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Testimony Supporting Michigan Pretrial Reform Legislation Package
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On November 12, 2024, the House Criminal Justice Standing Committee heard testimony on a package of bills to advance pretrial reform in Michigan. Safe & Just Michigan Executive Director John S. Cooper provided written testimony and stated: “The pending bill package would eliminate cash bail in many low-level, non-violent cases while leaving the existing system…
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In Solidarity and Strength Beyond One Election
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Dear Vaac Community, We are a coalition of people directly impacted by the legal system, along with close allies, working to ensure that every person in Michigan knows their right to vote and has the tools to exercise it. In 2024, we showed up powerfully to do just that. This election, VAAC helped hundreds, many…
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Join Us in the Fight for Commonsense Police Accountability
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Four years after the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and too many others, Michigan is still waiting for meaningful police reform. Despite strong bipartisan support and well-crafted proposals refined through extensive outreach to law enforcement and community groups, no substantial legislative action has occurred. With time running out in this legislative session, we…
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Panel Discussion on Belonging and Redemption
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Restorative Action Alliance is offering a free panel discussion November 18, 2024, at 7:30–9:00 pm, titled Reimagining Belonging: Redemption, Repair & Reentry in Faith Communities.
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Safe & Just Michigan Fall 2024 Newsletter Released!
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Safe & Just Michigan sends this quarterly newsletter to over 600 incarcerated readers at the Michigan Department of Corrections. The newsletter reports on policy updates, outreach and educational activities. It informs readers of the valuable work that continues to be done in our communities to support meaningful change in policies and public opinion related to…
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Prison Policy Initiative: Local Governments and Prison Gerrymandering
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Population counts from census data distort representation by counting prisoners as residents where they are incarcerated instead of their home. Take a detailed look at the state of prison gerrymandering across the country with this resource from Prison Policy Initiative. We’ve identified over 200 cities and counties that have taken action to avoid prison gerrymandering…
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One Week Out
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We are officially in the last week before Election Day! If you have not already voted, now is the time to make a plan and see it through. And be sure to bring all your friends with you. This is what it’s all about. Use your power, and vote.
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Early Voting in Michigan!
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Early voting starts statewide in Michigan October 26! Several localities have already started voting. If you would like to vote before Election Day, it’s easy, but your early voting location might be different than your regular polling place. Find your early voting locations at Michigan.gov/vote. Do you still have your absentee ballot? Return it ASAP…
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Combatting Disinformation
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Disinformation in political campaigns and social media has been confusing and muddling information about our communities for years. We need to do better to promote factual narratives and evidence-based information. Fortunately, there are ways to do this through regulation, public policy, and individual action. The following is excerpted from a scholarly article (“Combatting disinformationHow it…
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Counting Votes and Certifying Elections
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Elections are not easy, but localities everywhere in the United States have gotten very good at them. See what it takes to collect, tabulate, certify, and verify votes in our elections, thanks to an article written by Derek Tisler, Elizabeth Howard, and Edgardo Cortés for the Brennan Center for Justice. Mail-in ballots, early voting ballots,…
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A bustling year at Prison Policy Initiative
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Prison Policy Initiative has been busy during the past year, sharing research, reports, and other information about the nationwide problems related to mass incarceration. The highlights below are from an article originally published by Prison Policy Initiative as “Highlights from a bustling year at Prison Policy Initiative,” authored by Danielle Squillante. We wrapped up another…
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Tracking Your Absentee Ballot (Don’t Forget to Sign the Envelope!)
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Important information from our friends at MichiganVoting.org: We encourage you to track your absentee ballot and application by visiting mi.gov/vote and clicking on “Your voter information.” (If there’s no date under a particular step, it means that step is not complete.) You can also now sign up for tracking notifications by email. To sign up,…
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