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More and more Americans became aware this year of just how broken our criminal justice system has become. There has been a total reassessment of the tough-on-crime attitude that caused our jail and prison populations to balloon. Nonviolent offenders were released early from federal custody. Voting rights were restored to former felons.
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But there is still work to do.
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The criminal justice system has for too long disproportionately affected black and brown people, and it’s not just the men and women behind bars who suffer. Friends and family are also caught in the dragnet, and the challenges they face can sometimes feel insurmountable.
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As I wrote this time last year, even the smallest act of kindness can mean so much to someone behind bars. And this feels especially true during the holidays.
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This week, in collaboration with The Marshall Project, Race/Related will look at family and incarceration. Each morning you will receive a special edition of the newsletter focused on the lengths families will go in order to connect with a loved one behind bars.
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You’ll read about a woman who will sleep at a campground near a prison to be nearer to her incarcerated husband. You’ll read about a couple who doesn’t let separation ruin their holiday cheer. You’ll read about the downside of video visitation.
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Today you’ll meet Telita Hayes, whose story reveals so much about how families cope with the hidden costs of incarceration. Read her story, as captured by Nicole Lewis and Beatrix Lockwood, two reporters from The Marshall Project, here.
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And if your life has been affected by incarceration and you would like to share your experience, email us at racerelated@nytimes.com.
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| Throughout this week, Race/Related is partnering with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the U.S. criminal justice system, to present a special series on family and incarceration during the holidays. You can subscribe to its weekly newsletter on Life Inside here. |
Tell your friends. |
Race/Related is a newsletter focused on race, identity and culture. It is published weekly on Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. and edited by Lauretta Charlton. Invite someone to subscribe to the Race/Related newsletter. Or email your thoughts and suggestions to racerelated@nytimes.com.
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