court
 Single judge hears court cases
 Relies on rehabilitation programs rather than
prison
 73% compliance with court order
 50% better than traditional NYC courts!

9. Sentencing project: Facebook page
 Promote situations like Red Hook
 Daily posts on statistics reports, social
awareness and different alternatives
 Promote other organizations that provide
service
 Largely spreads information on reform
 New laws passed
 Bills that need support
 Message is strong and clear