By Ryan Flaco Rising, a PhD student at UC Irvine My name is Ryan Flaco Rising, and I am empowered by the Racial Justice Act to stand up against the injustices of a racist system that has manipulated our judicial system to uphold white supremacy. Being labeled as a documented gang member, I have experienced […]
By Shaunak Chaudhary, a Master’s Graduate in Computer Science from Santa Clara University and a member of the Paper Prisons tech team. As an international student from India studying in California, my journey in the United States has been a mix of excitement, opportunities, and challenges. One of the most significant challenges has been navigating
By Esther Wolczynski, CEO of Checkmate My name is Esther Wolczynski, and I’m honored to lead the work of the non-profit agency CheckMate as the CEO. Our mission is to enhance individuals’ quality of life and increase accessibility to resources by providing safe, inclusive, and uplifting experiences for all families in San Joaquin County. Our
By Chesa Boudin, Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Criminal Law and Justice Center I’ve been face-to-face with the racial disparities in the criminal legal system my whole life. When I was 14 months old, my parents, both White, were arrested and, later, sentenced to decades of incarceration. My earliest memories are of waiting in
SAN DIEGO, Ca. (CrimProf BlogEditor) – The CrimProf Blog, edited by Professor Kevin Cole of the University of San Diego School of Law, highlights “The Paper Prisons Racial Justice Act Data Tool“. Link to Article here.
By Alonzo Harvey, a rising senior at University of California Berkeley majoring in political science My name is Alonzo Harvey, a 37-year-old father of three and a rising senior at Berkeley, where I major in political science and minor in public policy. I am a Berkeley Underground Scholar and a member of the Paper Prisons
Anonymous, a warrant officer in the U.S. Military I am an African American woman from California actively serving in the U.S. Military overseas. However, my nephew, who is 53 years old, is currently in year 17 of a life sentence under California’s Three Strike Law in Alameda County. Before his current term, my nephew was
On March 27, 2023, the California Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code held a hearing on the California Racial Justice Act (CRJA) (recording here*, RJA portion starts at 52:02). Paper Prisons founder, Professor Colleen Chien testified before the committee about the data infrastructure supporting implementation of the CRJA , alongside Chief Assistant District
By Akhil Raj, lead engineer on the Racial Justice Act Tool A year ago, I embarked on an incredible journey that has significantly shaped my professional and personal aspirations. I joined the Paper Prisons team, driven by a passion for justice and a commitment to leveraging technology for societal betterment. My inspiration to do so
Anonymous As a White woman with no criminal record, my testimonial here is far from intuitive; however, I am sharing my story as a victim impacted by the racism inherent in the justice system. When I was 19 years old, I was violently raped by someone I had dated when I was 13. This man