This article was originally published by Prison Policy Initiative as “Webinar: Combating “carveouts” in criminal justice reforms,” authored by Sarah Staudt

Join the Prison Policy Initiative and a panel of criminal justice leaders for a discussion on how advocates for reform can talk to policymakers about carve-outs, with a particular focus on addressing fentanyl and sex offense-related charges.

Criminal legal system reforms are being introduced at a rapid pace across the United States, often with the stated goal of reducing our extreme prison and jail populations. Too often, however, these reforms are hampered because they exclude large categories of people impacted by the criminal legal system. These “carveouts” generally exclude people charged with or convicted of violent, sex-related, or other serious charges. Some criminal legal system reformers make the mistake of assuming that carveouts are an unavoidable or necessary part of all criminal legal reform. But the reality is that criminal legal system reform will never achieve its goals if we continue to focus only on non-violent, non-sexual, and non-serious charges.

• What: Combating “Carveouts” in Criminal Justice Reforms Webinar
• When: Wednesday, November 1, 2023, 1 p.m. Eastern
• Who:
  • Laurie Jo Reynolds, Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Jeannette Zanipatin, California State Director, Drug Policy Alliance
  • Sarah Staudt, Policy and Advocacy Director, Prison Policy Initiative