Jobs for the incarcerated

ECONOMY

by THE OLBIOS TEAM

There is a growing incidence of police misconduct in America. Unjustified shootings, severe beatings, strangling, and unfair treatment are running rampant. While the number of officers who abuse their positions is proportionally small, law enforcement supervisors and government officials often fail to restrain or penalize them. Van Jones is one of the activists leading the fight against police brutality, racial bias, and infringement on civil liberties. Realizing that legal services alone will not solve the complex human rights challenges facing the prison system today, Van’s Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (EBC) develops and supports community-based organizing. Jones launched the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996. His first initiative, PoliceWatch, is the only legal hotline for police abuse survivors in America. The hotline counselors inform callers about their rights and available remedies, and give practical tips for navigating the system. It uses state-of-the-art computer technology to document and track police abuse. For example, using software designed in-house, the Center identifies problem officers, precincts, and practices. The Ella Baker Center is also establishing civilian reviews of police conduct where it does not exist to improve existing procedures. This will promote democratic control of law enforcement agencies. Most importantly, Jones is giving voice to the young people most affected by lapses in the system. He is launching a public education campaign to draw attention to increasing expenditure on prisons and the shortage of funds for education. His strategy is to draw together “unlikely allies:” those who, regardless of race, income, or ideology, are unwilling to accept the escalating moral, physical, and economic costs of America’s law enforcement system. Ella Baker Center_website Website: http://ellabakercenter.org/

 

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