Meek Mill Demands Improved Prisoner Rights In Powerful Op-Ed

Meek Mill's fight for prison reform is just getting started. In his latest fight to improve the criminal justice system in the United States, the 31-year-old rapper wrote and op-ed for the New York Times, in which he demanded improved prisoner rights, shined a light on the disproportionate incarceration of men and women of color, discussed the laws that need to immediately be changed to ensure a fair and just prison system, and issued a call of action to others to join his fight. 

"Like many who are currently incarcerated, I was the victim of a miscarriage of justice — carried out by an untruthful officer, as determined by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, and an unfair judge," he began before detailing how he was wrongfully sentenced to two to four years in prison (back in 2017) for "breaking" his parole by "popping a wheelie on a motorcycle in Manhattan." 

"Even though the charge was dismissed in a New York City court, a Philadelphia-based judge still deemed my interaction with the police to be a technical violation of my probation... The ordeal cost me my most precious commodity: my freedom. I served five months. With the help of friends and the intervention of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, I was released on bail this past April and was able to resume my life," he wrote, acknowledging that he was an "exception to the rule," calling himself "a lucky one." 

"It’s clearer than ever that a disproportionate number of men and women of color are treated unfairly by a broken criminal justice system. The system causes a vicious cycle, feeding upon itself — sons and daughters grow up with their parents in and out of prison, and then become far more likely to become tied up in the arrest-jail-probation cycle, he explained. "This is bad for families and our society as a whole." 

Later in the op-ed Meek issued a call to action to his followers, and citizens of the United States. He also detailed how he's been working "with several lawmakers such as Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania" to use his "platform to help those without the resources to make their voices heard."

"We all need to hold our lawmakers accountable for supporting unfair or inhumane policies and all practices that perpetuate injustice, especially for the blacks and Latinos who fall prey to them most frequently," he continued. "The reality is African-Americans and Latinos who come from poverty-stricken neighborhoods are assigned public defenders too overburdened to do anything in most cases other than negotiate the most favorable plea deal, regardless of guilt or innocence."

After mentioning his forthcoming foundation that will be "dedicated to achieving real change," the "Litty" rapper broke down the changes he would like to see in regards to mass incarceration in the United States. "Together, we will demand stronger prison rehabilitation programs, updated probation policies — including shortened probationary periods — an improved bail system and balanced sentencing structures," he wrote. "It’s a shame that model probationers can be immediately put back behind bars simply for missing curfew, testing positive for marijuana, failing to pay fines on time or, in some cases, not following protocol when changing addresses. Our lawmakers can and should do away with these 'technical violations.'"

He also discussed how the government "should introduce legislation that allows people on probation to earn a reduction in probation time for good behavior so that entire swaths of people aren’t spending the majority of their adult lives on probation as I did." Adding that "money saved from imprisoning fewer people could then be used for employment programs and mental health counseling that would equip the formerly incarcerated with the tools for reintegration into society."

However, no change is more necessary to the "1942 Flows" rapper than that of ensuring "punishments actually fit crimes." Meek said, "Mine certainly didn’t. But I am choosing to see my situation in a different light, to see that I’m incredibly fortunate. A higher power has put me in a position to help fix this — to help clean up this persistent stain on our society."

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