NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Reentry Corporation opened a new site on Bergen Avenue in Newark Tuesday, in partnership with National Action Network and other partners, to bring job training, counseling and other services to men and women leaving prison.
In addition to police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement has put a spotlight on the historic issue of racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
Operation HOPE is helping the facility for 150 women who have served time in prison.
“People all too frequently are tossed aside,” said former Gov. Jim McGreevey, who serves as chairman of NJRC.
The rate of black incarceration has outpaced other races, which disproportionately limits access to jobs, safe housing and voting rights along racial lines.
“The issues happening in our country around race, white supremacy, police brutality,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, “people may not think reentry plays a part in that but it does.”
