Confronting the History of Mass Incarceration 

Throughout the history of Avenues for Justice (AFJ), we’ve strategically navigated how we talk about the issues our Participants are faced with. We have learned over the years that in some spaces, conversations about criminal justice focus primarily on individuals and public safety, rather than on the systems that sustain cycles of mass incarceration.

Most of our young people are navigating systems shaped by generations of economic disinvestment, housing instability, under-resourced schools, over-policing, barriers to employment, and ongoing racial inequities. At a time when there are growing efforts to erase, distort, or silence conversations about race and American history, we believe it is critical to tell the truth about the systems that shaped mass incarceration in this country. Addressing mass incarceration requires more than reforming policies in isolation. It requires acknowledging the human impact of these systems and working collectively to break the cycles that continue to harm individuals, families, and communities.

In June, as we recognize Juneteenth, Avenues for Justice will launch The True History of Mass Incarceration in America, a new series examining the historical and systemic forces that created and continue to sustain cycles of incarceration in this country. Through this series, we hope to deepen public understanding of how these systems were built, the lasting impact they continue to have on families and communities, and why confronting this history honestly is essential to creating meaningful change.

Every day at AFJ we see how our young people need more than short-term intervention. They need consistent mentorship, workforce development, mental health support, educational opportunities, and pathways to long-term economic mobility. They need opportunities to build futures rooted in dignity, stability, and possibility. Our Board Chair, Dean Schaffer, puts it plainly:

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This understanding is what led us to choose Justice inAction as a central framework for this next chapter of our work. It isan acknowledgment that we must be willing to have deeper conversations aboutthe systems and historical conditions which continue to shape opportunity inthis country today.

Over the coming months, AFJ will begin sharing more stories,reflections, conversations which will include the voices and experiences ofParticipants, community leaders, artists, advocates, and partners whounderstand both the challenges communities are navigating and the possibilitiesthat emerge when meaningful support and opportunity exist.

Breaking systemic cycles founded on 250 years of historyrequires long-term commitment, shared responsibility, and collective investmentin people and communities that have carried the weight of inequity forgenerations.

This is Justice in Action.