Putting People at the Center of Criminal Justice Reform

OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas

Over the course of the past few weeks, Rebecca’s been having a series of conversations with some of the folks behind Next100—a think tank that’s turning the traditional think tank model on its head, to create a public policy sector where those with the most at stake are driving the change they and their communities want to see. We at Off-Kilter enjoyed what started as a single episode conversation so much, we decided to turn it into a three-part series.

So, to wrap up that series of conversations with Next100 leaders about what it looks like to put people at the center of policy change in the areas of antipoverty policy and climate policy… for this week’s show, Rebecca sat down with a set of current and former Next100 policy entrepreneurs—Michael "Zaki" Smith, Isabel Coronado, and Vidal Guzman—all of whom are working to transform different facets of America’s Jim Crow criminal legal system, and to ensure directly impacted folks are leading the way.

And ICYMI: Don’t miss the first and second episodes in this ongoing series.

For more:

• For more from Zaki, check out his piece on collateral consequences, “A Silent Life Sentence”; his testimony before the New York state legislature on why “New York State Must Pass Automatic Expungement ‘Clean Slate’ Legislation”; the #EndPerpetualPunishment Campaign; his Brooklyn mural campaign; and follow him on Twitter @zakithebarber.
• For more from Isabel, check out her report: ​​“We Are Not Collateral Consequences: Policy Solutions for Children of Incarcerated Parents, From Arrest to Reentry”; her piece “The Resilient Children of Incarcerated Parents: Interviews”; and more on her idea for a Flourishing Children of Incarcerated Parents federal grant program; and follow her on Twitter @graduateisabel.
• For more from Vidal, check out his essay explaining why “Slavery Hasn’t Been Abolished. It’s Been Reformed”; read more on the Fix the 13th NY campaign to raise wages for incarcerated folks; and follow him on Twitter @iamvidalguzman.