Date:   March 10, 2026 To:     Chairman Mayhew and Members, Corrections and Public Institutions Committee From:   Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE:      Oppose SB 888 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all...Read More

Date: February 18, 2026 To: Chairman Schroer and Members, Senate Judiciary Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy organization in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our inception, Empower Missouri has focused on the...Read More

Date: January 28, 2026 To: Chairwoman Parker and Members, House Judiciary Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Opposition to HB 2256 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy organization in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our...Read More

Date: January 28, 2026 To: Chairwoman Parker and Members, House Judiciary Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Opposition to HB 2637 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy organization in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our...Read More

Date: January 27, 2026 To: Representative Don Mayhew and the Members of the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee  From: Jerika White, Empower Missouri RE: Support for HB 2831 and HB 2695 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...Read More

Date: January 27, 2025 To: Chairwoman Gallick and Members, House Economic Development From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director  Re: HB 2747 + HB 2047 We are thrilled to offer testimony in support of HB 2747 + HB 2047, which we’ll be referencing as Clean Slate legislation. Our nation’s criminal justice system was conceived and implemented long...Read More

Date: January 20, 2026 To: Representative Jones, Chairwoman, and Members of the House Children and Families Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Opposition to HB 2498 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...Read More

In Part 1 of our two-part Weekly Perspective series on youth justice, we talked about the different paths a kid may take through the system. We also discussed the science of why kids are different than adults and should be treated as such by our laws. This fact was underscored in 2012, when the Supreme...Read More

Adolescence can be a tough time for many children, between the onset of puberty, peer pressure, and grappling with the many factors beyond a young person’s control, such as family dynamics, food and housing insecurity, and more. Some children may act out in ways that bring them into contact with the youth justice system, or...Read More

Date: February 21, 2024To: Chairman Evans and Members, House Judiciary CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: HB 1693 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 through advocacy. Since our inception, Empower Missouri has focused on...Read More