San Francisco Attorney Advocates Policies For Imprisoned Parents
At Barack Obama's recent address to the NAACP on the wastefulness of the prison system, the President made a point of recognizing that incarceration prevents parents from contributing to their children's lives. "Around one million fathers are behind bars. Around one in nine African-American kids has a parent in prison," the President said. "What is that doing to our communities? What's that doing to those children?"
According to a 2008 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, "parents held in the nation's prisons — 52 percent of state inmates and 63 percent of federal inmates — reported having an estimated 1,706,600 minor children, accounting for 2.3 percent of the U.S. resident population under age 18." Statistically, these children are at greater risk of abuse and of walking in their parents' footsteps to become incarcerated themselves. Several programs offered in the San Francisco Bay Area allow these minors the opportunity to bond with their parents.
Jesse Stout, a criminal defense attorney and longtime criminal justice activist, is a strong proponent of these child visitation programs. He holds degrees from Brown University and UC Hastings College of the Law. Stout believes strongly in society's responsibility to help the children of incarcerated parents. He now serves as policy director for Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
LSPC provides legal services, public outreach and policy recommendations in advocacy of parents who are imprisoned. It organizes communities impacted by the criminal justice system and serves as an advocacy group to release incarcerated people, to restore human and civil rights and to reunify families and communities. Stout was motivated to serve LSPC by current and prior experience in criminal law.
During law school, Stout interned with the Marin County Public Defender's Office and the San Francisco Public Defender's Office. "I also interned with the California Assembly Public Safety Committee, analyzing legislation and making vote recommendations to then-assembly chairman Tom Ammiano," Stout said. In addition to his role at LSPC, he serves on the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Board of Governors, practices law at Greenbridge Corporate Counsel and runs his own criminal defense law firm.
Residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, Greg is a patented inventor, technology enthusiast and intrepid journalist. He finds inspiration in diverse experiences, organizations, people and places -- from restaurants to politics, movies, music and, most of all, his daughter.
