Advancing Real Change, Inc.

Join us on April 26, 2025, for our annual walk-a-thon community event and fundraiser! ARC team members will walk in Baltimore; the Bay Area; Washington, DC; and Jacksonville, Florida to build community and raise funds for our work. Together we can take steps towards a criminal legal system and a society that protects and respects the dignity of every human being. Your participation will help us serve our vulnerable clients and fight for empathy and justice across the country.

Join the team! We are seeking to expand our team of committed staff in both our Baltimore and Jacksonville offices. If you have three or more years of experience as a mitigation specialist on capital and/or juvenile life without parole cases, please apply! Priority will be given to those applying for our Jacksonville office though applications for the Baltimore office are also welcome. We are also hiring a Records Specialist in our Baltimore office. Records Specialists obtain and analyze documentary evidence needed to develop a nuanced understanding of our clients’ life histories. At ARC this position is the first step toward a career as a mitigation specialist. Apply today to join our mission-driven team that leads the field of mitigation! https://lnkd.in/eFY4wnMN

Got questions? Defense team members can register for Ask A Mitigation Specialist and receive one-on-one advice and consulting. https://lnkd.in/eavY4yNF

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news from ARC, updates about upcoming events, resources, and more. https://lnkd.in/eXQGMvCe

ARC is currently accepting applications for the position of Records Specialist in our Baltimore office. Records Specialists obtain and analyze documentary evidence needed to develop a nuanced understanding of our clients’ life histories. Apply today to join our team! https://lnkd.in/e8Dseaan

Yesterday, an ARC team member joined other Marylanders to advocate for the Second Look Act and other bills that will make our criminal legal system more humane. The Second Look ACT would allow individuals who have been incarcerated more than 20 years to petition the court for a reduced sentence. We do not make our state more just by keeping people incarcerated after they have been rehabilitated. Giving these individuals the opportunity to demonstrate how they have improved themselves and contribute to their communities is the right thing to do and will benefit Maryland. https://lnkd.in/eSZNqvxy

Yesterday,?Governor Jeff Landry approved the use of nitrogen gas to resume executions in Louisiana. We join our partners in condemning this move.?We are committed to seeking policies and practices that enhance public safety rather than ruin of additional lives. Louisiana has not carried out an execution since 2010, mainly due to the lack of lethal injection drugs. The American Veterinary Medical Association declared the use of nitrogen gas unacceptable for euthanizing animals.?What does it say about how human life is valued when we are using a method unfit for animals to execute human beings? Read more: https://lnkd.in/ggQYJyVT

Last year, we challenged our community to make 100 donations. More than 120 individuals donated to support our work, and so a few ARC team members took the Polar Bear Plunge into the Chesapeake this past weekend! It was about 36 degrees but we were happy to do it! In a time of uncertainty and fear for many—including those working in criminal defense and the people we serve—it is important to look for moments of light and to find ways to support one another. We remain incredibly grateful for your support. We are prepared to fight for our clients’ humanity and to work side-by-side with you to build empathy and justice in our criminal legal system.

We are encouraged to see support for the Maryland Second Look Act, which would grant incarcerated individuals who have served at least 20 years a hearing to consider early release. Many of the people who have harmed others, especially as young adults and youth, experience growth and dramatic change during the time they are incarcerated. We’ve seen this time and again with our own clients, some of whom are now back in their communities rebuilding their lives and reconnecting with loved ones. Giving them another chance recognizes their individual experiences and capacity to grow and change. This is another chance for those who have been sentenced to extreme sentences, and a second chance for us to make our legal system more humane. Read more here:?https://lnkd.in/e9r97Hm4

Join Advancing Real Change, Inc. for our annual Jacksonville Conference and Summit. This year's conference, titled Reducing Harm Through Mitigation / Strength In Unity, is presented in partnership with the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center and will highlight the importance of advocacy for girls and women and empower defenders to implement mitigation practices within the criminal legal system. Limited scholarships are now available to cover travel costs. Learn more and register: