It was a cold Sunday morning when I came upon, quite by accident, the case of Raye Dawn Smith and the death of her daughter, Kelsey Smith Briggs. While reading the information posted I became curious and confused. It led me to investigate further. I read every single website and posting, watched every available video, reviewed any available media/newspaper coverage and finally, purchased books written about the case. It was through this thorough investigation that I came to know that Raye Dawn Smith had been wrongfully convicted of enabling child abuse.
This disturbed me so much that I felt personally compelled to contact the characters involved in her case. Those on the outside - the perimeter. People with integrity who based their opinion on strictly the facts presented, who had no ties to those involved (thereby nothing to gain or lose) and who were as passionate as I was that a grave injustice had occurred.
I began to write letters to anyone and everyone who I believed would listen. Never having been involved in anything such as this, I felt that my correspondence would be read and heard. That I would receive answers in return. Needless to say, it came as such a surprise to me that little to no one cared about the facts. No one cared to discuss this “Raye Dawn” person because she had been convicted and therefore, was a perfect example of trash to toss away and forget about. Obviously she had to do something wrong or she wouldn’t be in jail in the first place. Right? ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY WRONG!
This led me on the most amazing journey I have every been on. I have met countless people whose loved ones, spouses, sons, daughters, grandchildren and friends have been convicted based on a series of travesties occurring prior to their arrest through to their convictions. Many sitting in prison serving sentences for crimes they clearly have not committed. What has been equally surprising to me is how little people care about these prisoners (individuals just like themselves) and how easy it was to dismiss them as deserving of the punishments they received.
This was an enormous wake up call. The facts of our criminal justice system simply are unfathomable. In the words of William Newmiller, Board President of the NCCJR, we incarcerate 2.5 million people in America—about the same number as Russia and China combined. Another 5 million people are under supervision—parole or probation. That’s a total of 7.5 million people, more than the combined populations of Chicago and Los Angeles. Those under control of America’s combined prison system amount to our nation’s second largest city.
Although this demographic is heavily weighted by the poor, the disempowered, and the uneducated, it, nevertheless, cuts across all ethnicities and social-economic classes. And its voice has been largely ignored in the public discussion of what needs to be done to reform a broken criminal justice system. Perhaps the lack of voice for this group arises from the fear public officials have of appearing to be “soft on crime,” or because the stigma of incarceration has stifled the voices of those who suffer it.
This is why it became my personal passion to effect change in our criminal justice system. If only to create a larger voice for Raye Dawn Smith and the countless other beautiful people whose lives are being destroyed minute by minute while they await a new trial. In this, I am a founding Board Member of the National Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform and your help is needed to stop the injustice that so many decent people endure at this very moment. It is not only the voices of the wrongfully convicted but their families as well. The loss of such talented and amazing individuals who suffer silently in prison is staggering not to mention the anguish of their loved ones who have lost everything they have worked for their entire lives to defend and protect those whom they love.
Where is the audience? Again I shout, are you listening? It’s time to turn the volume up on this issue. It’s more than time that we take a serious look at what’s going on in this country because the millions of dollars we sink into this broken system does nothing positive for future safety of country and our children.
Please stand by me and help me spread the word. Don’t think for one moment it couldn’t happen to you. I can count many stories of those who believed in our justice system. A justice system that failed them. Who now sit in their cells losing hope. Let’s join hands and make it fair for all. It is simply the right thing to do.
WEBSITE www.reformingjustice.com ~ FACEBOOK National Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform
TWITTER http://twitter.com/ncc4jr OR ncc4jr
email wendy.norbom@reformingjustice.com
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