A series of discussions about the U.S. prison system will be held at Mount Zion AME on Mon. Feb. 24 at 4:30 p.m.
Speakers at the event, including U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Ma.), S.C. Corrections leader Bryan Stirling; and Nick Turner, president of the Vera Institute of Justice, will discuss their work transforming the current prison system into one “rooted in accountability, healing, and racial equity,” according to a press release.
The discussion is co-sponsored by Restoring Promise, MILPA Collective, the Vera Institute of Justice, and Pressley.
Prison reform recidivism rates among prisoners have been heavily discussed in the U.S. over the last two decades. In South Carolina, 30.8 percent of prisoners released in 2014 committed new crimes by 2019. The Department of Justice has attempted to reduce recidivism rates in the last few years by “strengthening the Federal Bureau of Prisons” through education programs for inmates and prioritizing mental health treatments for prisoners.
Pressley is a national co-chair of Elizabeth Warren’s presidential team, but Monday’s event is not a campaign event, though candidates have been invited.
The event is free, but you can RSVP online. The event will also be livestreamed. Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.