Meek Mill was released from prison earlier this year after lobbying extensively against what many called an unfair and unjust sentence after a New York traffic infraction was deemed a violation of his probation and he was sentenced to two-to-four years as a result. Though he was released after an investigation noted that the arresting officer from his original 2007 arrest had been deemed untrustworthy, Meek still continues the fight for prison reform, even as he prepares for the release of his next album, Championships.
Meek penned an impassioned op-ed letter for The New York Times appealing for accountability from lawmakers, stronger prison rehabilitation programs, updated probation policies, and an improved bail system, stating that not only could such reforms help millions of disproportionately affected Blacks and Latinos who often fall prey to the criminal justice system, but they could also make the system more efficient, saving millions of dollars in taxpayers’ money for other worthwhile ends. He also acknowledged how lucky he is to have escaped recently, calling himself “a victim of a miscarriage of justice,” but nodding to the exceptional result which allowed him to be free for the holidays.
“I know I’m the exception to the rule — a lucky one,” he writes. “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. This is bad for families and our society as a whole.”
Meek lays out the plans for reform, explaining the purpose and goals of his new foundation, Reform Now, along with the website where anyone interested can sign up for more information. As he writes in the Times: “A higher power has put me in a position to help fix this — to help clean up this persistent stain on our society.”
Meek Mill is a Warner Music artist. .
