Reply To: Session #2 The Criminal Justice Landscape

[biancatorresmurray]

Part 1:
– When reading “Criminal Justice Reform Strategy,” I found Chloe’s belief that “public support for significant changes to the existing justice system is unlikely to come without a persuasive vision of what could replace the functions of mass incarceration” really insightful. This is a critical aspect of our work that I have often overlooked.
– The “Criminal Justice Reform Strategy” asserts that transforming what we view as “politically possible” requires emphasizing the communities impacted. Reading this helped re-emphasize to me the importance of community organizing.
– “Reentry Landscape” reveals that returning citizens continue to confront an array of obstacles, such as discrimination, access to housing, and more. This was an “aha” moment for me because it further revealed to me that releasing individuals from prison is not enough; we must also ensure that the environment they return to is one that is just.
– “The Art of Legislative Lawyering and the Six Circles Theory of Advocacy” demonstrated to me the valuable and crucial role of having a team and engaging in effective teamwork.

Part 2:
I would want to play the role of the legislative lawyer or the policy researcher. The job of the legislative lawyer intrigues me because I’m very passionate about both law and politics. I hope to attend law school in the future to learn more about the way law, policy, and politics intersect with each other. Moreover, I’m interested in the role of policy researcher because I love politics and academia. I’ve engaged in both politics, as a former member of the LA Mayor’s Youth Council, and academia in a way, as a researcher at Loyola Law School. I can see myself enjoying either of these important roles.