(Abstract Only)

Sanctions against people who are convicted of crimes extend far beyond the time for which they are incarcerated or on parole or probation through policies and practices that condone discrimination against people with criminal records in the areas of employment, housing, public benefits, child custody, and political representation. The disproportionate impact of post-incarceration discrimination on young Black men and their families in low-income communities, especially widespread voter disfranchisement and job market exclusion, has triggered growing activism to secure basic rights for all formerly incarcerated people. My research has identified three key groups that are responsible for the recent expansion of reentry activism: policy advocates, service providers, and formerly incarcerated activists. Specific examples of their contributions to the four key factors necessary to build a social movement--opportunity, mobilization, framing, and action--will be the subject of my presentation.