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July 9, 2026: Join the Prison Policy Initiative, Latino Justice, and the MacArthur Justice Center for a powerful webinar focused on the parole board process and the case for the presumption of release. It will begin with a firsthand account from Frank Silva and his interview for freedom followed by Clinical Professor of Law Heidi Rummel and the legality of “presumption of release,” and how California’s framework has shifted the
burden of proof.
Minnesota’s election omnibus reform bill, SF 455, passed the senate yesterday. The bill includes ending prison gerrymandering among other reforms. For more information on the prison gerrymandering provisions (Article 6) of the bill check out my written testimony. The bill now awaits action in the House, stay tuned.
In discussions about prison gerrymandering, we’re often asked: “Does the Census Bureau’s prison count impact state and local funding allocations?”
Although it might seem counterintuitive, the answer is, “Generally, not at all. Prison gerrymandering hurts democracy and vote equality, not money flows.”
Eric Lotke, President of the Prison Policy Initiative Board, spent a year-long fellowship looking at this question. He describes his findings in our newest video:
July 9, 2026: Join the Prison Policy Initiative, Latino Justice, and the MacArthur Justice Center for a powerful webinar focused on the parole board process and the case for the presumption of release. It will begin with a firsthand account from Frank Silva and his interview for freedom followed by Clinical Professor of Law Heidi Rummel and the legality of “presumption of release,” and how California’s framework has shifted the
burden of proof.