Robert Rooks: Transforming the Probation and Parole System
REFORM alliance is on a mission to transform probation and parole programs through legislative changes and social justice. Highlights from the conversation include:
Probation and parole violations are trap doors in our criminal justice system. How can we shape a justice system that responds to the participants? Probation should be a pathway to success, not a punitive cycle.
Is the current non-profit model effective and efficient in bringing about change? Robert sees the future as a hybrid. Could we incentivize people to invest in non-profits and measure the impact with clear ROIs? Conversations about how this works in action are beginning in the impact investment space.
How can we pass legislation both by state and federally to reform justice systems with the goal to reduce the prison population in counties? REFORM has passed thirteen pieces of legislation in eight states that gives 500,000 Americans a path out of the criminal justice system.
How does the CEO of a criminal justice reform group navigate today’s political landscape, set goals and metrics and work with an all-star board?
Robert Rooks has more than two decades of experience as a grassroots organizer, strategist, and movement leader. He is an expert in building and scaling social justice organizations and has been instrumental in winning groundbreaking criminal justice reforms across the country.
“Probation and parole are pipelines to prison—they should be about accountability and pathways to work and wellbeing.”
Rooks is currently CEO of REFORM Alliance, an organization promoting smart reforms of the probation and parole system. REFORM has won major legislative reforms to transform probation and parole systems in states as diverse as California, Georgia, and Mississippi and lifted up the experiences of people on supervision to educate the public and build support for broader change.