Dying to Get Out: criminal justice reform summit in Dover

DOVER, Del. – A Delaware-based organization is trying to shed light on criminal justice reform in the first state.

The ‘Death By Incarceration’ summit will feature 3 panel discussions with experts and lawyers, as well as those facing life sentences and their families.

The event hopes to expand understanding of the individual and community-level harm of current sentencing laws and advocate for measures like compassionate release.

“We have an individual who has been incarcerated for 50 years. He’s in a wheelchair and he’s legally blind, right. And because of his sentence, he’s not being given an opportunity for release, right. So in this instance, he would be a prime candidate for compassionate release,” said Khalil Abdar-Rashid, Executive Director of Missed Opts Inc.

The summit will take place on September 28th at 5pm at the Correctional Officers Association Banquet Hall in Dover.