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National leaders coming to Livingstone College to discuss criminal justice reform

The meeting, titled “Criminal Justice Reform: A Critical Conversation,” will begin at 3 p.m. at Varick Auditorium and is open to the public.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Livingstone College will hold a town hall meeting Wednesday about changing the look of the criminal justice system with the group Reform Alliance.

The meeting, titled “Criminal Justice Reform: A Critical Conversation,” will begin at 3 p.m. at Varick Auditorium and is open to the public.

The nonprofit organization was founded by recording artist Meek Mill and Michael Rubin, a co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers. Grammy award-winner Jay Z; and Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, are also part of the organization's high-powered philanthropists.

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According to Reform Alliance's website, there are 6.6 million people in the United States’ criminal justice system and 4.5 million of those are on probation or parole. Probation and parole failures account for 45% of all state prison admissions.

“Right now, people under probation or parole make up the vast majority of our criminal justice system, yet the issue has received relatively little attention,” the Reform website read. “Our probation and parole programs were originally intended to hold people accountable and serve as an alternative to incarceration. But they have become a leading contributor to jail and prison populations. Essentially, they are a set-up for re-incarceration.”

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Mill was sentenced to four to six years after he popped a wheelie, which was a violation of his parole. His story gained national attention and ultimately, he was released. Mill said he was just the face of what is a national issue. People who are sent back to prison for technical violations of their probations.

Meek was awarded the Nelson Mandela Changemaker Award in 2021 for his work with Reform.

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“We are honored that Reform Alliance chose Livingstone College to launch its partnerships with HBCUs. We welcome this opportunity that affords us to be a part of a national conversation in addressing criminal justice reform,” Livingstone President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr., said. 

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