At Sustainable Action Now, we believe in informed advocacy, and that means understanding the structures and powers that shape critical areas of our society. The criminal legal system is one such area, often subject to intense political debate and policy shifts. When an administration announces sweeping changes, it’s natural to wonder: “Can they really do […]
At Sustainable Action Now, our commitment to creating a more just and equitable world extends deeply into advocating for humane and effective justice systems. A critical component of this advocacy is confronting the persistent drive for jail expansion, a trend that often diverts resources from genuine community solutions and perpetuates cycles of incarceration. We believe
Challenging the Walls: Fighting Jail Expansion on the Front Lines Read More »
At Sustainable Action Now, we fight for justice not only in the natural world—but within our social systems too. One of the most overlooked yet deeply harmful practices within the U.S. criminal justice system is the routine charging of medical copays to incarcerated individuals—a policy that criminalizes illness and denies essential care to society’s most
Why Waiving Prison Medical Copays Isn’t Enough – A Broken System in Need of Overhaul Read More »
Standing Up for Communities, Not Cages At Sustainable Action Now, we believe in putting people, communities, and the environment before profit and punishment. One of the most urgent and underreported issues we confront is the continued expansion of jails and the private prison system across the United States. As local governments and private entities push
Fighting Jail Expansion: A Sustainable Action Now Report Read More »
In a significant development for both criminal justice and women’s health advocates, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has released new data on pregnancy prevalence, outcomes, and the availability of prenatal and postnatal programming in prisons. While this updated data is a welcome addition to the growing conversation about incarcerated women, it also raises important
As the Trump administration completes its first 100 days, significant policy shifts have emerged across various sectors. This report examines key actions and their implications, emphasizing areas of concern and potential avenues for advocacy. 1. Criminal Legal System: Rollbacks and Reversals The administration has initiated several measures that may reverse progress in criminal justice reform:
There’s a quiet distortion hiding in plain sight on the political maps of Oklahoma — one that shifts power away from the communities that need it most and hands it to areas built around incarceration. It’s called prison gerrymandering, and despite being rooted in outdated federal policy, it’s something Oklahoma lawmakers can fix — today.
As we reach the 100-day mark of Donald Trump’s second term in office, the country finds itself at a pivotal crossroads in criminal legal policy — one that’s receiving far less attention than it deserves. That changes this week. On Wednesday, April 30th, at 12:00 PM Eastern, Communications Strategist Wanda Bertram will join a critical
A call for safety should never come at the cost of human dignity. Recently, thousands of New York prison staff staged a strike, calling for rollbacks to the HALT Solitary Confinement Act—a law designed to limit the use of prolonged isolation in prisons. They argue that these reforms have made their jobs more difficult and
Reinstating Solitary Confinement Isn’t the Answer — It’s a Step Backward Read More »
Dean Gillispie Wins $45 Million for Wrongful Conviction: A Landmark Victory for Justice and Accountability In a significant and long-awaited victory, Dean Gillispie, an Ohio man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years, has been awarded $45 million in a civil lawsuit against the police department and detective responsible for his conviction. This case not
Dean Gillispie Wins $45 Million for Wrongful Conviction Read More »