Public writer. Abolitionist. Fond of warm tea, equality, and basic human decency. AK Prison Project Dir. @ACLUofAlaska. Opinions are my own. She/her
Anchorage, AK
Joined October 2010
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Thank you @rep_gray, @RepVance, Rep. Mina, Rep. Kopp, Rep. Eischied, Rep. Costello, and Rep. Underwood for holding such a meaningful hearing regarding deaths in custody and deaths caused by care in custody. Thank you for working together to solve these chronic problems.
When inmates are transferred to the hospital, they are often discharged from AK DOC custody. If they die, they may not be recorded as a "death in custody." When we talk about a record number of "deaths in custody," we are not talking about folks who die at the hospital. #akleg
Megan T. Edge retweeted
Our hearts go out to the families of Mr. Farmer and Mr. Fenumiai who have gone through tragedy because of DOC's failure to keep people in its custody safe and alive.
Take action here: bit.ly/3IY4NOt adn.com/alaska-news/crime-co…
I write this update with grief in my heart. No sooner did we share this, did we learn of yet another death in custody. Reginald Eugene Childers, Jr., 42, died at ACC while awaiting trial. #akleg must take action. They cannot wait any longer to help their constituents.
Yesterday, the ACLU of Alaska with Highlands Law Firm, filed a lawsuit against the Alaska Department of Corrections for its role in the death of Lewis Jordan Jr., who died of bacterial meningitis while incarcerated in 2023.
Read our full statement here: bit.ly/3XvUZCV
Megan T. Edge retweeted
Yesterday, the ACLU of Alaska with Highlands Law Firm, filed a lawsuit against the Alaska Department of Corrections for its role in the death of Lewis Jordan Jr., who died of bacterial meningitis while incarcerated in 2023.
Read our full statement here: bit.ly/3XvUZCV
Look #akleg -- everyone is doing it. "Historically high deaths, contraband infiltration and costly litigation cited as issues that could be addressed by independent review panel, prison ombudsman" missouriindependent.com/2025…
Committees like this will save lives & will create a more efficient system. DOC’s budget has been raised by about 30% since the mid-2010s. We should be asking why. Our prisons aren’t safer and neither are our communities. #akleg
seattletimes.com/opinion/edi…
Committees like this will save lives & will create a more efficient system. DOC’s budget has been raised by about 30% since the mid-2010s. We should be asking why. Our prisons aren’t safer and neither are our communities. #akleg
seattletimes.com/opinion/edi…
Megan T. Edge retweeted
A reminder ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration: No, having 34 felony convictions does not stop him from being president.
But felony convictions DO prohibit 19 million people in the US from earning a living in more ordinary roles, like firefighting or pest control work.
ALT Infographic outlining jobs that people with felony convictions are barred from
Megan T. Edge retweeted
Self-serving politicians may want you to believe that violent crime is rampant and repeat offenders are to blame – but two things to remember:
1. Overall crime rates are at historically low levels
2. 74% of all jail bookings are for charges that are not "violent"
ALT Graphs titled: US crime rates continue to fall, and actually hit a 60-year low in 2023
ALT Graph titled: The most serious charge for most people who are booked into jail is related to drugs, property, or public order – not violence
Megan T. Edge retweeted
Mass incarceration *is* an economic justice issue.
It's no coincidence that the poorest & most vulnerable communities are also the most policed: prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/0…
ALT Graph titled: Economic inequality has grown in lockstep with mass incarceration
Thanks for having me @rep_gray!
Megan Edge is the Prison Project Director at @ACLUofAlaska . In 2017, she left the news business to work in Gov. Bill Walker’s Dept. of Corrections. Her eyes were opened to the problems in Alaska’s prison system. Listen to @Megtedge: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… #akleg #alaskahistory
Megan T. Edge retweeted
🚨BIG WIN: People on probation or parole, out on bail, or living in a halfway house will now be eligible for Medicare benefits
This will significantly improve healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of people across the US
prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/1…
Megan T. Edge retweeted
My office has calls in to the Administration trying to get more information about when this will be fixed. No timetable yet
Megan T. Edge retweeted
The state computer system has been down for weeks and state employees can’t retire and get benefits. Now the system is down and state employees can’t re-enroll for health care benefits
Megan T. Edge retweeted
Hey @RepVance - your silence is deafening.
Police in Homer are investigating after someone shot into a building belonging to a local reproductive health care clinic. adn.com/alaska-news/crime-co…
Megan T. Edge retweeted
It’s time for the Alaska Board of Parole’s annual public meeting. Join us in person or on Zoom on November 5th from 11am-12pm at the Robert B Atwood Building (550 W 7th Ave Suite 102, Anchorage) to hear from the Board and ask questions. aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublic…
🧵Why haven't police released his name? All of East Anchorage knows. If this man died in a South Anchorage neighborhood, we'd all know his name. There'd be newspaper headlines about his life & death. But since there's not, I'll tell you about Denaris.
anchoragepolice.com/news/sho…
Denaris and I became friends after a night out in Anchorage. A creepy, aggressive, drunk man was harassing me while I waited for my Uber, so Denaris waited with me. After that, I’d look forward to seeing what food he was cooking, and his charismatic, bright smile.
People across this city our mourning his death. I miss the light he brought to this dark city, already. Say his name @adndotcom. Where's his headline @adndotcom @alaskapublic?