The Power of Dignity

A renowned judgewonders:What would criminal justice look like if we put respect at the center?The Black and Latina daughter of a working-class family, Victoria Pratt learned to treat everyone withdignity,no matter their background. When she became NewarkMunicipalCourtschiefjudge, she knewwell the inequitiesthatpoor, mentally ill,Black,andbrownpeople facedin the criminal justice system. Prattsreformstransformed hercourtroom into aplace for problem-solving and aresource for healing.She assigned essaysto defendantsso that the court could understandtheirhardshipsandkeptpeople out of jail through alternative sentencing and nonprofit partnerships. She became the judge of second chances, because she knew too few get a first one.With a foreword from Senator Cory...