Venture:
Root & Rebound
Founder:
Katherine Katcher ’07CC
Industry:
Criminal justice reform and legal services
Venture Type:
Nonprofit
What is the social or environmental issue being addressed?
One in three people in America have a criminal record, and encounter 48,000 legal barriers as a result of their record. These barriers affect all areas of life including access to employment, stable housing, small business loans, medical benefits, Social Security, family reunification, and higher education.
Innovation:
Root & Rebound is dedicated to restoring full citizenship to every justice-involved person in America by dismantling the two-tiered system of justice. Their mission is to democratize the law by transferring power from the policy and legal communities to the people most impacted by the criminal justice system through public education, direct legal services, and policy advocacy. They bring legal advocacy to scale to people who need legal access the most.
Read More:
- From Behind Bars to… the Streets? Bay Area Residents with Records Struggle to Find Housing
Mercury News
June 21, 2019 - As Inmates, They Fight California’s Fires. As Ex-Convicts, Their Firefighting Prospects Wilt
The New York Times
November 15, 2018 - Katherine Katcher on Criminal Fees
KQED Newscast
May 21, 2018 - Prisoners who Risk their Lives During Calif. Wildfires Shouldn't be Shut Out of Profession
USA Today
November 3, 2017 - Preventing Ex-Convicts from Working is Silly
KQED Newscast
October 26, 2017