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FORT WORTH, Texas — Doug Smith spent five years and eight months in a Huntsville, Texas, prison for a felony he committed while suffering from substance use disorder and mental
After a two-year prison sentence, Amber Bjornsson moved into a recovery home. She took a minimum wage job at a restaurant within walking distance of her transitional housing. But she still faced the substantial court fines she’d accumulated prior to her prison term. “Everything in front of me was burnt by kerosene, and I had to get across it,” Bjornsson said. “I had $7,000 of
News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Formerly Incarcerated People in West Virginia Find Community Support After using similar services, Amber Bjornsson works as a peer employment support specialist, helping returning citizens find work in their community. “I use the knowledge and network I’ve acquired through my own experiences,” Bjornsson said. Photo by Marcus Constantino / 100 Days in Appalachia A network of government agencies and community service organizations have created a program to ...
Dear Chair Scheible, Vice Chair Cannizzaro and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee: My name is Nila Bala, and I am the associate director of Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties Policy for the R Street Institute, which is a nonprofit, center-right, public policy research organization. I am also a former public defender from Baltimore city. I am writing in support of AB 251, which would improve second chances for youth in Nevada. We are in favor of this bill because we know that a juvenile record can severely impact a young person’s future prospects. Currently, if a juvenile has a crim...
In the United States, nearly one in three Americans have a criminal record and often face tremendous challenges in education, employment opportunities, and housing.