Many issues that are primary drivers of mass incarceration cannot be remedied through government solutions alone. Issues such as broken families and mental health, both forever altered by over criminalization, cannot be simply be repaired through legislation. Civil Society has the unique capability to address certain social issues that government cannot, or to address them more effectively than government can. This section also addresses issues in which over-policing attempts to fix issues that should be handled through the community.
"Defy Ventures, founded in 2010, has a simple but unique mission: 'To end mass incarceration and to drastically reduce the rate convicted convicts re-offend after being let out' by instilling an understanding of entrepreneurship as a tool to "transform legacies and human potential'."
Inc
July 25, 2018
Read More"Should any of these students become eligible for release, they could potentially use their experience and skills to find work and community on the outside, a challenge for many released inmates. Tending the bees also provides the women with an opportunity to go outside, collaborate with each other, and learn something new. It’s an antidote, Mahood says, to the monotony of day-to-day life behind bars."
Atlanta Magazine
July 18, 2018
Read More"They realized that they had lost 13 employees to addiction over 10 years, and that half the cases were related to opioid drugs. 'They were not fired,' Mr. Perez said. 'They were dead'."
New York Times
July 10, 2018
Read More"Responses operating outside the institution of policing and in the interest of the material well-being of the people are needed. This means not relying on police to solve conflict or social problems but instead pushing to divest funding from them and putting those funds into education, mental health, and other resources for the places we live."
The Appeal
June 19, 2018
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