Incarceration in America: Collateral Consequences

Health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms in detention/prison.

Increasingly, laws and policies are being enacted to restrict persons with a felony conviction (particularly convictions for drug offenses) from employment, receipt of welfare benefits, access to public housing, and eligibility for student loans for higher education. Such collateral penalties place substantial barriers to an individual's social and economic advancement.

This week, Florida lawmakers will consider legislation aimed at reducing the number of children tried in the adult criminal justice system – more than 10,000 over the last five years, mostly for nonviolent offenses.