Date: January 22nd, 2024 To: Senator Tony Luetkemeyer, Chairman, and Members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri As the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents...Lee mas

Approximately 3.7 million people in the United States are on community supervision (probation or parole, also referred to as community corrections), which is nearly double the number of people who are incarcerated in prison or jail. Despite the large number of people on supervision, the many problems associated with parole and probation do not receive...Lee mas

Missouri is in the midst of reckoning with one of the many long term consequences of mass incarceration: a rapidly growing number of elders incarcerated in state prisons. The aging prison population primarily consists of individuals who received lengthy sentences for offenses committed decades ago. Increasing numbers of elderly incarcerated people leads to significant increases...Lee mas

“Diversion” is a broad term that refers to the many forms of exit ramps that can divert people from the criminal legal system. Instead of punitive punishment, diversion targets the underlying problems that may have contributed to the criminal behavior, such as poverty, substance use, mental health challenges, and more.   Diversion programs can significantly decrease...Lee mas

Clean Slate legislation has been filed in Missouri’s  house and senate, the result of a concerted push by advocates around the state, including Empower Missouri, who believe that the time is right for automatic record sealing. Automatic expungement means that anyone who qualifies to have their record sealed* would receive it automatically, without having to...Lee mas

The language we use to describe systems of oppression greatly shapes our understanding of these systems and the people and communities impacted by them. This is especially true when it comes to the criminal legal system and our understanding of justice, or the lack thereof. Advocates around the country are engaging in conversation around the...Lee mas

Empower Missouri is growing, and we’re excited to introduce you to several new team members over the coming weeks. Today let’s hear from Gwen Smith, our Criminal Justice Policy Manager: Hello everyone! My name is Gwen Smith and I am honored to be joining the Empower Missouri team as the Criminal Justice Policy Manager. In...Lee mas