Curbing the Incarceration Menace in The Black Community with Dr. Jocelynne Rainey

#028: Did you know that statistics show Black males are far more incarcerated than any other ethnic group or gender? It is no longer a secret that the Black community is overpoliced resulting in 5 times more likelihood of incarceration or negative interactions between young Black men and the police. Young Black men are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system.

In this episode of Beyond the Culture with Dr. David M. Walker, we have Dr. Jocelynne Rainey. Dr. Rainey is the President and CEO of Getting Out and Staying Out, which is a non-profit organization that has helped over 10,000 formerly incarcerated and justice-involved young men achieve education, secure meaningful employment, and acquire emotional wellbeing.  

Dr. Rainey discusses the importance of creating equity among young Black men by giving them opportunities after they’ve been disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. Listen in to learn how you can invest in the formerly incarcerated to help them become better people in their community. 

Quotes: 

·       “The work that we do is really about giving them opportunities after they’ve been disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system.”- Dr. Jocelynne [10:46]

·       “No one should be penalized forever for their worst deeds.”- Dr. Jocelynne [39:27]

What you will learn in this episode: 

·       [3:17] Dr. Jocelynne shares her opinion on the election of Kamala Harris as the first-ever African American vice president of the United States. 

·       [6:00] Get to know Dr. Jocelynne’s background in education, personal life, and her role with the Getting Out and Staying Out organization (GOSO). 

·       [9:53] How GOSO helps formerly incarcerated young men by giving them the necessary resources like education and jobs to ensure their success.

·       [15:53] Dr. Jocelynne talks about her passion for connecting young men with the labor market. 

·       [20:35] The importance of having deeper conversations around policing and prison cultures to bring forth real change. 

·       [24:35] The negative impact of over-policing Black communities.

·       [28:54] Why there’s an advantage in taking some funding from the police and investing in more credible messaging to deal directly with the community.

·       [32:58] The work that needs to be done around race, poverty, and education to impact the criminal justice system. 

·       [36:30] She talks about her regret in not questioning fairness when she was a young leader.

·       [38:26] The importance of investing in formerly incarcerated young men and help them to become better people.  

·       [41:05] The power of doing what you love in helping make a difference in the world around you. 

 Relevant Links:

Website: https://www.gosonyc.org/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GOSONYC/ 

Books: Incarceration Nations by Baz Dreisinger 

                The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

                Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson