REFRAMING PUBLIC SAFETY
Early Reentry and Prosecutorial “Second Look” Approaches
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina sent thousands of people home “early” from prison. Many of these individuals had their release dates moved up by days or months; others had their existing sentences cut by decades. Across the board, a massive number of prison years were avoided and millions of taxpayer dollars saved— with no negative impact on public safety. Further, these early releases allowed people to get an earlier head start on reconnecting with their families, friends, and communities.
As part of its focus on reframing public safety, Southern Coalition for Social Justice took a closer look at these efforts and their outcomes to determine whether early reentry and prosecutorial “second look” approaches can and should be continued—and perhaps expanded in the future.
Safe Return: Alton Bell
In the first episode of our four-part series, Alton Bell opens up about his time being incarcerated. He shares the challenges he faced while in prison and its impact on his life. Alton’s story is part of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice’s Safe Return initiative, which examines North Carolina's decision to send thousands of people home early from prison during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch more episodes here.
Reframing Public Safety
SCSJ’s Reframing Public Safety explores, interrogates, lifts up, and shares policies and practices that increase public safety, strike the right balance between accountability and repair, and center dignity, stability, and justice for all.