The Boston Globe: “The recent decisions by Governor Charlie Baker to grant the clemency petitions of Thomas Koonce and William Allen made headlines around the state, not because of controversy — to the contrary, both prosecutors and criminal justice reform advocates were vocally supportive — but because they are rare acts of grace afforded to so few of the deserving. In fact, there hasn’t been a commutation of a life sentence in Massachusetts in 25 years.
In a Commonwealth rightly considered a national leader for progressive policy advances, from health care to education to civil rights, clemency’s rare approval is a clear indication that we have much further to go in living up to those values in our criminal justice system.
Both my professional and personal experiences have been informed by the simple idea of redemption. Professionally, I serve as president and CEO of YouthBuild USA, leading the effort to champion opportunity for young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed to earn the knowledge, training, and opportunities that lead to long-term professional and personal success. At more than 275 YouthBuild programs across the world, these young people, many of whom have previously encountered the criminal justice system, come to us looking for that second chance.”
Read the full story from the Boston Globe