Making Sense of Prison Reform Needs in New Jersey

On October 30th, special guests Charles Rosen (New Ark Farms) and Professor Jessica Henry (Justice Studies Department, Montclair State University) joined SCM for a memorable colloquium discussion on prison reform issues in the Garden State.

When discussing inequality, one cannot ignore the poor state of affairs nationally as the US has millions of people incarcerated. One could make arguments that these prisoners have been justly accused and convicted, but each day people are denied equality under the law as public defenders carry massive case loads, people are held for extended periods prior to trials, and released prisoners have little to no support reentering society.

As Mr. Rosen and Professor Henry spoke with the students, they shared data as well as the personal stories of individuals affected by the criminal justice system in New Jersey. Rosen shared a poignant story that demonstrates the transformative power of initiatives that build community engagement. New Ark Farms was working on creating a community garden in one of the neighborhoods in Newark. A local resident stated that a fountain in the center of the garden would “wash our problems away” and vowed the local community would cherish and protect this haven of unity.

The conversation also covered the challenges that individuals within the system face including parole violations, recidivism rates due to lack of community support, and how minors may serve sentences inside adult institutions. The burden of carrying a prison record for the rest of your life was a major point and highlights the unequal treatment of job applicants. This directly relates to recent appeals in states like New Jersey to “ban the box” on job applications, so that a person does not have to disclose a conviction record before an interview.

Potential solutions are possible, but it will take a major state and national effort to address certain social issues that lead to the high level of incarceration. As of the election on Tuesday, November 4th, the ballot measure affecting bail and allowing judges increased discretion in the bail process passed with a definite margin in New Jersey. By taking these steps, we will ensure that New Jersey avoids justice delayed and justice denied.

Both Rosen and Henry addressed the role of the media in creating stereotypical images and narratives of crime and criminals in news and entertainment programming. But both also emphasized the power of communication and storytelling to rewrite the dominant narratives of our culture. They encouraged students to seek and tell the stories that can move us forward productively as a society in addressing and resolving problems with the criminal justice system.

The conversation on the criminal justice system continues on December 4th with a panel discussion on “New Strategies, New Approaches: Common Sense Solutions for Criminal Justice Reform in New Jersey” (7:30pm, Montclair State University, Conference Center, 7th Floor University Hall). Register here.