How Meek Mill & Michael Rubin’s REFORM Alliance is Reshaping The Prison Reform Movement

On July 1st, Florida passed a milestone criminal justice reform bill to shorten probation sentences by offering educational resources and awarding long-term employment.

Pushed for by REFORM Alliance and other coalitions and organizations, Senate Bill 752 will shorten probation terms, help formerly incarcerated individuals gain a GED or other degree or vocational certification, and earn credit for maintaining full-time employment for six months or longer.

“Improving public safety isn’t a partisan issue,” REFORM CEO Robert Rooks said in a statement.

“The new law means more people on probation will pursue education and employment, producing better outcomes for themselves and their families. That will lead to safer and stronger communities for all. This is a huge win.”

The bill is one of many strides REFORM has taken to reshape the prison reform movement in recent years. Since its inception, the nonprofit has dedicated its effort to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture.

Award-winning recording artist Meek Mill founded the nonprofit organization along with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, entrepreneur and business mogul Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, and other leaders across business, philanthropy, and entertainment.

Created in the wake of the #FreeMeek movement, REFORM works to replace America’s criminal justice system with a restorative approach where people can reenter society with dignity, create meaningful pathways to work, and feel equipped to succeed.

In June, REFORM hosted its Philadelphia Job Fair at the Wells Fargo Center to revitalize Philly’s workforce and economy while helping Philadelphians get employed. The event received support from the
76ers, Amazon, Fanatics, NAACP Philadelphia, and Wells Fargo Center.

In August, the Columbia Justice lab will publish a set of 12 papers that will provide a summary of the challenges and policy solutions for the criminal justice system in the U.S. The research was conducted with a grant from REFORM Alliance.

The papers will help experts better understand the problems of the system and the impact beyond the individual, including the effects of incarceration on income, family dynamics, and correlation to poverty. The research could help set the stage for groundbreaking change in the criminal justice system in the foreseeable future.