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¡Feliz año nuevo de parte de la Coalición de Acceso al Voto para Todos!
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As we close out another year, we’d like to express gratitude to our VAAC family. We know that Civic Engagement is more than just voting … coalition building is power! It’s been a transformative year and we could not have done this work without you. We’re constantly impressed and inspired by this community. VAAC is…
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Legisladores ausentes en Michigan
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The Michigan House of Representatives effectively ended their legislative term this year by not showing up. Rather than representing their constituents and voting on key issues that have been witing for a hearing, 55 representatives were absent from their duties for several days this week. House speaker Joe Tate said of those who failed to…
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Los contactos con la policía disminuyen, pero persisten la violencia y las disparidades raciales
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Reporting by the Prison Policy Initiative and the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that fewer people face interactions with the police than in past years. Additionally, only about half of calls to the police are related to possible crimes—and only about 4% are related to violent crimes—suggesting that these calls would be better handled by…
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Justicia penal finalizada 2024
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La Iniciativa de Políticas Penitenciarias ha creado un gráfico que resume la “justicia penal” en los Estados Unidos durante 2024 en un formato de estilo “envuelto”. No es de sorprender que nuestro sistema de encarcelamiento masivo siga desperdiciando dinero, destruyendo vidas y desmembrando familias y comunidades, todo ello mientras logra que las personas estén menos seguras. Obtenga más información de la Iniciativa de Políticas Penitenciarias:
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Manipulación de distritos en prisiones: comuníquese con su representante estatal hoy mismo
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We need your voice now more than ever! Michigan lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 494, a critical step toward ending the harmful practice of prison gerrymandering. This outdated policy distorts district maps, shifts resources unfairly, and silences the voices of communities most impacted by incarceration. We are thrilled that SB 494 passed in the Senate yesterday—but…
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Iniciativa de política penitenciaria: reformas del sistema jurídico penal para 2025
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Prison Policy Initiative released a new report that outlines a number of criminal legal system reforms that should be considered in the coming year. The 34 reforms focus on eight areas: Expanding alternatives to criminal legal system responses to social problems; Protecting the presumption of innocence so people receive a fair shot at justice; Decreasing…
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La Legislatura de Michigan avanza con proyectos de ley de reforma
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This week has been a small victory for criminal legal reform. The bills HB 4160-64 (abolishing juvenile life without parole) and HB 4556-60 (Second Look Resentencing) passed out of the House Criminal Justice Committee with substitution amendments. These bills represent a monumental step toward creating a fairer system that values growth, redemption, and second chances. Advocates, including formerly incarcerated…
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Iniciativa de política penitenciaria: el proyecto de humanización
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People who go through the criminal legal system often feel as if their humanity is being ignored. These feelings are more than justified. Dehumanization is not simply a side effect of incarceration: it is intentional and has been a part of prisons in the United States since the first brick was laid. Prisons in early…
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Apoye a VAAC esta temporada
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We are a nonpartisan grassroots coalition committed to removing voting barriers for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. We believe democracy works best when it includes everyone, and our mission is to ensure that all Michiganders—regardless of circumstance—have the access and support they need to vote. Our donors have helped us drive meaningful change…
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La vivienda es un derecho humano
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Housing is a human right, yet people with conviction and arrest histories in Michigan face immense barriers to finding stable housing. In fact, a recent survey from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority found that respondents with conviction or arrest histories faced the highest levels of housing discrimination of any group. The more than 2…
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El derecho al voto necesita nuestra protección
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This year’s elections were remarkably safe and fair, thanks to volunteers and poll workers from across the political spectrum. But, according to an opinion article in the Los Angeles Times, our process of voting, and our democracy as a whole, is under serious threat. [Some people], suspicious of our elections, are trying to turn democracy…
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Reformulando los objetivos del encarcelamiento
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Lauren-Brooke Eisen and Ram Subramanian wrote an excellent article for the Brennan Center for Justice offering an alternative perspective on the purposes of incarceration. Their approach centers around the idea of dignity. Prisons should give people access to education, therapy, and other rehabilitative activities. Through allowing incarcerated individuals to pursue meaningful activities inside prisons, they…
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