History Matterrs
Between 1989 and 1998, police arrested more young people who didn’t have criminal records. This disproportionately affected people who are poor, Hispanic/Latino, Black, or American Indian/Native Alaskan.
Massachusetts has one of the lowest rates of death by police in the country. Still, Black and Hispanic people, and people with disabilities, are more likely to be killed by police than others.
People in prison face a high risk of violence. Even after they return to their communities, that risk continues because of:
Trouble finding good jobs and housing
Feeling judged or left out
Strained relationships
Being around violence or extreme beliefs[] []
[EC27] Laird L. (2013). Ex-offenders face tens of thousands of legal restrictions, bias, and limits on their rights. American Bar Association Journal. http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/ex-offenders_face_tens_of_thousands_of_legal_restrictions
[EC28] Alexander, Michelle. (2010). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/new-jim-crow-mass-incarceration-age-colorblindness