Arkansans gather for a unity march, advocating for prison reform
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Leaders of prison advocacy groups joined together in Little Rock Sunday to march and voice their concerns over the state's prison system.
Those there say this is a step towards uniting to advocate for those in prison and for what they say are basic human rights.
Ladena Biddle founder of the Arkansas Department of Corrections Family Support Non-Profit says she started this to help families with a loved one incarcerated.
“My son committed crimes, and he had to go to time out, but they are there as punishment, not there to be punished,” Biddle said.
While the numbers were few, the message was strong Sunday afternoon, as people came together hoping to advocate for prison reform.
“We're wanting all the groups to unite,” Biddle said.
Biddle’s son went to prison and said after hearing his experiences it became her mission to create change.
“We are a diverse group of people, and a lot of people have been incarcerated, and they want to change mental health, medical, overcrowding,” Biddle said.
It's those issues she says that fuels her passion to unite with others, like the R.E.F.O.R.M. Group to advocate for inmates.
Alvertis Murry founded the prison advocacy group.
“We want improvements in employee and inmate relations, we want improvement of the medical treatment of inmates when they become incarcerated, we especially want better rehabilitation programs,” Murry said.
Murry says they’re trying to bring awareness to what they see as problems, but also bring solutions.
“The group effort is the way to go, and I would like to say that people that unite are usually stronger and more successful at producing change,” Murry said.
They say today was about change, and as the discussion of prison reform has been a hot topic, they say now is the time to take action.
“It's about work that needs done and it's going to take us all to get us done,” Biddle said.
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