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Campaign For The Fair Sentencing Of Youth
The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is a national nonprofit working for racial justice by leading the movement to abolish juvenile life without parole. The U.S. is the only country in the world that sentences children to life in prison; Black children are given JLWOP at a rate 10x per capita compared to white children. We envision a society that respects the dignity and human rights of children through a justice system that considers the child’s age and unique ability to change; provides youth with opportunities to return to community; and bans life without parole for people under age 18.
We center the experience of those most directly impacted, through our Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN), a first of its kind network of individuals who were sentenced to JLWOP and are now home. Together with ICAN, we support corporations to get involved in our movement through direct engagements, public education and proximity to people who have survived JLWOP.
The impact of corporations investing in the CFSY, and by extension in the lives of ICAN members, cannot be overstated. Our ICAN members are all individuals who were told as children they were equal to the worst mistake they ever made, and as a result were worth nothing more than living and dying in prison. They have been intentionally disappeared and forgotten by larger society. The collateral consequences of spending decades in prison, from child to adulthood, are numerous: lost wages, severed social connections, lack of traditional work history, and more. In addition to the barriers associated with being away for decades, they also experience racism and other forms of discrimination and oppression. To have a corporate partners see and value them, and provide resources for their reintegration, is valuable beyond measure. It's best explained by ICAN members themselves:
"To have a company like Checkr support my efforts – it gives you a sense of pride to know that someone believes in you. It makes you feel and want to be and do better."
"Investing in me is a great investment for society, thank you!"
Financials
