Transforming Rural America by Ending Mass Incarceration

The "In Our Backyards" team at the Vera Institute of Justice in the U.S. will lead a narrative change campaign challenging the criminalization of poverty in smaller cities and rural communities. High and rising rates of incarceration in small town and rural America disproportionately impact the poor and people of color and stand as a major barrier to economic mobility. The team will launch a campaign that includes people affected by the justice system in Kentucky and Indiana and use data science to index the stories and demonstrate the human impact of incarceration. They will also provide opportunities to connect with journalists to help reframe the narrative from poverty and decline to resilience and determination.