Criminal Justice Reform: Learning From The Past & Promoting Growth For The Future

The year 2020 was unprecedented and a year that no one could have predicted. The raging COVID-19 pandemic ravaged everyone’s lives in some way, shape, or form. It brought to light more pain and suffering beyond just the pandemic itself—as social inequalities that have been lingering all along were no longer in the shadows and were finally beginning to get the attention they warranted. These injustices included police brutality, racially targeted criminal justice practices, the inadequate treatment and rehabilitation of inmates, and the racist undertones in many statutes and laws. The goal of this paper is to recognize the positive reforms, analyze the root of problems in the CJ system with respect to race, drug laws, and sentencing, and investigate how to overcome the current barriers to promote equitable changes and reforms.