Reconsidering Reentry: Exploring Decarceration in its Fullness Amid COVID-19

Wednesday, May 20^th 2-4pm ET

RSVP here: bit.ly/DPACOVIDSeries2

Prior to COVID-19, returning to society post-conviction and post-incarceration has always been complicated for many people by thousands of collateral consequences and barriers to economic, social, and health-related supports that are vital for successful reentry, especially for those who struggle with substance use and/or have a drug related conviction. Federal and state policies distinctly prohibit supports for people who are struggling with addiction and/or are drug involved.

In the era of COVID-19 and beyond, calls for decarceration need to be coupled with urgent demands to eliminate barriers to desperately needed housing, food assistance, healthcare, harm reduction services and other overdose prevention resources, and viable employment opportunities.

This teleconference will bring together advocates and allies in the justice reform, harm reduction, and reentry services space to reflect on and discuss the priorities needed, as a part of decarceration efforts, to help adequately protect the lives and prospects of returning citizens, their families, and the community during these unprecedented times.

Moderators: Queen Adesuyi and Grant Smith, Drug Policy Alliance

Speakers:

Jenny Collier, JD – Collier Collective; Justice Roundtable Reentry Working Group

Shamsher Samra, MD, MPhil – Emergency Medicine Physician, L.A. County Jails

Luis S. Garcia, Ed.D., MSW – Weingart Center

Stanley Andrisse, PhD, MBA – From Prisons to PhD

Susan Burton – A New Way of Life Reentry Project