Establishing a Criminal Justice Committee for All NAACP Units - Will you joint the committee and help the community on this issue?

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely-recognized grassroots based civil rights organization. Formed in 1909 by a multiracial group of progressive thinkers, the NAACP is a nonprofit organization established with the objective of ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of people of color. For over 102 years, the NAACP has challenged this nation to uphold its promise of equal opportunity toward the goal of eliminating racial prejudice and removing all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes.
In a process established by the NAACP Constitution, this resolution was adopted by the delegates to the 101st Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, during the legislative session in July, 2010. It was subsequently ratified by the NAACP National Board of Directors at its meeting on October 15, 2010. This resolution is now the policy of the Association, and is “binding on the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Officers, and all units.”


Establishing a Criminal Justice Committee for All NAACP Units


WHEREAS, the NAACP reiterates its commitment for NAACP units to establish subcommittees to solve problems in the community; and

WHEREAS, in 2008 there were an estimated 2.4 million people in United States jails or prisons; and WHEREAS, African-Americans constitute about 12% of the non-incarcerated residential population, but in 2007 black males comprised 30% and black females 27.8% of the incarcerated population; and WHEREAS, 1 in 3 African-American males born in 2001 run the risk of serving time in prison or being dead before their 34th birthday; and

WHEREAS, the United States spends $70 billion/year incarcerating people, 6 times more than on higher education; and WHEREAS, Criminal Justice Committees at the unit level will strengthen families and communities through advocating for a decrease in violence, advancing voter and employment rights of the formerly incarcerated and to downscale prisons while shifting dollars/resources from prisons to schools; and WHEREAS, the purpose of the Criminal Justice Committee is to advance the Smart and Safe Campaign at the state and local levels by promoting alliances, research, legislation

and initiatives that will reform criminal justice policies and advocate for public safety as a civil right.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Board of the NAACP calls on each State Conference and unit to establish Criminal Justice Committees, and to develop Criminal Justice Action Plans that will advance Criminal Justice Strategies at the state and local levels.

Roslyn M. Brock
Chairman
National Board of Directors

Leon Russell 


Benjamin Todd Jealous 
Chairman President & CEO Committee on Resolutions