There is no place for mass incarceration in a civilized world.
READ OUR ARTICLE FEATURED
ON MSNBC HERE!
FEATUREd
SUITCASE sunday
WITNESS hosts the 2nd Annual Suitcase Sunday in support of formerly incarcerated-led services and businesses.
VOTER REGISTRATION
Witness to Mass Incarceration is facilitating newly- eligible voters with their voter registration campaign.
Announcing:
For Formerly incarcerated-led services & businesses
In Memoriam
Memorialize the life of a loved one by supporting our mission to place the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people of color, Indigenous people, and LGBTQIA2S individuals at the forefront of the movement for reducing mass incarceration.
Memorial donations are donations given in memory of someone who has passed away as a way to honor both them and their family.
People we loved
Urvashi Vaid
October 8, 1958-May 14, 2022
WITNESS received a very generous donation to honor the memory of Urvashi Vaid, a legendary lesbian activist.
pets we loved
Ali Litwok
April 6, 2006-August 30, 2022
On August 30, 2022, I had to put my love- ALI, my companion of 16 years to sleep. She was a vital part of my life and my work as she traveled with me to every event and conference. I made a donation to WITNESS in her honor.
Our Mission: end mass incarceration
Witness to Mass Incarceration (WITNESS)’s work is guided by the belief the pathway to freedom, safety, and success in reducing recidivism for formerly incarcerated people (FIP) is to create social enterprise solutions and foster a movement for economic empowerment that will build generational wealth for FIP. We are committed to long-term and permanent solutions to improve the quality of life for the incarcerated and FIP.
Join Us.
Programs
Reentry
Did you know that most of the incarcerated people are released into the free world homeless and penniless?
As an organization led by formerly incarcerated people, Witness to Mass Incarceration understands that four pillars are needed to rebuild a successful life after incarceration: housing, employment, trauma-informed care, and community support.
Conditions of confinement
We expect to pay for our mistakes...but not at risk of our lives. Correctional facilities are dangerous places. Facing peril, we are forced to live in fear and degradation. We are hungry, humiliated, violated. And we are exposed to Covid-19 because we are not considered human beings worthy of protection.
Education, Advocacy & Policy Reform
If you have never been arrested, incarcerated, spent time in solitary confinement—and then been released without money and someplace to go—you have not walked in my shoes. We educate and advocate, we actuate and activate to collaborate for justice.
Civic Engagement
Witness is committed to taking an active part in the civic life of New York City, where we are based. We participate in a range of civic engagement activities, from getting a park, arranging for community disasters, or emergency response for disasters, schools, health and safety issues.
Advisory Councils
The perspectives of informed and dedicated stakeholders help us advance our mission and accomplish our goals. That’s why we’ve established advisory councils composed of faith leaders (Interfaith Leaders Council), youth (YOU- Youth Outreach for Unity) and seniors (Elderly Advisory Council).
Witness News
Featured
Upcoming Events
Witness with us
It’s time that women and LGBTQ+ folks people are at the forefront of the movement for alternatives to mass incarceration. It’s time to end mass incarceration, once and for all.