Agnes Gund's Art for Justice Fund - Article Review Essay Sample

According to Lesser (2017) mass incarceration has led to overcrowding in American prisons. For this reason, Agnes Gund raised funds to assist in criminal prosecution processes as a way of reducing the overcrowding problems in American prisons as well as integrating prisoners back into society. The funds came from a sale of 1962 masterpiece art of Roy Lichtenstein at a high price of $165million (Lesser, 2017). From this sale, criminal justice organizations received a grant of $100million to ensure the process of reducing mass incarceration is a success after a period of five years (Lesser, 2017). After five years, the Gund and Ford foundation anticipate a 20% reduction in the number of prisoners.

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I agree with this private funding of the United States criminal justice organizations because it aims at improving prison community reentry strategies by accommodating freed prisoners. Besides strengthening reentry strategies, the funds will also increase public safety (Lesser, 2017). Additionally, allocation of funds among the policy groups, advocates, writers, community organizations, and artists was appropriate to address bailing and prosecution processes. Agnes Gund funding is meant to intervene unfair sentences as well as influence policy reforms regarding criminal justice processes. In fact, most of the U.S prisons population contain a large number of the minority groups such as the Hispanics and African American young men and women. It is a welcoming idea for Gund private funding because it seeks to achieve justice to those who are wrongfully detained without sufficient proof. More so, fighting for a fair trial for those who are unable to afford the costs of hiring a lawyer or advocates promotes equity and impartial court ruling. The significance of funding criminal justice processes is worthy; thus, I agree with the idea of securing private funding.

The environmental factors played a critical role in the funding of the criminal justice system. For example, overcrowding in prisons, social factors such as increased crime rates and mass incarceration based on race, gender and ethnicity are significant environmental factors that call for private funding. For instance, overcrowding has been a significant problem in American prisons posing a danger to prisoners' health and safety. Therefore, for purposes of improving the health of prisoners, criminal justice agencies need private funding. Besides overcrowding, increased social crimes is another critical factor that pushes criminal justice agencies to request for private financing to reduce crime cases. Besides Gund private funding, the criminal justice system requires extra funds, in general, to administer justice, meet administrative operations expenses and enhance public safety by closing cases on crimes.

The agency did not attempt to look for alternative source of funding because it had enough funds to take it through the five-year program. However, other sources of financing can be obtained through government proposals to increase its expenditure in judicial processes, fundraising and securing a charitable donation from international bodies.

Gund and Ford's foundation influences the criminal justice process because the law enforcers are required to provide credible and sufficient evidence before the jury for purposes of making sound decisions. Policymakers will also have a duty to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups through the enactment of policies that prevent discrimination and unwarranted arrests. Regulations on the code of conduct of the police, while in the line of duty to observe human rights, will gain more attention especially in the context of overcrowded prisons. In prosecution processes, offenders who lack representation in court are always guilty, but with private funding, such persons will be able to get a fair judgment. Upon release, they will be integrated back into the society to ensure they move on with their lives.

Reference

Lesser, C. (2017, November 15). Agnes Gund's art for justice fund aims to reduce prison population by 20% in 5 years. Artsy. Retrieved from

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-agnes-gunds-art-justice-fund-aims-reduce-prison-population-20-5-years