“Nearly every time a mainstream news outlet mentions the word ‘prison,’ it’s in the context of someone being convicted of a crime, not the people & conditions …” Read more: https://www.poynter.org/commentary/analysis/2026/teaching-journalism-students-to-cover-prisons-with-humanity/ #PersonFirst

I taught prison reporting because I know how bad coverage can hurt - Poynter

After watching prison coverage harm my family, I set out to teach journalism students to cover incarceration with more humanity

poynter.org

JustLeadershipUSA President & CEO DeAnna Hoskins talks about how her White House Fellowship introduced her to how the federal government uses #AI. Watch the full interview: https://jlusa.org/2026/08/04/deanna-hoskins-on-responsible-ai-adoption-for-grassroots-and-justice-focused-nonprofits/

“Health services accounted for a third of the nearly 2,000 complaints received by the Office of Correction Ombuds regarding the conditions in #CT prisons.” Read more: https://ctmirror.org/2026/08/03/healthcare-access-dominates-complaints-from-cts-incarcerated/ #HealthEquity #Connecticut

Healthcare access dominates complaints from CT's incarcerated

Health services accounted for a third of the nearly 2,000 complaints received by the Correction Ombuds regarding the conditions in CT prisons.

ctmirror.org

Watch DeAnna Hoskins’ new interview with Mallory Erickson on the “What the Fundraising” podcast, discussing responsible AI adoption for grassroots & justice-focused nonprofits: https://jlusa.org/2026/08/04/deanna-hoskins-on-responsible-ai-adoption-for-grassroots-and-justice-focused-nonprofits

“[#NextMileNYC] is expanding to people across the city who have had past involvement w/ the #criminaljustice system—whether they’re still incarcerated, on parole or struggling …” https://gothamist.com/news/from-rikers-to-the-open-road-program-helps-detainees-land-lucrative-trucking-jobs #NYC

From Rikers to the open road: Program helps detainees land lucrative trucking jobs

Next Mile NYC launched in 2025 and is expanding to people across the city who have had past involvement with the criminal justice system.

gothamist.com

Lana Mendis (Leading with Conviction™ 2022) writes, “This is what I want the next 250 years to reckon with … the walls we build around each other inside this work.” Read more: https://jlusa.org/2026/08/03/justice-the-next-250-tearing-down-the-walls-we-build-around-ourselves-and-each-other #Next250

“… just 44% of formerly incarcerated individuals [in #Louisiana] were formally employed during their first year after discharge.” Read more: https://www.kplctv.com/2026/07/31/report-highlights-employment-barriers-formerly-incarcerated-louisianans/ #Reentry #EconomicMobility #Jobs #Employment

Report highlights employment barriers for formerly incarcerated Louisianans

A new report found many formerly incarcerated Louisianans face significant challenges finding and maintaining stable employment after leaving the justice system.

kplctv.com

“Governor Abigail Spanberger has restored the right to vote to over 66,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians.” https://www.wvtf.org/news/2026-07-31/governor-spanberger-restores-voting-rights-to-more-than-66-000-formerly-incarcerated-virginians #Virginia #Democracy #VotingRights

Governor Spanberger restores voting rights to more than 66,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians

Virginia is one of a handful of states that takes the right to vote from those convicted of a felony, and then requires gubernatorial approval to restore those rights.

wvtf.org

“People who spent decades incarcerated within #Alabama prisons provided a detailed account of ongoing violence, abuse by corrections staff & lack of adequate healthcare services …” https://alabamareflector.com/2026/07/30/formerly-incarcerated-people-family-members-describe-alabama-prison-violence/

Formerly incarcerated people, family members describe Alabama prison violence | Alabama Reflector

Speakers describe murders, assaults and abuse that remain rampant within Alabama's prisons and need for more accountability.

alabamareflector.com

“[#Missouri] has executed more than half the people it has sentenced to death compared with 18% nationwide …” #DeathPenalty https://missouriindependent.com/2026/07/29/since-death-penaltys-return-50-years-ago-missouri-executes-prisoners-at-high-rate/

Since death penalty’s return 50 years ago, Missouri executes prisoners at high rate • Missouri Independent

Over half of death row prisoners in Missouri have been executed. Nationally, the rate is 18%.

missouriindependent.com

“#Colorado Newsline has communicated with 4 men who believed they were making progress toward release & rehabilitation through #earnedtime until Corrections adjusted their sentences and rescinded [it] …” https://coloradonewsline.com/2026/07/29/colorado-prisoners-earned-time-took-it-back/

Colorado gave some prisoners earned time off their sentences. Then the state took it back. | Colorado Newsline

A Colorado prison audit found that some incarcerated people were ineligible for any of the earned time they thought they had accrued.

coloradonewsline.com

Summer is a time for bold action. Donate to fuel justice-impacted leaders working to transform laws and lives. 👉 jlusa.org/donate #LeadershipMatters #Donate #SummerOfJustice

“Under the new rule, officials say as many as 444,724 cases could be transferred directly to one of the Justice Department’s immigration judges. Trump officials have empowered judges to dismiss certain cases without a hearing …” Read free gift article: wapo.st/3TmWIvb #Immigration #Deportation

Asylum seekers could be sent directly to deportation under new federal rule

The Trump administration rule, which took effect immediately, could transfer nearly 450,000 cases to immigration judges, who could dismiss the asylum petitions.

wapo.st

“Gov. Mike Braun announced $9.1 million in federal grants Wednesday aimed at expanding registered #apprenticeship programs across #Indiana and helping #formerlyincarcerated adults reenter the workforce.” Read more: www.wishtv.com/news/politic... #Reentry #WorkfoceDevelopment #Jobs #Hiring

Gov. Mike Braun announces $9.1 million for Indiana apprenticeships

Governor Mike Braun announced $9.1 million in federal grants on Wednesday to expand Indiana's registered apprenticeship programs and assist formerly incarcerated adults in entering the workforce.

wishtv.com

“Phoenix man collapsed from heat shock shortly after leaving jail … His story has become a grim shorthand for what happens when brutal summer heat, homelessness & thin #reentry support all hit at once.” https://hoodline.com/2026/07/phoenix-man-walks-out-of-jail-into-deadly-street-heat-7014132/

Phoenix Man Walks Out Of Jail, Into Deadly Street Heat

A Phoenix man’s heat collapse after jail release spotlights how extreme heat hits the unhoused and newly released hardest.

hoodline.com

Yasmine Arrington Brooks (LwC 2019) said the 15th Annual ScholarCHIPS Awards ceremony was a milestone for the organization since it was its largest class. https://jlusa.org/2026/07/27/yasmine-arrington-brooks-celebrates-the-largest-group-of-scholarship-recipients-in-the-history-of-scholarchips

During an appearance on the #FriendsKeepSecrets podcast, #LilWayne explained how he recorded an album during his 8-month stint at #RikersIsland in 2010. Read more: https://jlusa.org/2026/07/24/lil-wayne-explains-how-he-recorded-his-2010-album-while-incarcerated-at-rikers-island #CLOSErikers

“Data collected from 30 American cities showed an 18% decrease in the homicide rate from 2025 compared to the same period in 2026 … Should the trend continue, it would push the annual homicide rate to the lowest levels in over a century …” Read more: apnews.com/article/homi... #Crime

US on track to have historically low number of homicides in 2026, report says

A new report from the Council on Criminal Justice shows an 18% decrease in the homicide rate across 30 American cities from 2025 compared to the same period in 2026.

apnews.com

Robyn Hasan Simpson and Women On The Rise recently honored #JohnLewis with a “Good Trouble Lives On” march to the #Georgia state capitol. Read more: https://jlusa.org/2026/07/22/robyn-hasan-simpson-honors-john-lewis-with-good-trouble-lives-on-march-to-georgia-state-capitol #GoodTrouble

Wisconsin’s prison system is over capacity by more than 5,000 people. Those numbers are unsustainable, says Mark Rice (Leading with Conviction+™ 2026). Read more: https://jlusa.org/2026/07/20/mark-rice-and-others-call-for-end-to-prison-overcrowding-in-wisconsin #Wisconsin #WisconsinDOC

How many criminal cases are handled by local courts in the U.S.? ○ 3/5 (60%) ○ 2/3 (66.6%) ○ 3/4 (75%) ○ 4/5 (80%) Take the quiz: jlusa.org/quiz #Quiz #CriminalJusticeReform #MunicipalCourts #LocalCourts

JLUSA Weekly Quiz

Test your knowledge of criminal justice reform news and views!

jlusa.org

How many criminal cases are handled by local courts in the U.S.? ○ 3/5 (60%) ○ 2/3 (66.6%) ○ 3/4 (75%) ○ 4/5 (80%) Take the quiz: jlusa.org/quiz #Quiz #CriminalJusticeReform #MunicipalCourts #LocalCourts

“We have refused to stand still, instead finding new, unexpected ways to scale our model and deepen our national footprint. … Our work is far from finished, but our foundation has never been stronger.” —DeAnna Hoskins, JLUSA President & CEO Read the 2026 Annual Report: jlusa.org/2026annualreport

“The official in charge of fixing NYC’s troubled jails submitted a plan to a federal judge on Tuesday to improve conditions at #RikersIsland …” Read gift article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/nyregion/rikers-deml-overhaul-plan.html?unlocked_article_code=1.x1A.g3CT.p2M_hGm4IiYY&smid=url-share

Federal Official Sets Deadlines to Overhaul Rikers Island

The official, Nicholas Deml, submitted the first in a series of reports to a federal judge, focusing on key areas of improvement, including safety, at the troubled facility.

nytimes.com

“Mass incarceration has led to a fast-growing bloc of citizens who either are legally barred from voting or have just stopped bothering. Under the right circumstances, this slice of the electorate is large enough to tip an election.” Read more: theconversation.com/the-nation-i... #VotingRights

The nation is missing millions of voters due to lack of rights for former felons

At least 20 million Americans have served time. Most of them can’t or don’t vote, and that may distort some election outcomes, a political scientist argues.

theconversation.com

Today JustLeadershipUSA is celebrating DeAnna Hoskins’ eighth anniversary as President and CEO! Please join us in wishing DeAnna a happy anniversary. jlusa.org/deanna #JLUSAstrong

Sen. Keturah Herron (Leading with Conviction™ 2019) and other leaders recently convened a town hall on #AI #datacenters in #Kentucky. Read more: https://jlusa.org/2026/07/13/sen-keturah-herron-convenes-town-hall-on-ai-data-centers-in-kentucky #KeturahHerron #JLUSAstrong #LeadingWithConviction

As you explore this year’s Annual Report, we hope you’ll see not only what we’ve accomplished, but what’s possible next. Read the new report: https://jlusa.org/annual-report-2026/ #EmergingLeaders #LeadingWithConviction #JLUSAstrong #OurExperienceIsOurExpertise

Annual Report 2026

Download Report Donate Now to Support JLUSA’s Work Every year, JustLeadershipUSA sets out with a singular, unyielding conviction: the expertise of those closest to the problem is the most powerful…

jlusa.org

Our 2025–2026 Annual Report tells the story of a year of remarkable momentum. Read the new report: https://jlusa.org/annual-report-2026/ #EmergingLeaders #LeadingWithConviction #JLUSAstrong #OurExperienceIsOurExpertise

Annual Report 2026

Download Report Donate Now to Support JLUSA’s Work Every year, JustLeadershipUSA sets out with a singular, unyielding conviction: the expertise of those closest to the problem is the most powerful…

jlusa.org

Congratulations to JustLeadershipUSA President & CEO DeAnna Hoskins on being appointed to the board of directors of the Proteus Fund! Learn more: https://www.proteusfund.org/proteus-fund-welcomes-three-new-board-members/ #ProteusFund #JLUSAstrong