Civic leaders discuss mass incarceration in the Valley

Community leaders, residents and corrections officials met to talk about Proposition 47 and debate flaws in the criminal justice system in Fresno County and across California. The meetings are aimed at expanding and improving alternatives to incarceration, and touched on local issues like “bail stacking,” which opponents consider an unfair burden on the poor. Mostly, though, attendees emphasized that the criminal justice system doesn’t treat all people equally, and they shared stories about the chances – or lack thereof – that helped them recover after being released from prison. “I finally found redemption and transformed my life. But the biggest factor in the 180-degree change was the fact that people gave me second opportunities.” Different viewpoints are explored on The Know.