One Voice United

Our nation’s system of incarceration, since the beginning, has been rooted in a model?where the two largest stakeholders, people confined and people working inside?facilities, have been seen only as adversaries resulting in damaging and lasting ways. This culture, and the harmful patterns and habits that have ensued are deeply ingrained in institutions across the nation and perpetuated daily. Seeking to bridge this gap, JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA) and One Voice United (OVU) partnered to design a multi-day convening with a small cohort of correctional staff labor leaders and formerly?incarcerated reform leaders to partake in a confidential exploration of the trauma,?tragedy, racial inequity and toxic culture in corrections and together contemplate potential pathways for creating a better system. From conceptualization, the convening was curated in a way that allowed for trust, value, and connectedness and unearthed a?model of partnership across differences that is far from the norm in today’s culture. To learn more about this program, read the full article in the newly released Do I Have the Right to Feel Safe? 2024 Edition published by Chicago Beyond - https://lnkd.in/gwmwpNBA

The Safer Prisons. Safer Communities. (SPSC) campaign is the result of a partnership between two unexpected allies: FAMM and One Voice United (OVU). As leading organizations that advocate for incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, and the communities that love them, FAMM and OVU may seem like surprising partners. Yet, this collaboration reflects a powerful truth: our futures are interconnected, and we share a common mission to prioritize the health and safety of everyone impacted by our prison systems. Together, we’re highlighting an urgent reality: improving safety in prisons means focusing on the well-being of both corrections officers and incarcerated people alike. By uniting our voices, we’re driving meaningful change toward safer, more compassionate communities inside and outside prison walls. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekV6N8x4

?? Introducing?Safer Prisons. Safer Communities.?(SPSC), a campaign we are launching today in partnership with?FAMM. We formed this unlikely alliance to bring correctional staff, incarcerated people, and family members together with a common goal: to address the crisis in our nation's state and federal prisons driven by understaffing, overcrowding and poor conditions. We believe that fixing our prison system isn't just about helping those who work in prisons and those who are incarcerated — it’s about making our communities safer. By tackling these problems through legislation, executive action, and regulatory changes, we can create real solutions. We need policymakers and public officials at the federal and state levels to step up and take action. Join us:?https://lnkd.in/eRWQmMqa???

In Texas, advocates argue that prison conditions violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. In a recent article for the San Antonio Express-News, Andy Potter, Executive Director of OVU, and Matthew Charles, Senior Policy Advisor at FAMM, urged Texas lawmakers to address this pressing issue impacting both corrections officers and the incarcerated. Read the full article here - https://lnkd.in/eGJX8TdK

Heat in prison is a national issue that One Voice United and Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), which represents incarcerated people and their families, have teamed up to address. The Safer Prisons, Safer Communities campaign is highlighting a nationwide crisis through overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions that make prisons unconducive to rehabilitation and create poor conditions for incarcerated people, prison staff, families and communities. #SaferPrisonsSaferCommunities

Engage. Educate. Advocate. Join One Voice United's Visit Before You Vote Campaign to educate and engage decision makers on the realities of corrections from the frontline perspective before they make sweeping changes to policy or vote on funding decisions. visit https://lnkd.in/edyb-rAJ to learn more and participate. #visitb4uvote #correctingcorrections #elevatingthecorrectionsprofession