Criminal Justice

The Appleseed Network Criminal Justice Working Group is currently focused on exploring alternatives to policing that put mental health experts and crisis workers front and center, examining electronic monitoring systems that allow incarceration to expand beyond the prison system, and ending modern “debtor’s prisons” by which those of lower incomes are thrown in prison or jail for inability to pay fees or fines.

​Collaboratively, the working group is working to evaluate the current state of first response programs and examine alternative programs that incorporate mental health professionals and other crisis responders in order to save money that can be reinvested in communities.

Use the drop down menu below to view select reports and accomplishments from Appleseed justice centers:
Prison & Jail reform
Alabama Appleseed
2021 2020
Texas Appleseed
2020
Missouri Appleseed
​2021 2019
Court Fines & Fees and Driver's License Suspensions
Prosecutorial Discretion & accountability
Chicago Appleseed
2021 2020 2019 20182017​
Pretrial Justice & Diversion Programs
Alabama Appleseed
2020
Texas Appleseed
​2019 2018
Chicago Appleseed
2021 2019 2017
Missouri Appleseed
2020
Policing
sentencing reform
Fair Courts
Alabama appleseed
 Alabama Appleseed is working to overcome Alabama’s historic struggle with white supremacy and inhumane prison system to achieve racial justice and safer communities. They’ve released numerous reports, the latest of which looks at the hundreds of men sentenced to die in prison for crimes that resulted in no physical injury. They are additionally actively fighting the $2.6 billion construction of three new mega prisons that will perpetuate the racial inequities that already dominate Alabama’s criminal justice system. Read more about Alabama Appleseed's work fighting mass incarceration and unconstitutional prisons here.

2021
New Prisons for Old Men? - The number of young people in Alabama prisons has been cut in half over the last 15 years. Meanwhile, the number of people over age 50 has doubled.

Condemned - Hundreds of Men Are Sentenced to Die in Prison for Crimes with No Physical Injury. They Haven't Given Up on Life. Why Has Alabama Given Up On Them? 

2020
Death Traps - An examination of the routine, violent deaths of people in the custody of the State of Alabama 2014 - 2020

Policy Brief: When You Are a Hammer, Every Problem Looks Like a Nail - Why Building New Prisons Will Do Nothing To Solve Old Problems in Alabama 

In Trouble - How diversion clashes with the reality of poverty, addiction, and structural racism in Alabama’s justice system

2018
Alabama's War on Marijuana  - Assessing the Fiscal and Human Toll of Criminalization
Texas Appleseed
In Texas, Appleseed is seeking to ensure that low-income people are treated fairly in courts across the state and that the justice people receive in Texas courts does not depend on how much money they have. In addition, during COVID-19, Texas Appleseed is tracking the spread of COVID-19 in jails and advocating for an immediate reduction in the jail population as well as free health care for those in jail.
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2021

2020
Tracking the Spread of COVID-19 in Texas Jails

COVID-19 County Criminal Justice Stakeholder Toolkit

Justice Can't Wait: Independence Day Agenda for Houston Policing

2019
​An Analysis of Texas Jail Bookings: How Texas Counties Could Save Millions of Dollars by Safely Diverting People from Jail

2018
Key Components of Legislation to Advance Public Safety & Fairness in Texas' Pretrial Justice System

How Bail Reform Could Lead to Improved Court Appearance Rates

Bail Reform Will Make Texas Safer

2017
Pay or Stay: The High Cost of Jailing Texans for Fines & Fees
Chicago appleseed
 Chicago Appleseed, as part of the Coalition to End Money Bond, to successfully advocate for Illinois to become the first state to end cash bond. The Pretrial Fairness Act is part of a larger criminal justice omnibus bill (HB 3653) that includes many reforms that Chicago Appleseed has been fighting for, including a provision that would modify the collective bargaining agreements of police unions; a civil right of action for individuals against officers for rights violations and use of force; a guaranteed phone call for detainees within one hour; and a ban on driver’s license suspensions for unpaid parking and red light tickets. For a complete library of Chicago Appleseed publications, posts, and press, see here.

2021
10 Facts about Pretrial Electronic Monitoring in Cook County 

Decarcerating Cook County: Use of Diversion Programs for Low-Level, “Non-Violent” Felonies Increased Substantially Under Kim Foxx Compared to Anita Alvarez 

Nationwide Jurisdictional Comparison of the Right to Communicate After Arrest

2020
Cook County E-Court: Evaluating the Circuit Court’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Looking Toward the Future

Prosecutorial Discretion in a Tumultuous Year: A Report on the Impact of Prosecutorial Discretion on Incarceration Rates in Cook County 

Data Show Major Decreases in Felony Charges, Incarceration Rates for Black and Latinx Residents in Cook County since 2017 

2019
Creating a Culture of Fairness and Accountability: Defense Attorneys Report of Kim Foxx’s Progress toward Transforming the Priorities of Her Office

Sentences of Incarceration Decline Sharply, Public Safety Improves during Kim Foxx’s Second Year in Office: New data portal demonstrates benefit of criminal justice reform, transparency

Exercising Full Powers: Recommendations to Kim Foxx on Addressing Systemic Racism in the Cook County Criminal Justice System 

A Report on Stationhouse Representation in Cook County

2018
A Step in the Right Direction: An Analysis of Felony Prosecution Data in Cook County 

Monitoring Cook County’s Central Bond Court: A Community Courtwatching Initiative 

2017
In Pursuit of Justice for All: An Evaluation of Kim Foxx’s First Year in Office 
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Principles of Bail Reform in Cook County 
Missouri appleseed
After finding that women in Missouri prisons did not have adequate access to hygiene products and, too often, were forced to use unsanitary homemade products, Missouri Appleseed successfully advocated to improve access to menstrual products in prisons. They are currently working to expand research on menstrual products for incarcerated women into Missouri’s jails. For more on Missouri Appleseed's ongoing projects, see here.
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2021
COVID-19 in Missouri Prisons and Jails

COVID-19 in Missouri Prisons and Jails - Appendix 1: Report on the Impact of Mass Incarceration on Covid-19 Outcomes in Missouri

COVID-19 in Missouri Prisons and Jails - Appendix 3: The Pandemic Protocol: A Proposal 

2020
Primary Caretakers Legislation Report - Legislation to Improve Children's Health and Decrease Recidivism Among Primary Caretakers
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2019
Access to Feminine Hygiene Products in Missouri Prisons