Increasing awareness of racial disparities in case processing and sentencing has led justice reform advocates to challenge locally elected officials, specifically chief prosecutors, to address disparate treatment through criminal justice reforms. Elected prosecutors within across several jurisdictions have attempted to address these concerns by adopting “smart-on-crime” policies. However, the extent to which chief prosecutors have adopted such policies has been unexplored empirically. Additionally, little is known about prosecutors’ support for these changes in smaller jurisdictions. The current study explores the political platforms and reform efforts of progressive-oriented prosecutors, highlighting the reform efforts of Black chief prosecutors. Findings suggest that reformed-minded Black prosecutors adopt policies aimed at addressing disparate treatment and positively influencing public perceptions and legitimacy of the office.
The Second Chance Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act encourage juvenile justice personnel to collaborate with not-for-profit organizations, employers, and community schools to provide incarcerated girls with disabilities transition support to reenter their community after incarceration. The Career and College Fair and Dress Your Best activities that are part of the Helping Offenders Prosper Through Employment (HOPE) program are concrete examples of ways to prepare incarcerated girls with disabilities for employment while they are in custody. In this article, transition coordinators in correctional facilities and special educators will find recommendations which they can use when working in juvenile justice settings to help girls with disabilities transition from confinement to their homes and communities, and to increase their chances of becoming employed.
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