Equality and Justice: History and Ideals

“We are not makers of history; we are made by history." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cynthia YueJanuary 4, 2019criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, politics, money bail, justice system, department of justice

Oh, There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Since 2015, the most vulnerable residents of Newark, Arkansas have fallen prey to a ruthless scheme that is evicting them from their homes. During a time where these families deserve a warm sanctuary in which to gather, many are facing eviction and mounting debt.

Cynthia YueDecember 21, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, justice system, department of justice, arkansas, home banishment

OmniBase or Omni-Bust: How the Texas Department of Public Safety Marginalizes the Poor

In Texas, the Omnibase program is exacerbating wealth-inequality and disproportionately hurting those experiencing poverty.

Cynthia YueDecember 14, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, money bail, justice system, department of justice

The Fast and the Flat Broke: Texas’ Extortion of the Poor

As of January 2018, over 1.4 million Texans had suspended licenses for failure to pay additional surcharges on a ticket for a driving infraction. Equal Justice Under Law has filed a lawsuit against Governor Greg Abbot and Texas’ Department of Public Safety to end this program once and for all and help affected Texans escape a cycle of poverty.

Victory Against the “War on Drugs”: Pennsylvania Repeals Punitive License Suspensions in Wake of EJUL Suit

Between 2011 and 2016, Pennsylvania suspended the licenses of over 149,000 individuals as an additional punishment for non-driving-related drug convictions. Now, nine months after EJUL filed a class action lawsuit against the counterproductive practice, Pennsylvania has abolished it.

Highway Robbery: Exorbitant Prison Phone Call Prices

Private companies charge incarcerated individuals and their families up to $14 for a single minute on the phone — a devastating assault on the dignity and family ties of prisoners.

Cynthia YueOctober 18, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, money bail, justice system, department of justice

The Problem of “Secret Bail” In Texas

Criminal hearings are supposed to be free and public, but in Dallas, Texas — where thousands of individuals remain locked up because they cannot afford bail — bail hearings are held in secrecy behind closed doors.

Cynthia YueOctober 3, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, money bail, justice system, department of justice, bail, secret, transparency, texas

Update on Fowler v. Johnson Case: Michigan’s Driver's License Suspension Scheme

On October 3, 2018, Executive Director Phil Telfeyan appeared before a panel of judges from the Sixth Circuit United States Court of Appeals to argue that the district court properly enjoined Michigan’s Secretary of State from automatically suspending the licenses of Michigan residents who cannot afford to pay their court fines and fees.

Lindsey RosenbaumOctober 3, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, justice system, department of justice, Michigan, driver's licenses, driverlicensesuspensions

EJUL Focuses Efforts to Combat Pretrial Racial Discrimination on PG County

Complaints from Equal Justice Under Law have prompted investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice into racial discrimination in bail systems across the country. This month, EJUL formally requested that OJP address extreme pretrial racial disparities in Prince George’s County.

Marissa HattonSeptember 25, 2018criminal justice reform, civil rights, poverty, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, legal, lawsuit, lawyer, litigation, politics, money bail, justice system, department of justice

Phil Telfeyan Speaks to KCBS Radio Morning News

"That contract has spiraled out of control into a scheme of extortion," Telfeyan said. "What's happening is people are being assigned by the county to LCA and LCA is threatening to jail folks if they can't afford to pay."

chrysse haynesSeptember 6, 2018electronic monitoring, ankle bracelet, GPS device, wealth based discrimination

A Look Inside the Lives of Home Imprisonment

Private companies have developed a strategy to incarcerate individuals for their alleged crimes by strapping GPS shackles on their ankles. The use for these devices have more than doubled in the past decade. The largest providers of these devices in the United States are BI Incorporated and Securus Technologies. Both companies had histories of unethical profiting and exploiting criminalized populations. They’re also the targets of protests and court cases.

Albert IvorySeptember 4, 2018gps, electronic monitoring, ankle bracelet, probation, prison, house arrest, home imprisonment, criminalization of poverty, criminal justice reform, discrimination, wealth based discrimination

The First Step Act - A Pros and Cons List

The FIRST STEP Act, short for Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act, or H.R.5682 is a bipartisan prison reform bill passed by the House of Representatives on May 22, 2018. The bill’s timid reach is evident in its name, indicating the bill is only the first step in reforming the federal criminal justice system, with future reform on the horizon.

chrysse haynesAugust 30, 2018criminal justice reform, wealth based discrimination, criminalization of poverty, discrimination, sentencing, first step act, jared kushner, congress, washington dc, capitol hill, social justice, senate

Bernie Sanders Introduces Bill to Eliminate Cash Bail

Every day between 400,000 and 500,000 people are behind bars who haven't been convicted of a crime, they are just awaiting their day in court. Senator Bernie Sanders has plans to change this. If his Bill passes, it would be a monumental victory for criminal justice reform across the country.

chrysse haynesAugust 29, 2018money bail, cash bail, bernie sanders, congress, No Money Bail Act, Senate, criminalization of poverty, criminal justice reform, policy reform, policy, end money bail, discrimination

Expanding SNAP Work Requirements: a Dangerous Game Ending in Poverty

In the classic children’s board game Chutes & Ladders, players move along a game board by rolling a dice, encountering either ladders that advance their progress, or chutes that send them slipping backward.It’s an analogy for the predicament 40 million Americans are soon to be in is fitting. The game carries an eerie resemblance for those who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to move them past the scary pitfalls associated with income inequality and food insecurity.

chrysse haynesAugust 28, 2018poverty, wealthbased inequality, wealth based discrimination, discrimination, SNAP, Farm Bill, Congress, Trump, presidential pardons, president trump, politics, food assistance, criminalization of poverty, criminal justice reform, chutes and ladders

Dror's Story: Efficiency and Justice Have Nothing to Do with Each Other

“His wife knocked on the door one morning and burst into tears, and explained what happened,” Gruffudd recalls. He describes a certain despair accompanying the excitement in the visiting area, “full of families and children, dressed in their Sunday best.” Meanwhile, the inmates appeared emotionally and physically deteriorated.