Full Name Glenn E. Martin Name Glenn Martin Website JustLeadershipUSA | Nationality American | |
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Occupation Founder and President of JustLeadershipUSA | ||
Bob herbert s op ed tv glenn e martin discusses america s incarceration epidemic
Glenn E. Martin is an American criminal justice reform advocate, who served six years in a New York state prison, and is the founder and president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA). JLUSA aims to cut the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030 through advocacy campaigns, leadership trainings, and member engagement. He also co-founded the campaign, Education from the Inside Out Coalition, a national campaign working to remove barriers to higher education facing students while they are in prison and once they are released.
Contents
- Bob herbert s op ed tv glenn e martin discusses america s incarceration epidemic
- Justleadershipusa message from the founder glenn e martin
- Early life and family
- New York prison
- Education
- Release
- United States criminal justice reform
- Legal Action Center
- Fortune Society
- JustLeadershipUSA
- White House experience
- Writings
- Awards
- References
Martin regularly comments on criminal justice in the media, including CNN, CSPAN, Al Jazeera, and MSNBC.
Justleadershipusa message from the founder glenn e martin
Early life and family
Martin was born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of a retired police officer, brother of a US Marshall and former federal correction officer. His son, Armani Jaevon Green, is a United States Marine. He also has another son, Joshua (Joshy) Martin and a daughter, Sunsierre (Sunny) Martin. His partner is Veronica Dunlap, Esq., Counsel at The Office of the General Counsel, NYC Department of Consumer Affairs.
New York prison
Martin spent six years incarcerated in New York prisons. In 1995, Martin was convicted for an armed robbery of a New York City jewelry store and was sentenced to six years in prison. He was detained on Rikers Island for a year and served five additional years in the Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, New York for his role in several armed robberies.
Education
While in prison, Martin took college level courses. Martin views his liberal arts education as a key turning point in his life. While at the Wyoming Correctional Facility, Martin earned an associate degree in social science from the Jesuit Canisius College based in Buffalo, N.Y. Martin faced barriers to employment with a criminal record even though he had a college degree.
Release
In 2000, Martin was released from prison in upstate Attica, New York. At release, a correctional officer thanked him: "He said my being there helped pay for his boat, and that when my son came there, he would help pay for his son's boat."
United States criminal justice reform
Martin has worked with and founded various criminal justice reform non-profits. Martin also regularly comments on criminal justice issues. Martin has been critical of the disenfranchisement of felons in New York state, and in the United States. In 2014, Martin gave a guest lecture at Bennington College on criminal justice reform.
Legal Action Center
Upon release from prison, Martin began his career with the Legal Action Center (LAC). Martin eventually served as the co-director of LAC's Helping Individuals with criminal records Reenter through Employment (H.I.R.E.) Network. Martin worked to address the obstacles facing ex-offenders who try to reconnect with their communities and society at large. Martin discussed what he viewed as discrimination faced by people with criminal records, based on their criminal records and their race, noting that people of color are disproportionately represented in the American criminal justice system. Martin regularly spoke with media regarding criminal justice issues.
Fortune Society
From 2007 until 2014, Martin served as Vice President of Development and Public Affairs for the Fortune Society, a group dedicated to helping people returning from prison to succeed with starting new lives. Half of Fortune Society’s staff members were formerly incarcerated, and one-third of the board members were formerly incarcerated.
Martin regularly spoke with the national media about criminal justice issues.
JustLeadershipUSA
In November 2014, Martin founded a new organization, JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA). JLUSA aims to cut the U.S. correctional population in half by 2030 through advocacy campaigns, leadership trainings, and member engagement. Martin told Mic that he "believes the most compelling advocates of change are those who have been directly affected by incarceration." Martin appeared on the Brian Lehrer show to discuss the purpose of prison. JLUSA hosts training for formerly incarcerated leaders wanting to have a voice in the national debate over criminal justice and prison reform.
White House experience
In early June 2015, Martin, along with other criminal justice reform activists, were invited to the White House to discuss mass incarceration and law enforcement issues. Martin was flagged by the United States Secret Service as a security risk because of his criminal record, and required to have a special escort in order to enter the White House complex for the discussion. Once cleared, Martin used the incident "to frame the topic for larger criminal justice reform." Ultimately, Martin met with President Obama to discuss JustLeadershipUSA and his efforts to help shrink the criminal justice footprint in the lives of all Americans.