Legal Redress / Criminal Justice

The Legal Redress Committee:

Investigates all cases reported to it;
Supervises all litigation in which the Unit is interested; and
Keeps the National Office and the Branch informed on the progress of every case. It shall not give general legal advice.

The Committee on Criminal Justice:

Seeks to eliminate harsh and unfair sentencing practices that are responsible for mass incarceration and racial disparities in the prison system;
Supports and seeks to increase trust and public safety by advancing effective law enforcement practices;
Fights for the restoration of the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people and the removal of barriers to employment;
Elevates the voices of crime victim survivors in order to identify and advances systemic breakdowns existing in the criminal justice system that perpetuate crime;
Resolves to end the war on drugs for its disproportionate collateral consequences and harm to communities of color;
Seeks the institution and availability of alternatives to incarceration, including education, employment, and mental health services;
Eliminates zero-tolerance policies implemented in our schools which keep kids out of the classroom and put them on a path from the schoolhouse to the jailhouse;
Investigates programs implemented in our local law enforcement agencies which derail from their main purpose of safety and order to conduct the work of federal agencies for which they do not have the capacity; and
Seeks budget modifications in states where incarceration receives more funding than education.