Project Description Narrative:
It is estimated that 20,000 people in Milwaukee have outstanding arrest warrants. Research demonstrates that the mass incarceration crisis disproportionately impacts African-American working age men. In Milwaukee County, half of African-American men under the age of 40 have been incarcerated, of whom only 1/3 were imprisoned for violent offenses. As part of the long-term effort to dismantle the system of mass incarceration, project partners sought to build capacity for collaborative policy development between faith, criminal justice and organizing sectors so that residents with outstanding arrest warrants can get legal issues resolved in order to reduce stress and impact long-term community health outcomes associated with chronic stress.
Community partners: WISDOM, Inc., 53206 Task Force, MICAH, Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee County Circuit Court First Judicial District-Office of the Chief Judge, Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court, Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, US Marshals Service-Eastern District, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Justice Point, Planned Parenthood, Project Return, Voces de la Frontera, Wisconsin Jobs Now, Wisconsin Voices, 9 to 5 Wisconsin