By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy made history when she created the first Conviction and Sentencing Integrity Unit in the state of Maryland in 2019. It was established to identify and address potential injustices in past convictions or overly harsh sentences, particularly for those sentenced as juveniles.
Braveboy created the unit out of a belief that serving time should not mean giving up on the possibility of redemption. As she began reviewing the sentences of people who had been incarcerated for upwards of 20 years, she became acquainted with the human stories behind the convictions.
“Through that process, I got a chance to review the stories of these individuals—the challenges they faced and the hopes they had for their future. It was really eye-opening,” said Braveboy. “I decided I wanted to do more.”
In 2021, she started the Emerging Adult Program in Prince George’s County to provide people aged 18 to 26 with reentry services, including job training, counseling and work opportunities. Braveboy explained that people in this age group in particular are unlikely to commit crimes into adulthood.
The program begins while individuals are incarcerated and continues through their probation in an effort to reduce recidivism. It maintains a 97 percent success rate.
As Braveboy prepares to be sworn in as county executive on June 19, she says her administration will build on past success by expanding reentry services, like the Emerging Adult Program, for returning citizens across the county.
“We need more programs, funding and more resources dedicated to assisting those who are returning to our county, and we need more resources for those who are in our local jails as well,” said Braveboy. “I’ll be working with my team to address those needs moving forward, but returning citizens will always be a priority for my administration.”
That commitment to reentry doesn’t just extend to young adults. During her time as state’s attorney, Braveboy has also prioritized support for women caught in the justice system—a population with distinct needs during and after incarceration. After starting with just men, the Emerging Adults Program expanded to women. Braveboy explained that a number of the women involved with the program did not meet the age parameters but they required the same level of reentry support.
“One of the things that we’ve heard from women is that they actually have it harder because they don’t have the same support at home that men tend to have. People tend to be more sympathetic to men who make mistakes than to women,” said Braveboy. “Even in prison, the women didn’t really have as many programs as the men had.”
In May, Braveboy’s office held “The Untold Stories of Justice-Involved Women and Girls Conference,” to give formerly incarcerated women a platform to share their experiences before, during and after prison. It was the second conference of this kind that the state’s attorney’s office organized.
The gathering covered parenting skills as an incarcerated or returning citizen, trauma-informed practices and pathways to family and community unification. More than 20 resources vendors were at the conference addressing critical reentry issues, like housing, transportation, wellness, employment and mental health. The conference was also video-streamed into the state and local correctional facilities.
“Everybody deserves a second chance,” said Leslie Johnson, director of reentry services and community partnership for the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. “That’s why I admire State’s Attorney Braveboy so much because she not only talks about it, she walks it.”
Johnson, the wife of former County Executive Jack Johnson, served a prison sentence after pleading guilty in 2011 to conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering in an effort to obstruct a federal corruption investigation. The former councilwoman was sentenced to a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
While in prison, she helped to teach resume-writing classes to women. When she returned home, she began leading workforce development courses for returning citizens at Mission of Love Charities. Braveboy hired Johnson in 2022 to lead her office’s reentry efforts.
Johnson emphasized that reentry should begin as soon as a person steps foot in the criminal justice system. She stressed that employment, housing and education are paramount for people to have a successful return to society.
“Once someone has served their time, I believe they should be given the tools to come back and live happy and productive lives,” said Johnson. “Even when they are away, they are still citizens of Prince George’s County, and they should be welcomed back and given what they need to get back on their feet.”
