Advocacy Blogs

For more than four decades, Karen Brown has been known publicly through the worst event of her life. She was found guilty of complicity to murder and sentenced to Life with the Possibility of Parole after 25 years. In 2021, the Kentucky Parole Board gave her a “serve-out”, which in essence re-sentenced her to death by incarceration. The crime was a tragic event that occurred when she was only 21 years old. But Karen’s life didn’t begin with a crime, and her identity can’t be

Second-look sentencing, the science of redemption and the voices Kentucky has yet to hear. Who speaks for the people who have spent decades behind prison walls, long after the public stopped paying attention to their sentences? A 2025 study published in Criminology, Public Support for Universal Second Look Sentencing: A Research Note, examines an important question: Are Americans willing to reconsider lengthy prison sentences when individuals have demonstrated meaningful ch

What happens when a sentence that allowed the possibility of parole becomes a sentence to die in prison? My last article Trauma-Informed Care or the Death Chamber? delves into the irony of ‘trauma-informed’ steps while simultaneously preparing to walk with them the ‘last mile’….to the execution chamber. But that question does not end at the death chamber door. What about those never sentenced to execution, yet now face death by incarceration despite a sentence that allowed fo

Before Tennessee attempted to execute Christa Pike, I wanted to write about a cognitive dissonance I was just unable to shake or let go. Just the irony of the situation. As I continued to hear the news day in and day out, to see if this was going to happen given all the controversies surrounding not just the execution itself but the manner in which it would finally be carried out. After the botched execution…stunned, I needed to pause, process, then proceed… A system can lear

Decades of Incarceration. One Call for Change. "Common Threads" examines the persistent effects of harsh sentences and challenges the cycle of incarceration, questioning whether change will arrive soon enough for those who have already served long decades behind the razor wire. Today I received my first Prison Radio newsletter/flyer, it was very touching. I read the narrative about Mumia Abu-Jamal. Sorry if this Kentucky girl mispronounces that name. I often tell people here

Prison culture does not end at the gate. The hypervigilance, emotional restraint, distrust, and need for control that help residents—and even staff—function inside can follow them into their families, relationships, and communities. This article examines the psychological reach of incarceration, including Post-Incarceration Syndrome, and asks what people continue to carry beyond the razor wire long after confinement or a work shift has ended.

LBGTQ+ and gender non-conforming people in the justice system Justice is supposed to evaluate conduct-not conformity. Yet, LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming people are disproportionately represented throughout the American justice system. Their identities do not cause criminal behavior. The disparities reflect something more complicated: family rejection, homelessness, poverty, trauma, school exclusion, substance use, victimization, discriminatory policing and unequal access t

"Highlighting the urgency for second look laws in Kentucky, this depiction underscores the indefinite nature of rehabilitation without a set release date, emphasizing the need for review mechanisms beyond incarceration." Kentucky does not have to choose between accountability and second chances. A meaningful second-look law would not erase a conviction, shorten every sentence, override victims, or guarantee anyone’s release. It would simply create a structured opportunity-a

There is an irony in the work I do today that I am only beginning to fully understand. I work in corrections and with substance use disorders. I sit with people whose worst decisions have followed them for years-sometimes decades. My work asks me to believe in rehabilitation, recovery, accountability, and the possibility that a person can become so much more than the worst thing they have ever done. I advocate for those serving extraordinarily long sentences. I ask questions

There is a place most people will never see. They see the razor wire, the concrete walls, the watchtowers, and the headlines. They see the crime, the sentence, and the years. What they rarely see are the people who continue living behind those fences-learning, grieving, growing, mentoring, serving and hoping. For some, those years have become decades. Beyond the razor wire are mothers and fathers, artists and teachers, mentors and people of faith. There are individuals who ha

Every governor inherits a power that exists to take a 2nd look at some of the rarest of cases: the power to temper justice with mercy. Executive clemency is not a shortcut to by-pass accountability. It is not denial. It is not a claim that harm did not happen. It's a constitutional safety valve for moments when a sentence has served its purpose, when a person has changed in ways the justice system says it wants to see, and when continued incarceration no longer serves the pub

Karen Brown the Credible Messenger: Sharing powerful stories of transformation and impact through weekly commentaries on PrisonRadio.org. Experience is the strongest teacher. For more than four decades, Karen Brown has lived with the consequences of one tragic decision made as a young adult. She entered prison at just 21 years old. Today, after 40+ years of incarceration, the question facing Kentucky is no longer who Karen Brown was in 1986-but who she has become. Clemency ex

A recent report by The Sentencing Project, Felony Murder: An On-Ramp for Extreme Sentencing, raises important questions about how states continue to impose extraordinarily long prison terms on people whose level of culpability varies widely. One detail in the report immediately caught my attention: it notes that Hawaii and Kentucky do not have felony murder laws. Legally, that statement is correct. Kentucky abolished the traditional felony murder rule decades ago. But law on

By every measure, Karen Brown looked like someone with a bright future. She was an engaged student. She excelled in athletics. She grew up in Hustonville, a small Kentucky community where teachers, classmates, and neighbors knew her as a hardworking young woman. She had no criminal record and was known for her achievements in school and sports. A serious athletic injury later disrupted her college plans, and after leaving school she found herself in a different environment. Y

Karen Brown has spent over four decades behind bars, a victim of a justice system that criminalized her identity rather than sought the truth. Her story reveals how prejudice against LGBTQ people in the 1980s led to a conviction that still haunts her today. As we remember the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising today, June 28th, Pride Month shines a light on LGBTQ rights and history, Karen’s case reminds us how far we must go to ensure justice and equality for all. Karen Br

Karen Brown has spent over 40 years behind bars in Kentucky, a fact that demands serious reflection. Her case has drawn attention not only because of the length of her incarceration but also due to the growing bipartisan support for her clemency. This support crosses political lines, emphasizing that this issue is not about political gain but about justice, fairness, and humanity. Kentucky stands at a crossroads where it can choose to do what is right—not just for Karen Brown

One in six incarcerated persons in Ky are serving a life sentence, 44% of those persons are over the age of 55. Kentucky incarcerates a higher percentage of people than any independent democratic country. The Kentucky Parole Board holds significant power over the lives of incarcerated individuals, yet its decisions often raise questions about fairness and consistency. Recent cases highlight troubling disparities in how parole is granted or denied, even when the facts and circ

Karen Brown currently incarcerated at KCIW in Pewee Valley, Ky, pictured here at her arraignment in 1986 versus today over 40 yrs later as a classic example of where draconian sentencing practices are costing Kentuckians. Kentucky faces a pressing challenge: its prisons are aging, overcrowded, and filled with people who no longer pose a threat to public safety. Many incarcerated individuals were sentenced decades ago to life with the possibility of parole, yet the system has

A visual representation of the journey from equality to justice, illustrating how providing fair chances and second chances can lead to meaningful change and equitable outcomes for all. Introduced by Prison Fellowship, in 2017, April has come to be known as Second Chance Month. As of 2026, there are now 35 states that recognize April as Second Chance Month. Currently more than 1,100 organizations, churches, and businesses have joined in the support of brighter futures for peo

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day and as someone pointed out, what about the women we don’t see or hear about? What about the women who have been locked away for decades now and decades to come? How are we celebrating them? As a statistic? Today, while collectively the U.S. accounts for 4% of the world’s women, it is holding 25% of the women incarcerated on a worldwide scale. According to the most recent report released by The Sentencing Project, the female incarce