Issue Position: Criminal Justice And Prison Reform

Issue Position

Criminal justice reform is a huge area that personally impacts my life and the lives of many in my district. It is what led me to run for office. The criminal justice system, as it exists, has shaped the prison system into a for-profit business that comes at the expense of low-income people and people of color. Being poor should not be a crime, nor should being black or brown; yet we see people of color railroaded by the criminal justice system daily. Arkansas has the fastest growing prison population in the nation since 2013, despite having seen a steady decrease in crime. For-profit prisons exist as slave labor factories rather than centers of rehabilitation, and it has to change. I have personally been a target of police targeting and false testimony. This would have led to me losing my freedom, and at a point almost led to me losing my life. Innocent people becoming victims in this system not only affects that person but it affects their entire families.

If elected, I will push to create legislation that holds prosecutors accountable if they knowingly and purposely pursue convictions against innocent people. I will also push to eliminate the $50 fee associated with sealing your record if you were not convicted of a crime. We also must "ban the box" that keeps formerly incarcerated people from obtaining employment to turn their lives around.

I want to keep nonviolent offenders out of prison more often. Expanding community-based options for nonviolent individuals means they can continue working, caring for their children or elder family members, and be in a more stable, supportive environment. We as people are supposed to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, therefore I will dedicated to fighting for the people until that is a reality.

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