CFJ's Mujahideen Muhammad Featured in the Burns Chair James Forman Jr series “Rolling Back New York’s Excessive Sentencing”

CfJ partner and founder of The Pillars of Promise, Mujahideen Muhammad, participated in a panel discussion “Rolling Back New York’s Excessive Sentencing” at CUNY Law

November 22, 2024
A classroom at CUNY law with students raising their hands and a panel of seven people at the front

The Center for Justice is proud to highlight Mujahideen Muhammad, an affiliate of the Center and founder of The Pillars of Promise, for his significant contributions to the panel discussion “Rolling Back New York’s Excessive Sentencing.” This event, part of the Burns Chair James Forman Jr. in Conversation series, took place on November 21, 2024, at the CUNY School of Law. The discussion focused on the urgent need for Second Chance Act legislation in New York, particularly its role in reevaluating excessive sentences and ensuring justice evolves with changing legal and societal standards.

Mujahideen joined a distinguished panel of experts, including:

  • Hon. Frederic Block, Senior Federal Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • Thomas Gant, Advocacy & Community Organizer, Center for Community Alternatives, Inc.
  • David Singleton, Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law
  • Jennifer Soble, Executive Director, Illinois Prison Project
  • Steve Zeidman, Professor & Co-Director, CUNY Law Defenders Clinic and Second Look Project NY
A group of panelists standing together for a picture

Moderated by Yale Law Professor James Forman Jr., the panel addressed inadequacies in the justice system that limit opportunities for reevaluating harsh and excessive sentences. Mujahideen emphasized that Second Chance legislation is a crucial tool to correct these injustices, allowing individuals to have their sentences reconsidered in light of their own rehabilitative process and modern standards. He highlighted how this legislation can help remedy the harm caused by excessive sentencing practices that fail to reflect contemporary understandings of fairness and rehabilitation.

The panel also explored key debates around the implementation of Second Chance legislation, including who should be eligible to petition for reevaluation and how various stakeholders—incarcerated individuals, prosecutors, and judges—can contribute to the process. Mujahideen advocated for an approach that balances accountability with the potential for transformation and restorative justice.

A Black man in a suit sitting in a chair with his hands together speaking to a crowd with two other Black men sitting on each side of him

The discussion also addressed some of the broader human impacts of the justice system. Mujahideen drew attention to the dehumanizing effects of many trials that lead to excessive sentences – often relying on testimony that reduces individuals to their worst actions while also confining victims to moments of extreme vulnerability. He argued for a justice system that acknowledges the complexity of human experiences and fosters pathways for healing and forgiveness not accessible through current paradigms.

Through his leadership with The Pillars of Promise, Mujahideen continues to advance legislative and systemic reforms that advocate for equity, healing, and empowerment. Please find the video of the panel in full here. To learn more about Mujahideen Muhammad and his endeavors, please visit The Pillars of Promise website.