Event Information
“I see pretrial as a supportive arm that will ensure that court appearance, keep the community safe, and then result in a better individual, which means we all win.” — JUDGE CARLA J. BALDWIN
One way to lower jail populations is to go back to basics — Constitutional basics, that is.
The Supreme Court articulated the principle: “In our society liberty is the norm, and detention prior to trial or without trial is the carefully limited exception.” The question of whether to detain someone for safety concerns should be explored through a rigorous hearing with due process protections. Actual flight from prosecution is another valid consideration, not to be confused with nonappearance for lack of transportation or other logistical issues.
During this 30-minute event, PJI spoke with the Hon. Carla J. Baldwin about meeting Constitutional standards through culture, connection and community. See what got our audience buzzing!
Speakers
Judge Carla Baldwin made history in 2017 when she became the first African-American female elected as judge in Mahoning County, Ohio. Her platform to change behavior that leads people to court won over “tough on crime” rhetoric. She is the presiding judge of the municipal court, in addition to the Veterans Treatment Court and Drug Court. She previously served as a juvenile court magistrate and prosecutor in Mahoning County.
Meghan is driven by a passion for building community wellness and dismantling structures of oppression. Over the past 17 years, she has worked on a broad range of national, state and local training and technical assistance initiatives that critically examine and improve the way public systems function—most recently helping local coalitions and jurisdictions develop antiracist solutions for pretrial policies and practices.
As a former foster youth and child of a formerly incarcerated parent, Shavonte has spent over a decade of her career using her life experiences to support her work in advancing systemic solutions to the distinct challenges and barriers that system-involved youth and their families face. At PJI, Shavonte develops and implements the organization’s change work and curriculum.
Resources
What If: 10 Questions for Sparking Local Pretrial Change
These ten questions — along with a discussion guide and valuable tools and resources — examine the issue by reframing safety and community wellness.