A core mission of More Than Our Crimes is to empower and educate incarcerated DC residents so their voices are heard and they can effectively advocate for necessary policy changes before they are released, and after.

The civic engagement of our incarcerated residents is particularly critical right now as we head into the mid-term elections. So many consequential positions – ranging from mayor to House delegate – are up for grabs, and we need the strongest people in government possible to push back against the federal assault on the District’s home rule powers.

However, we know from our years of correspondence and outreach that many of our incarcerated residents — who have been eligible to vote since 2020 – have a profound gap in understanding of how our local and national governments actually work and what they can do to influence it. They don’t fully comprehend:

Which offices and policymakers have authority over issues like sentencing relief, transitional housing and post-conviction employment.
What elected officials can and cannot do on their behalf while they are still in prison.
How to advocate effectively for themselves, either while incarcerated or upon release.

This education gap has real consequences.

It wastes time when they write letters and ask family members to call about adverse conditions inside. It affects their ability to make strong cases for release. It hampers their successful navigation of reentry. And it erodes their meaningful participation in our democracy—especially this year.

That’s why More Than Our Crimes is partnering with Georgetown University’s Civic Education Research Lab to develop a correspondence course specifically for DC residents in federal prison. (If BOP tablets eventually become interactive, we will work to put the course online.)

This course will:

Help participants make stronger cases for release by providing a certificate of completion and documented evidence of a desire to be engaged, productive citizens upon reentry.
Equip individuals to be effective self-advocates with a practical understanding of how government works, where decision-making power actually lies, and how to engage institutions productively.
Teach the importance of civic engagement as a pathway to belonging, helping participants see themselves not as members of a marginalized subculture, but as legitimate stakeholders in society whose voices matter if they use them.
Support successful reentry and reduce recidivism by fostering a sense of agency, responsibility and connection to community—key factors that help people remain engaged in lawful, purposeful lives after release.
Prepare participants to be informed voters, capable of understanding elections, evaluating issues, and participating thoughtfully when election time comes.

What we need:

To develop and launch this course, we are seeking $75,000. This will cover:

Issues research.
Curriculum development.
Extensive in-prison outreach.
Assessment and evaluation, before the course and after.

This is a rare opportunity to invest in civic education where it is almost entirely absent.

And, at the same time, we will ensure that people returning home from prison are prepared not just to reenter society, but to participate in shaping it.

Our belief: If we want safer, stronger communities, we must invest in the leadership of those closest to the harm—and the solutions. Thank you for believing in second chances, civic power and leadership from the communities most affected by our justice system.

Prepare Incarcerated DC Residents to Be Civic Leaders!

Empowerment starts with education

Team Members