The Language of Liberation: How transformative justice can reshape life in New Orleans
Community Reporting Fellow Elisha Davis talks with local abolitionist Jeremiah Jones about transformative justice and what it looks like in New Orleans.
Behind This Story | Louisiana currently has the second highest imprisonment rate in the nation, but our communities don’t feel any safer. What are the alternatives to mass incarceration? The Language of Liberation is a community resource produced by the Fall 2023 Community Reporting Fellows to make information on the prison abolition movement more accessible to community members so that we can begin to answer that question. This guide is part of a larger reporting series on youth incarceration and abolition. The guide features definitions of abolition terms, as well as the perspectives of local abolitionists. Have questions or comments? Email us at ledeneworleans@gmail.com.
By Elisha Davis
Transformative justice is a holistic approach to criminal legal justice that aims to address violence and the harm that crime causes without perpetuating more harm. Transformative justice is the lasting impact when a community embraces practices and principles that are known as restorative justice. Restorative justice is a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at-large. Examples of restorative justice include mediation and conflict-resolution programs, victim-impact panels, victim-offender mediation, community reparative boards and something known as a sentencing circle, where community members work with the criminal justice system to develop consensus on an appropriate sentencing plan that addresses the concerns of all parties impacted by a criminal action.
From my perspective, investing in transformative justice has the potential to create a lasting change within the community. By prioritizing responses and practices that end the cycle of harm, transformative justice can transform communities into safer and more inclusive spaces. Exploring restorative approaches is especially important if we’re going to help young Black and brown people most impacted by the carceral system navigate the gray areas of life and discover their unique path to success.
Community Voice: Jeremiah Jones
I spoke with Jeremiah Jones, a community organizer with Black Men Rising and Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), about what transformative justice looks like in New Orleans. Jones said restorative justice practices are used “on a daily basis” at Black Men Rising, a local nonprofit that runs mentorship programs aimed at keeping young Black men out of the criminal legal system, as well as training the next generation of young people fighting against mass incarceration.
Jones is passionate about combating the societal barriers young Black boys face by helping them explore their emotions and intellect. A big part of his work with Black Men Rising is helping create spaces for Black boys to express themselves and to talk about their life experiences and the trauma they’ve been through, he said.
Jones explained a restorative practice that Black Men Rising uses called “da village.” Young men gather in a circle and there is one theoretical microphone. Jones said the “mic” is passed and one person speaks at a time sharing whatever they want to share about their experiences, thoughts and emotions. One of the core rules is that there is no judgment or ridicule, he added.
“We recognize that it has to be a safe space, because young boys aren’t given that enough in the world,” Jones said. “Bringing them into that system and teaching them that is one of the main ways that we practice restorative justice.”
For Jones, transformative justice looks like breaking down the barriers local youth face and pouring into them for a better New Orleans. That resonated with me: we have to help young people especially to navigate the gray areas of life and discover their own unique path to success.
Transformative justice challenges all of us to consider “what can I do for the next person versus how can I benefit?” Jones said.
Elisha Davis, 23 is an actress and storyteller, native to Houston, Texas. Davis studies TV and Film Production at University of New Orleans and wants to continue making films and other media that capture the everyday experiences of people in the community. Davis is a Fall 2023 Community Reporting Fellow.
Fellowship Producer Nijah Narcisse produced and edited this piece. She is a New Orleans born-and-bred creative writer and journalist, and an alumni of the Community Reporting Fellowship at Lede New Orleans.
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