Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Advisory Council
Disenfranchising people with criminal convictions provides no legitimate law enforcement purpose. In fact, restoring voting rights is sound policy from a law enforcement perspective. A critical element of protecting public safety is reducing recidivism through successful reentry of former offenders into their communities. Disenfranchising this population hinders reintegration back into society because it fosters second-class citizenship, while restoring voting rights can help promote civic engagement and pro-social behaviors helpful to the reentry process.
On June 8, 2007 the Brennan Center held a groundbreaking convening of law enforcement and criminal justice leaders from across the country to discuss the relationship between voting, successful reintegration, and public safety. After the day-long program, many of the convening participants agreed to come together and join the Brennan Center's campaign to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions.
We have harnessed the energy and enthusiasm created by the convening in a newly formed Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Advisory Council, which will continue work closely with the Brennan Center on both a local and national level.
Current members of the Brennan Center for Justice Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Advisory Council:
- Theodis Beck, President, Association of State Correctional Administrators; Secretary, North Carolina Department of Corrections
- Douglas DeLeaver, President, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
- Christopher Epps, Commissioner, Mississippi Department of Corrections; Member, Commission on Accreditation for Correction of the American Correctional Association
- Dean Esserman, Chief of Police, Providence Police Department; Member at Large of the Board of Directors of the Police Executive Research Forum
- Ron Hampton, Executive Director, National Black Police Association
- Lisa Holley, President, Association of Paroling Authorities International; Chair, Rhode Island Parole Board
- Justin Jones, Director, Oklahoma Department of Corrections; Chair of the Committee of the American Probation and Parole Association on Issues/Positions/Resolutions
- Jorge Montes, Chairman, Illinois Prisoner Review Board; member of the Association of Paroling Authorities International
- Chase Riveland, former Secretary, Washington Department of Corrections
- John F. Timoney, Chief of Police, Miami Police Department; President of the Board of Directors of Police Executive Research Forum
- Carl Wicklund, Executive Director, American Probation and Parole Association
- Hubert Williams, President, Police Foundation
- Ashbel T. Wall, Director, Rhode Island Department of Corrections
In October 2007, Advisory Council members helped pass an American Probation and Parole Association resolution in favor of restoring voting rights to people upon release from prison.
In April 2008, Advisory Council members helped pass an Association of Paroling Authorities International resolution that endorsed voting rights restoration and encouraged paroling authorities to participate in the passage and implementation of laws that engage former offenders in the civic discourse.
In June 2008, the National Black Police Association passed a resolution in favor of the automatic restoration of voting rights upon release from prison.