VOLUNTEERS & STUDENTS

To move our criminal justice system to a level playing field and a fairer system for all, we will need every day citizens, particularly students to advocate for change. We ask that you learn more about how the criminal justice system works in your area, then pass on this information (good and bad) to others in your communities.

Raising awareness begins with:

Talking to locals - discuss issues amongst friends and family. In other words, begin dialogue! This is very important because the more people that talk about these issues the better it is to bring this issue to the forefront of the agenda of our elected leaders.
Raise issues at local schools, colleges, universities and even places of worship - if you can’t talk to students directly, put up information about this site through hand written posters so people become aware of this site and connect to the site to gain a better understanding of the issues.

Please always make sure when talking to people, you advise them that you are providing general information and that you are not a lawyer. You should encourage individuals to consult a professional or a lawyer to discuss their individual situation.

You should also always talk about the good that our criminal justice system does. Whilst there are bad things that are going on, there is also a great deal of good done. We need to acknowledge this. We need the hard working people in our criminal justice system to have acknowledgement that their good deeds are not in vain but that the issues we raise whilst real, are not meant to undermine their individual contribution.

Importantly, where opportunity arises, talk to people, particularly young people, about playing it safe, how to follow the law but understand our criminal justice system is not perfect. Young people need to understand that the privileges that were awarded to the generation of the 1950s, 60s and even the 70s, no longer exist today. They need to understand that they are living under zero tolerance conditions!

Advocacy begins with understanding issues in our justice systen and then by:

Writing to politicians - both in your local area, State and ultimately relevant Members of Congress! Web link for Congress: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
Writing to the local media - newspapers, college newspapers, bulletin boards, etc. (It is important to raise issues about articles you see in the paper and believe strongly that something is not just in the justice system - write a letter to the editor)
Contacting and writing to employers (particularly those that you know personally) about the criminal justice system and why you believe people with arrest records (particularly those that were arrested for non violent crimes) should not be held back from employment due to an arrest. Feel free to mention this web site!

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In Other words, do everything possible to advocate for change in our criminal justice system. Be the generation that contributes to change!

This web site has dealt with the issue of the treatment of people in our justice system ranging from issues related to arrests for non-violent acts and the consequences thereof. We have also raised concerns about how people are sometimes handed a wrong charge or simply a plea deal and the conclusion is that because someone said they were guilty (some have been put into that position) that they are indeed guilty. Note: there are large scale organizations such as the Innocence Project that deal with wrongful convictions particularly in death penalty cases. If you can support/volunteer for their cause, please go to: http://www.innocenceproject.org/fix/What-can-I-do.php

As a non-profit organization, we would welcome your support for this site either through the purchase of some of our T-shirts and other related materials - by wearing a T-shirt, buying a mug or a car bumper sticker, you are getting our message out into the general population. We want people to understand that we do have a good system but it does require some fine tuning because right now it is hurting many people in our communities.

Your support as a volunteer is important. Every time you discuss the issues on this web site and let others know about the web site, you are discussing the issue. Every time you write to politicians and those that can initiate change, you begin to be part of the solution in changing a system that is failing our people, particularly our young people, the mentally ill and the most disadvantaged in our communities – the poor. When you write to employers or contact employers, you make Human Resource departments in corporations understand the value of being committed to social justice for all.

We need your support! For students and those interested in a volunteer/internship, please be aware that we are in the process of putting together a package of information and program that would make it possible for students in particular to volunteer their time in return for a Certificate of Participation in the Integrity-in-Justice Advocacy Project. Look out for further information on this page or see the contact information on the Home Page.

Volunteer by getting the message out!