LibraryScenariosWhen advocacy teams disagree on reform versus abolition approaches
Scenario

When advocacy teams disagree on reform versus abolition approaches

Our nonprofit team is split on whether to focus our mass incarceration advocacy on reforming the existing system or pushing for complete abolition, and it's paralyzing our work. Half the team thinks incremental change saves lives now while the other half believes reform just legitimizes a fundamentally broken system, and every program decision becomes a philosophical battle.

Juana
Online
The coach is replying

More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

A group's strategic paralysis reveals deeper disagreements about whether gradual change enables or undermines transformative justice.

Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Mass incarceration — causes and critique?”

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.