One in Four adult Americans has a criminal record. Although not everyone ends up in prison or jail, far too many do. As a nation, we are the prison capital of the world. Let’s understand why.
Even though the U.S. represents 5 percent of the world’s population, it houses 22 percent of the world’s prisoners. Black and brown people are disproportionately impacted by the system of mass incarceration, which is too often driven by retribution instead of rehabilitation. Yet, 95 percent of men and women who are incarcerated are eventually released back into society.
Having a criminal record is a major obstacle to accessing housing, education, health care services and certainly getting a job or even starting one’s own business. Research has documented over 46,000 collateral consequences of having a criminal record, which are de-facto barriers to re-entry from prison and jail.
The One in Four podcast is a platform that seeks to spark conversations about the re-entry process of people who have experienced incarceration and the community organizations that support them. We believe it is in everyone’s interest to ensure that those who have paid for their crimes are given a chance to become productive citizens and are equipped with the skills and support necessary to succeed. Join the conversation and help us disrupt the system of mass incarceration.
