Reform Alliance (United States)

REFORM Alliance
NicknameReform
FormationJanuary 2019 (2019-01)
Founders
TypeNonprofit
Focus
"REFORM Alliance aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing."
Location
  • United States
Region served
Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia
Methods
  • Policymaking
  • Advocacy
  • Lobbying
Carmen Perez-Jordan
Chief Policy Officer
Erin Haney
Chief Executive Officer
Jessica Jackson
Websitereformalliance.com

Reform Alliance (stylized as REFORM) is an American non-profit organization that advocates for probation and parole reform in the United States. It was founded in 2019 by Michael Rubin, Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Robert Kraft, Clara Wu Tsai, Daniel Loeb, Michael Novogratz, and Robert F. Smith.[1][2]

History

REFORM Alliance was founded and launched in January 2019 at an event at John Jay College by Michael Rubin, Meek Mill, Jay-Z, Robert Kraft, Michael Novogratz, Clara Wu Tsai, Robert F. Smith, and Daniel Loeb to advocate for reforms to probation and parole systems in the United States.[2] At its launch, the founders pledged $50 million to support the organization's efforts to pursue bipartisan criminal justice reforms.[3][4]

The organization was formed following public attention surrounding Meek Mill's 2017 sentencing for violating the terms of his probation in Philadelphia.[3][4][5] Rubin and Kraft visited Mill while he was incarcerated, and Rubin and Jay-Z supported efforts related to his legal case, with Rubin organizing rallies and recruiting Philadelphia athletes to publicly advocate for Mill's release. This resulted in the reversal of his conviction and the removal of the judge from the case.[6][7][3][8] Jay-Z, who served as an executive producer for Time: The Kalief Browder Story, also took Michael Novogratz to visit a New York City jail after Novogratz watched the film and had a desire to learn more.[3]

At its founding, REFORM established a goal to reduce the number of people impacted by probation and parole laws by one million over the course of five years.[3]

In September 2020, California enacted Assembly Bill 1950, which became the first legislation sponsored by REFORM Alliance to pass into law. The legislation limited probation terms and was part of the organization's broader efforts to reform probation and parole systems.[9]

In 2023, Rubin, Mill, and Kay-Z hosted REFORM's inaugural Casino Night fundraiser, which raised $24 million for the organization.[10]

Leadership and governance

REFORM Alliance is governed by a board of directors composed of founders and other business and entertainment leaders, with Mill and Rubin serving as co-chairs. The board also includes Jay-Z, Kraft, Wu Tsai, Laura Arnold, Smith, Novogratz, Desiree Perez, Michael Rapino, and Emilia Fazzalari.[2][11][12]

The organization's executive leadership is headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jessica Jackson, who was appointed the role in August 2024.[13] Jackson succeeded Robert Rooks, who had served as CEO beginning in 2021 after replacing the organization's inaugural CEO, Van Jones.[14]

Work

REFORM Alliance focuses on passing legislation to reform the probation and parole laws in the United States. The organization works alongside other criminal justice groups such as Cut50 and the American Conservative Union.[5][15]

REFORM has helped to pass legislation in California, Michigan, Louisiana, and Virginia.[16] REFORM has worked with numerous celebrities and executives, including Kim Kardashian,[1][17] Madonna, and Jack Dorsey.[18]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, REFORM helped distribute 12.5 million masks and personal protective equipment to prisons across the United States for incarcerated persons as well as correctional officers.[1] In May 2020, Jack Dorsey donated $10 million to REFORM to help provide personal protective equipment to incarcerated persons.[1][4][19]

In September 2020, the first REFORM Alliance-supported legislation passed, when California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1950 into law.[20][21]

California

In California, REFORM Alliance works closely with the American Conservative Union, Californians for Safety and Justice, Cut50, and Dream Corps.[15] REFORM helped to pass AB 1950, AB 3234, and SB 118. AB 1950 was REFORM Alliance's first major "legislative victory", which REFORM worked on alongside Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove.[22][23]

AB 1950 is designed to lower recidivism rates by shortening probation terms across California. It reduced probationary periods from three years to one for misdemeanors, and from five years to two for most felonies.[24] The legislation is expected to decrease California's probation population by thirty-three percent, and in 2020 was considered one of the most transformative probation reform laws in the country.[25]

Michigan

Michigan had the sixth-highest rate of probation supervision, leading REFORM to support legislation in the state.[26] REFORM worked to pass SB 1048, SB 1050, and SB 1051, bipartisan probation reform laws, through the Michigan State Legislature, which passed on January 4, 2021.[27][26] The laws reduced adult felony probation sentences in Michigan from five years to three years, and prevented endless extensions on misdemeanor and felony probation terms.[26]

The laws limit jail sanctions for technical probation violations, and require parole supervision terms to be tailored to a person's individualized risks and needs.[27][26] In January 2021, the laws were expected to lower Michigan's caseload by 8.4 percent.[27][26]

Louisiana

In Louisiana, REFORM helped to pass HB 77 and HB 643. REFORM advocated for HB 77 to create a remote reporting system for people on probation, since people on probation often have to leave work in order to meet with their probation officers.[16]

Virginia

In 2021, alongside Justice Forward VA, the American Conservative Union, and Faith and Freedom, REFORM worked to pass HB 2038.[28][29][30] The law creates a system of graduated sanctions for technical probation violations, which prevents people from being re-incarcerated for a first-time technical probation violation.[30] If there are additional technical violations, the court must first find that there is no other safe and a less-restrictive way to deter the conduct, before imposing a term of incarceration.[30]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wynne, Kelly (July 22, 2020). "After Kanye's Call-Out, Find Out What Meek Mill Actually Believes About Prison Reform". Newsweek. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Zaru, Deena (January 23, 2019). "Meek Mill and Jay-Z launch criminal justice reform organization to 'speak for all the people who don't have a voice'". ABC News. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Leight, Elias (January 23, 2019). "Jay-Z, Meek Mill Launch 'The Avengers' of Criminal Justice Reform Organizations". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Au-Yeung, Angel (May 11, 2020). "Twitter Billionaire Jack Dorsey Is Giving $10 Million To Get Protective Equipment To U.S. Jails And Prisons —Now Coronavirus Hot Spots". Forbes. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Lockett, Dee (January 23, 2019). "Jay-Z and Meek Mill Launch Prison-Reform Alliance, Pledge $50 Million". Vulture. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  6. ↑ Coscarelli, Joe (August 27, 2019). "Meek Mill's Criminal Case Ends With a Misdemeanor Guilty Plea". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  7. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (January 23, 2019). "Meek Mill, Jay-Z & Sixers Co-Owner Michael Rubin Launch New Criminal Justice Reform Organization". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  8. ↑ Tynes, Tyler R. (June 28, 2021). "Talking Trash With Quavo and Reforming Probation Laws: Two Days With Sixers Partner Michael Rubin". GQ. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  9. ↑ Roberto, Melissa (October 1, 2020). "Jay-Z, Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance celebrate 'major victory' with Calif. Gov. Newsom passing probation bill". Fox News. Fox News. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  10. ↑ Reports, AmNews Staff (October 1, 2023). "Celebrities raise $24 million for criminal justice reform at REFORM Alliance event in AC". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  11. ↑ Rogers, Taylor Nicole. "Meet Laura Arnold, the billionaire philanthropist taking on the parole system with Jay-Z and Meek Mill". Business Insider. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Meet REFORM - REFORM Alliance". reformalliance.com. February 12, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Mill Valley Councilwoman Jessica Jackson stepping down". Marin Independent Journal. September 14, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Reform Alliance names Robert Rooks as new CEO - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. February 9, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "The SAFER Plan". Vera Institute of Justice. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  16. 1 2 Jones, Zoe Christen (February 9, 2021). "Reform Alliance names Robert Rooks as new CEO". CBS. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  17. ↑ Reform Alliance. "Episode 3: Bills Bills Bills". Twitter. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ Challis, Dean; Deevy, Samantha; Liang, Paulina; Klein, Molly. "Reform Alliance: When It's Over". WARC. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  19. ↑ Adeniji, Ade (June 24, 2020). "With Prisoners Facing Covid, a non-profit rallies donors including a tech billionaire donors". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  20. ↑ Roberto, Melissa (October 1, 2020). "Jay-Z, Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance celebrate 'major victory' with Calif. Gov. Newsom passing probation bill". Fox News. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Yahoo News Video Criminal justice reform group gets bill passed in California to improve state's probation system". Yahoo! News. October 3, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  22. ↑ "CALIFORNIA PROBATION REFORM BILL AB1950 WOULD SET LIMITS ON NUMBER OF YEARS". NBCSL. October 7, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  23. ↑ "REFORM Alliance scores major legal victory with new California probation law". Urban Heat 98.1. October 12, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  24. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (October 1, 2020). "Jay-Z and Meek Mill REFORM Alliance Celebrates California Probation Law". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  25. ↑ Roche, Conor (October 1, 2020). "Robert Kraft's REFORM Alliance secures legislative victory in California". Boston.com. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Mahadevan, Tara C. (January 5, 2021). "Michigan Passes Set of Prison Reform Laws Backed by Meek Mil, Jay-Z, and Michael Rubin's REFORM Alliance". Complex. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  27. 1 2 3 Antifos, Rania (January 4, 2021). "Michigan Passes Prison Reform Laws Supported by Meek Mill & Jay-Z's REFORM Alliance". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  28. ↑ Grant, Shawn (April 13, 2021). "MICHAEL RUBIN AND MEEK MILL'S REFORM ALLIANCE HIT LEGISLATIVE VICTORY IN VIRGINIA". The Source. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  29. ↑ "HB 2038 Probation, revocation, and suspension of sentence; limitations on sentence, technical violation". Virginia Legislative Information System. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  30. 1 2 3 "REFORM Alliance Announces Continued Momentum With Legislative Win in Virginia". Cision. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.