Myths run deep about what public safety is, and, perhaps most importantly, how it is achieved. This working group is tasked with identifying the myths associated with commonsense notions of public safety; linking these myths to inequitable practices, procedures, and policies in the criminal legal system; and devising strategies to debunk these myths while also filling the void of disinformation with insights drawn from the lived experiences of individuals from impacted communities and findings from cutting edge research.
Research and Commentary Resulting from Roundtable Work
Deborah Ramirez and Sandra Susan Smith, "SJC takes big step backward on racial justice." Commonwealth, February 12, 2022.
Sandra Susan Smith, Felix Owusu, and Stacey Borden, "Boston’s gang database should be dismantled." The Boston Globe, January 31, 2022.
(Related: Police removed 600-plus names from a Boston gang database. For some councilors, it’s not enough.)
RELATED RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY BY ROUNDTABLE MEMBERS
Sandra Susan Smith. Pretrial Detention, Pretrial Release & Public Safety. Arnold Ventures Public Safety Series Discussion Paper, July 2022.