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Justice System Reform

SCSJ’s ‘Safe Return’ Report Details Successes of NC Releasing People Early from Prison

DURHAM, N.C. (Sept. 4, 2024) — During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina safely sent thousands of people home early from prison with no negative impact to public safety, according to a new report, “Safe Return,” from Southern Coalition for Social Justice released as part of its Reframing Public Safety Series.

Safe Return: North Carolina's Experience with Bringing People Home Early form Prison report spread with cover and two spreads showing report content over blue gradient background

Recent News

duotone hand holding 'vote' button over big yellow circle with purple arrows indicating voting direction in the background

Voting Rights

NC GOP Files Cynical Lawsuit to Incite Anti-Immigrant Hate, Undermine Trust in Elections

UPDATE (Aug. 27, 2024) — It’s Groundhog Day in North Carolina. Just like last week’s lawsuit, the NC GOP have again asked a state court…

Hasson Bacote was sentenced to death for a crime that occurred when he was 21.

Justice System Reform

Community Leaders Urge Court to Uphold Racial Justice Act, Condemn NC Death Penalty

SMITHFIELD, N.C. (Aug. 21, 2024) — Closing arguments in the historic Racial Justice Act (RJA) hearing in the case of Hasson Bacote are scheduled to…

Social Media graphic to advertise the student media election workshop, listing dates and topics

Communications

Southern Coalition for Social Justice to host Student Media Elections Workshop

Ahead of the 2024 General Election, SCSJ will host its Student Media Elections Workshop to provide nonpartisan electoral training for student journalists.

Various posters with the words "Voter" and "Register to Vote"

Voting Rights

Funding Headed to Southern Grassroots Groups to Engage and Empower Voters

DURHAM, N.C. (Aug. 15, 2024) - The Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement Network (SOLVE), a project of Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ), is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024-2025 SOLVE Southern Spark Grants.

10 Southern States outlined with multiple people waiting in line to vote transposed on top

Voting Rights

New Report on Voting Access Barriers in the South

DURHAM, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2024) — The Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement (SOLVE) Network is excited to announce the release of its “State of the South: Voting Rights Under Assault” report, which details the challenges millions of voters in the South will face this fall to exercise their freedom to vote.

Intimidating Police officer watching high school students walk to class

Justice System Reform

SCSJ Focuses on School Resource Officers in First Part of New Ongoing Public Safety Series

DURHAM, N.C. (Aug. 5, 2024) — School resource officers (SROs) create an unsafe environment for children, according to part one of a new series, Reframing Public Safety, from SCSJ.

Voting Rights

Fifth Circuit Court Rules That Galveston Minority Voting Coalitions Are Not Protected Under Voting Rights Act

NEW ORLEANS, La. (Aug. 2, 2024) — Yesterday, the en banc United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, overruled decades of Voting Rights Act (VRA) precedent to reverse our clients’ redistricting victory in the Petteway v. Galveston County case.

Sign that says Bingham Park is Closed to the Public in Greensboro, NC

Environmental Justice

Greensboro City Council Bows to Community Demands for More Input Over Bingham Park Toxic Waste Removal

GREENSBORO, N.C. (July 19, 2024) — The Greensboro City Council has cancelled its July 23 meeting on the contaminated waste from the Bingham Park cleanup…

Liquified natural gas storage facility transposed on top of a decorate background in a collage-style design

Environmental Justice

SCSJ Condemns Merger of Enbridge, Dominion

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 12, 2024) - Southern Coalition for Social Justice stood alongside environmental and community advocates to condemn the potential merger of Dominion Energy…

School Resource Officer standing in an empty school hallway

Justice System Reform

Warnings About Police in Schools: SCSJ Releases Memo to Fayetteville City Officials

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (July 10, 2024) — Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) recommends Fayetteville keeps its schools police-free in a memo addressing the city’s proposal…

Justice System Reform

SCSJ Statements on Supreme Court OK’ing Punishment for Sleeping While Unhoused

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 28, 2024) — In a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled penalizing unhoused people for sleeping outside when there is no…

Voting Rights

The Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement (SOLVE) Network Announces Funding Opportunity

DURHAM, N.C. (May 29, 2024) –– The Southern Leadership for Voter Engagement (SOLVE) Network is excited to announce a series of $10,000 one-year project grants…