Meek Mill & REFORM Take First Major Legislative Action For Probation Reform

Meek Mill and REFORM alliance take the first steps towards shifting the system.

BYAron A.May 31, 20192.3K Views

Ever since Meek Mill's release from prison, he's been working towards bringing reform to the justice system. As you know, he's been on probation for the better part of his adult life because of Judge Genece Brinkley. Along with Van Jones, Michael Rubin, Jay-Z and Robert Kraft, they've been working towards bringing change for probation and parole laws. Today, REFORM Alliance teamed up with bipartisan bill sponsors Rep. Jordan Harris and Rep. Sheryl Delozier to introduce the Smart Probation and Parole act to the legislature for consideration.

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REFORM has introduced their first major legislative action towards probation and parole reform. The Smart Probation and Parole Act is meant to:

Incentivize good behavior and rehabilitation for people on probation and parole.
Reverse damaging measures that led to Pennsylvania having the third highest percentage of its citizens on probation and parole in America.

The current component of the Smart Probation and Parole act includes.

Setting standards for probation term lengths according to the crime (2 years for misdemeanors, 5 years for felonies)
Standardizing “good time credits” in exchange for certified rehabilitative programming, i.e. GED courses and vocational training
Minimizing the types of technical violations for which an individual can be re-incarcerated
Increasing due process and effective communication when someone is suspected of a technical violation
Retroactive application for all components

“I’ve been on probation in Pennsylvania my entire adult life, for over a decade. Every aspect of my life is restricted," Meek said. "We need to pass HB1555 and make sure individuals in Pennsylvania never experience confining and oppressive barriers that make it nearly impossible to re-enter society, travel to a job or even provide for their families.”

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About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.