Session: Promote smart decarceration (Grand Challenge) SIG (Society for Social Work and Research 24th Annual Conference - Reducing Racial and Economic Inequality)

The United States is the world leader in incarceration, which has led to staggering economic, social, and human costs for our society. This social justice crisis substantially over-incarcerates the most vulnerable groups; people of color, people living in poverty, and people with behavioral health disorders. With smart decarceration, we can reduce the prison and jail population by 1 million people in the next decade. This entails a proactive, cross-sector, and evidence-driven approach that addresses existing racial and economic disparities and promotes a philosophical shift in how we think about incarceration and public safety. The Promote Smart Decarceration Grand Challenge addresses those factors that have direct and immediate impact on adult criminal justice system processes and an individual's experience in the adult criminal justice system.