LGBTQ Criminal Justice Reform

Incarceration is inherently traumatic, dehumanizing, and harmful. It imposes tremendous costs on individuals, their loved ones, and our communities. Fortunately, there is much that LGBTQ advocates can do to combat the crisis of mass incarceration that disproportionately affects poor LGBTQ and LGBTQ people of color. Advocates can work with police departments to stop profiling and discriminatory policing and press them to adopt policies ensuring transparency and accountability. They can support expanded probation and parole, as well as diversion programs and specialty courts that can reduce imprisonment. Advocates should lobby their state representatives for criminal justice reform and challenge local laws that criminalize poverty. This document lists resources that will be useful for advocates looking to get involved in the types of efforts described above.