“Why are they here?” Reflections on Mass Incarceration and Unjust Sentencing in the United States

By Lindsay Lucenko

As a now senior at the University of Washington, I find it hard to imagine explaining to my freshman-year self that she will go into seven prisons in three counties by the time she graduates. It would be even harder to convey that these visits would be the most impactful experiences of my undergraduate years.

My passion for criminal justice reform has led me to some incredible opportunities. I’ve had the privilege to engage with incarcerated individuals and criminal justice stakeholders worldwide, contribute to a podcast shedding light on the lived experiences of those behind bars, and most recently, serve as a policy intern at FAMM. Here at FAMM, I’ve delved deeper into state policies concerning prisons, equipping myself with the knowledge and tools to enact tangible change in the landscape of criminal justice reform.

My life has been changed through the interactions I have had with individuals and their families whom the criminal justice system has irreparably harmed. When I entered the University of Washington, I had no idea I would find myself, four years later, unable to turn away from the realm of criminal justice reform. I’ve spent my time, inside and outside of my formal education, advocating for incarcerated individuals and the unjustifiable way that our system treats them.

My journey began during the fall of my freshman year of college, when I took an Intro to Law, Societies, and Justice class with Prof. Steve Herbert. This class gave a broad overview of the many issues within the American criminal justice system, specifically mass incarceration. Prof. Herbert brought in many formerly incarcerated individuals to talk to us about their experiences while incarcerated and their journey to re-entering society after their release.

Every time I heard another formerly/currently incarcerated individual’s story, I felt the fire. I was angry and heartbroken, and most importantly, I wanted to do something about it. I did an independent research project where I mapped the racial disparities of graduation rates in each state and how it predicted coinciding disparities in incarceration rates. I volunteered to transcribe interviews Prof. Herbert took for his podcast, Making Amends. I wanted to show people this horrible thing that was happening to two million people and their families.

The summer after my junior year, I entered a study abroad program taught by Prof. Herbert, which included visits to prisons in three countries: the United States, England, and the Netherlands. I had read extensively about the “pains of imprisonment” and I knew that prisons were terrible places to live. But, after visiting my first prison, I felt the fire like I never had before.

I spoke to a mother incarcerated at Washington Corrections Center for Women, who talked to me about how much she missed her son, visibly brightening up when she mentioned him. She talked to me about her life in prison, glancing over at the woman leading our tour before she said anything negative. I couldn’t understand how this woman’s son was better off without his mother. Further, how are we better off without her? Every time I met someone who was or had been incarcerated, I thought the same thing: How could society be better off without you?

This year, I have had the privilege of engaging in the Juvenile Parole Project (JPP), a class led by Prof. Katherine Beckett. In this course, groups of 2–3 students are paired with volunteer attorneys to represent individuals preparing for hearings before the Clemency and Pardons Board or the Juvenile Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB, the equivalent of a parole board). I got to meet the petitioner I was assigned to during a legal visit last month. During the two hours we talked, I learned more about his life. I learned about his family and the many other people he has in his corner, as well as the work he has done to create programs in the prison. I left with a list of ten books he told me I should read. I couldn’t believe I had to leave him behind.

Afterward, I talked with our volunteer attorney, and we shared the same thought: “If he can’t get out, who can?” It’s a recurring thought that keeps my fire going and drives me to continue working towards true criminal justice reform. I have found what lights me up, and I can’t stop until I know that not one more individual will experience the terrors of incarceration.

Lindsay Lucenko is an intern with FAMM.