This
week you will be engaging in some advocacy work! You have learned a lot about
the criminal justice system, systems of mass incarceration, so now is the time
to take action. You may choose which manner to connect with an elected
official. You may write a letter or send an email, you may contact them via
social media (e.g., Twitter, IG, Facebook), or even better yet, a phone call.To
contact an elected official, follow these steps:
• Look
up your elected officials atFind Your Representatives.
•
Check out the NASW-NYC-Leading The Way 2020 Toolkit for an example of advocacy
work withsteps and great prompts for a pho call.
Instructions
•Choose advocacy action related to the criminal justice systemIn your letter (should be 3-4 paragraphs at most), tell them what changes you think should be made to our criminal justice system. Use at least two statistics from the videos, class reading, or your own research. Also, be sure to research the stance of the elected official BEFORE writing your letter so that you can include it. It would also be wise to select someone not up for re-election!If you use Twitter or IG or make a phone call, have the similar 'talking points' ready to go (e.g., statistics, what changes you wish to see, etc.).Additional ResourcesUnsure of how to write or format yourformal letter? Check out thACLU's Writing Your ElectedOfficials which contains a lot of useful information about writing letters to elected officials. In your letter (3-4 paragraphs at most), please advocate for a specific thing (e.g., bail reform, raise the age, etc.). Use at least two statistics from the videos, class readings, or your own research. Also, be sure to research the stance of the elected official BEFORE writing your letter so that you can include it. And finally, Writing Letters to Elected Officials from the ACLU about writing letters to elected officials. Please use the correct formatting and address your letter properly (e.g., date, formal salutations, addresses, etc.).Remember, back in Week 3 you all found elected officials who support or may support social justice issues. Click here to view the list! You may want to write/call/reach out on social media to an elected official to let them know you support their stance. Alternatively, you may want to reach out to an elected official who is opposed to something you support and let them know your disapproval.The due date for posting to this forum is.
To:
Joe Manchin (U.S. Senator, West Virginia)
From:
………………………
Date:
November 15, 2023
Re:
Police and Sentencing Reforms
The country’s criminal justice system has, for many years, struggled with
the issues of policing and sentencing and I believe with your support, we can transform
the system. There are a few areas regarding policing and sentencing I would like
to emphasize. Community policing and police training are some of the issues affecting
policing in the country while mandatory minimum sentences and drug offense
sentencing continue to raise questions that can be addressed through improved policies,
regulations, or legislation. These issues affect the effectiveness