Freedom for Whom? Independence Day, Justice Reform, and Mass Incarceration

by Executive Director Andee Huxhold

Every July 4th, we gather to celebrate freedom — to enjoy fireworks, cookouts, and moments of connection with family and neighbors. But as Executive Director of Dismas House of Indiana, I find myself returning to a simple, difficult question: Who truly gets to share in this freedom?

Today, nearly 2 million people remain behind bars in U.S. prisons and jails. Our incarceration rate, nearly 580 per 100,000, is the highest among independent democracies. Beyond prison walls, 4.4 million individuals live under probation or parole supervision — about 1 in every 46 adults — often under strict conditions that can result in re-incarceration for non-criminal "technical violations."

These systems do not impact all communities equally. Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of white Americans, and Latinx individuals at 1.3 times the rate. Indigenous and other marginalized communities face similarly stark disparities.

When we talk about freedom, we must also remember the 190,600 women currently incarcerated. Many are survivors of domestic violence and childhood trauma, their pathways to prison shaped by cycles of harm and lack of access to support.

Yet freedom is about more than release. Across the U.S., there are over 44,000 documented collateral consequences — legal and regulatory barriers that continue long after someone has served their sentence. These hidden punishments touch every corner of life:

• Employment: Many are barred from entire professions due to licensing restrictions or employer bias, even for old convictions.

• Housing: Public housing authorities and private landlords can deny housing based on criminal history, fueling homelessness and instability.

• Education: Criminal records can restrict access to student aid, making higher education and vocational training out of reach.

• Civic life: In many states, people lose the right to vote — sometimes permanently — silencing their voices in our democracy.

• Family and community: Records can impact custody, adoption, and family reunification, hindering connection and healing.

  
  

These collateral consequences function as an invisible punishment, compounding the challenges of reentry and making it nearly impossible for many to truly start over. Instead of supporting healing and reintegration, these barriers reinforce stigma and keep people on the margins of society.

At Dismas House of Indiana, our mission is clear:

We champion a freedom that transcends physical release — one that reclaims identity, restores dignity, and rebuilds community. We know that release is neither the end of punishment nor the beginning of true freedom. Housing instability, employment barriers, legal restrictions, and ongoing supervision can quickly erode any hope of rebuilding.

This Independence Day, let’s broaden our understanding of freedom. True freedom must include the right to return home, to work, to vote, to heal, and to belong. It must mean creating real opportunities for people to reconnect with family, find meaningful purpose, and build lives they are proud of — lives rooted in dignity, community, and hope.

I invite you to read this powerful piece: Freedom for Who? Reflections on the Complexities of Freedom .

Because true independence demands justice for all—especially those the system left behind.

Additional Sources:

• Prison Policy Initiative. (2025). Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025

• The Sentencing Project. (2024). Report on Racial Disparities in Incarceration

• Prison Policy Initiative. (2024). Technical Violations and Mass Incarceration

• Prison Policy Initiative. (2024). Women’s Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie

• National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction. (2023). Collateral Consequences Resource Center

• Brennan Center for Justice. (2023). Restoring Rights and Opportunities After Incarceration

• Vera Institute of Justice. (2023). In Our Backyards: Incarceration and Rural America