This month’s member spotlight features Ciera Bates-Chamberlain. Bates-Chamberlain was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. She is committed to furthering the fight for social and economic justice by strengthening communities through radical theology.
This month’s spotlighted member is Kris Steele, executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry. In his interview, Steele shares his perspective on the importance of education in breaking incarceration cycles and emphasizes the importance of informing policy decisions by values of faith, reconciliation, and mercy.
On February 12, 2025, leaders of the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative – Khalil Cumberbatch and Marc Levin – led a discussion exploring the use of executive clemency, including pardons, commutations, and reprieves.
For its third convening, the Women’s Justice Commission gathered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and focused on women’s needs, experiences, and outcomes as they move through the criminal court system pretrial.
