Today we visited the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery, AL. The EJI works tirelessly to end mass incarceration, reduce excessive punishment, and protect basic human rights in the court of law. In talking to some employees at EJI, we were able to learn more about the system, its effects, and what they do to combat them. It was really interesting to learn law vocabulary words, and gain a deeper insight into laws in Alabama.
Later on, the conversation shifted to the topic of capital punishment (the death penalty), and how the EJI is opposed to it. I asked the speakers specifically about their own opinions on the death penalty and I received answers that I had never heard before. Common reasons I’ve heard that some people oppose the death penalty include that it is immoral, that on average it costs more than life in prison, and that it is the “easy way out.” In contrast, the answer I received today from the employees at the EJI was, “It's not do they deserve to die, it's do we have the right to kill?” I was completely intrigued by this answer because I had always thought about the death penalty in a passive way - that criminals would be put to death - as opposed to the employees’ active way of thinking, which was that people are killing. They went on to pose an interesting question: Who are we to decide whether someone is broken beyond repair or that someone can never have a place in society ever again? This led to a discussion about whether the law system value finality or justice.
Following this, our group shared ideas about the objectives of prison. Some people came to the conclusion that prisons should be abolished and that rehabilitation centers should take their place. At first the term “prison abolition” sounds extreme, but after listening to these ideas, I am more open to this idea.
By some stroke of magic, immediately after walking out of EJI, we noticed BRYAN STEVENSON walking on the other side of the street! We shouted that we loved him and his work and we were so fortunate that he decided to come over and take a picture with us. I had seen Mr. Stevenson speak in Baltimore, and found him to be an incredibly engaging and thoughtful speaker. It was truly a cool moment to see him today!
Jack Kalvar, The Park School of Baltimore
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