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Photo credit: munshots/Unsplash.com
As the director of The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, I
share our country’s horror at the killing of George Floyd. A killing made
particularly disturbing by the fact that it came at the hands of
someone who was vested with the power and responsibility to enforce laws
and protect and serve the community.
The CSG Justice Center’s tagline is “advancing safety and second chances.”
Safety means not just the absence of crime, but also the positive presence
of government institutions that people can trust have their best interests
at heart. Everyone is entitled to safety and deserves to be served by
a government that not only minimizes harm but maximizes well-being. And
until we can truly say that every Black person in America can trust in the
criminal justice system to treat them fairly and with dignity and respect,
our goals to advance safety and second chances for all cannot be
achieved.
To that end, the CSG Justice Center is committed to using our energy and
influence to oppose racism and racial bias and support our nation’s justice
systems to live up to their highest ideals. We also recognize that this is
a time to reflect on our own work and priorities. As are so many others, we
are asking ourselves if we have done enough to advance racial equity
through our work. The answer is assuredly no—we can, must, and will do
more.
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