JUSTICE INC.

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STORY

The stakes of the American criminal justice system have never been higher, and Tashun and her office are at ground zero where change needs to happen, and lives are affected every single day.

Connecticut holds nearly 4,000 people behind bars pre-trial who cannot afford bail, a reality that disproportionately affects Black people. Connecticut is among the U.S. states with the widest racial wealth gaps. Republicans and law enforcement officials have touted a need for tougher penalties for juvenile crimes in a state where 43% of youth admitted to juvenile detention facilities are Black.

Connecticut’s Public Defenders, who work in the first state to adopt a state-wide Public Defender System, are competent lawyers.

Their daily workloads accentuate the importance of providing adequate representation to people struggling to make ends meet.

The stakes couldn’t be higher.