Join Justice Strategies August 6th, 2019 at the National Association of Sentencing Commissions’ Conference
Join Justice Strategies at the National Association of Sentencing Commissions (NASC) on August 6th, 2019 in Virginia to discuss alternatives to sentencing programs for parents and the efficacy of Family Responsibility Statements. Riley Hewko, J.D., founder and former Staff Attorney of the Incarcerated Parents Project at the Washington Defender Association in Seattle will facilitate a discussion for Justice Strategies with Ebony Underwood from We Got Us Now in New York, Honorable Cathy Hollenberg Serrette of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, Susie Leavell, Program Administrator of the Family Offender Sentencing Alternative (FOSA) for the Washington State Department of Corrections, and Allison Hollihan, Senior Policy Manager at The Osborne Association.
An estimated 5 million children have experienced their parent being removed from their communities and sent to prison or jail. No matter the time spent away, months or years, these families miss moments of childhood and adolescence that cannot be recaptured. As states have made efforts to create programs to support parents in maintaining contact with their children while they are in prison, an even better solution is to end incarceration all together. Several states, including Washington, Oregon, and most recently in Tennessee, have been passed laws that enable them to divert parents from incarceration and keep parents in the community with their children. Many jurisdictions have also moved to add family impact statements at sentencing to reduce time served. We will delve into the need for these programs and give tangible takeaways for those interested in advocating for similar strategies in their home state.
View the full agenda here.
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