Brennan Center for Justice

Persistent racial disparities are a defining characteristic of the American criminal justice system. Of the 1.6 million people serving prison sentences of longer than a year, 60 percent are African American or Latino. In fact, African Americans are 13 percent of the U.S. population, but comprise 37 percent of the prison population.

The Brennan Center fights for a fair justice system with rational policies and equal access to courts to help fix these racial disparities. Reducing unnecessary incarceration and investing in legal services will allow governments to spend more money on education and job training for communities or color and empower these communities to protect their homes and families in court.

To read about the program’s latest work, read the latest Justice Update e-newsletter here.

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