Uncommon Law

UNCOMMON LAW FIGHTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE INCARCERATED FOR VIOLENT CRIME HAVE ACCESS TO HEALING, JUSTICE, AND EFFECTIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.THROUGH OUR UNIQUE, TRAUMA-INFORMED MODEL OF ADVOCACY, WE PROVIDE THE SPACE CURRENTLY MISSING IN THE SYSTEM FOR HEALING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SAFE PATHWAYS HOME FROM PRISON. IN DEVELOPING NEW SELF NARRATIVES, THE PEOPLE WE SERVE ARE ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY DISRUPT VIOLENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PRISON, AND BECOME LEADERS WHO CHANGE NEGATIVE SOCIETAL NARRATIVES ABOUT THOSE INCARCERATED FOR VIOLENT CRIME. OUR GROUNDBREAKING APPROACH IS CHANGING POLICY AND OUTCOMES, DRIVEN BY THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF SYSTEM-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.

TODAY, OUR TEAM IS LEVERAGING A 15-YEAR TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS IN DIRECTLY REPRESENTING PEOPLE BEFORE THE PAROLE BOARD IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SYSTEM-LEVEL IMPACT AND CHANGE. OUR IMPACT LITIGATION IN RECENT YEARS HAS IMPROVED THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THOUSANDS NAVIGATING THE DISCRETIONARY PAROLE PROCESS, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO LEVERAGE STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY INTO THE DISCRETIONARY PAROLE PROCESS, ROOT OUT SYSTEMIC INEQUALITIES (PARTICULARLY ALONG RACIAL AND WEALTH LINES) AND BETTER INFORM AND EDUCATE THE COURTS AND LAWMAKERS ABOUT HOW THE DISCRETIONARY PAROLE PROCESS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO MASS INCARCERATION IN CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WERE ALSO MOBILIZING OUR COMMUNITIES TO GET EDUCATED AND ACTIVE ON ISSUES OF LIFE SENTENCING AND DISCRETIONARY PAROLE. THIS YEAR, WE LAUNCHED A FIRST-EVER ACTION GUIDE TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH CONCRETE STEPS TO HELP US CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ABOUT PEOPLE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR SERIOUS OR VIOLENT CRIMES, AND WE ARE PUSHING LAWMAKERS AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE ACTION - PARTICULARLY BY INCLUDING THIS POPULATION OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN KEY CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM EFFORTS.

HOME AFTER HARM IS UNCOMMON LAWS NEWEST PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM CREATES THE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPANTS IN PRISON TO OPENLY REVISIT THEIR TRAUMATIC HISTORIES WHILE DEVELOPING NEW UNDERSTANDING AND COPING SKILLS. ALONG WITH ENGAGING IN SELF EXPLORATION, PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREPARE LEGALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FOR THEIR PAROLE HEARINGS. WE BELIEVE THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE SPACE FOR SELF-HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION, IT WILL REDUCE INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE BY CULTIVATING COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE INSIDE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PERSONAL GROWTH AND WELLBEING. WE ALSO ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN PAROLE GRANT RATES, AND HOPE TO OFFER SAFE PATHWAYS HOME FOR MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE IN THE PAST; OUR TEAM HAS PARTNERED WITH THIRD PARTY EVALUATORS THE URBAN INSTITUTE AND THE BRIDGING GROUP TO MEASURE THE PROGRAMS SUCCESS AND TO ULTIMATELY LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF SIMILAR HEALING AND LEGAL ADVOCACY RESOURCES.