The greatest crime of all in a civilized society is an unjust conviction. It is truly a scandal that reflects unfavorably on all participants in the criminal justice system. — The New York Appellate Division, First Department, People v. Ramos, 1994. Sketch of a seated man (c. 1901 - 1907) by Franz Kafka There’s a dark story unfolding in the state of Maine. Many Mainers know something about it, but few appreciate its full extent. Lots of people in our state have heard of Denni

On June 28, it will have been 58 years since the police raids and subsequent uprising at the Stonewall Inn gave birth to the modern LGBT rights movement.

On May 6th, Maine lost one of her best when former Gerald Talbot passed away at the age of 94.

Memorial Day is a time to remember the people who gave their lives in service to this country. It is a solemn holiday, and one that asks more of us than a simple statement of thanks.

In this reflection, Father Michael Seavey, a retired Catholic priest from Portland, Maine, considers how faith can help us respond to today’s political and moral divisions. He writes about the danger of “the cruelty of moral indignation” and offers “the blessing of a moral imagination” as a more humane and faithful path forward. The Fight Between Carnival and Lent (1559) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder Aldous Huxley was an acclaimed British philosopher and writer in the twentieth

We wanted to share this episode of the Rundlett & Baldacci Report, where Derry and Rob sit down with trial lawyer John Nale, who is representing Dennis Dechaine. Nale discusses the effort to reopen the case using new DNA technology and lays out the evidence that points to Dechaine’s innocence after more than 30 years in prison. Cases like this are especially difficult to revisit in Maine, where only two felony convictions have been overturned in the state’s 206-year history.

This past weekend, the Inthrive Film Festival came through Maine, and it was an incredibly powerful few days. Society Impact was proud to participate in and support the festival, and to be part of bringing these stories and conversations into the community. We started Friday at Maine State Prison in Warren, where we were able to watch a number of moving films and spend meaningful time with the men inside. Society Impact associate Gordon Perry played a key role in organizing t

This Friday and Saturday, Inthrive Film Festival is coming to Maine! Inthrive is a traveling event that showcases films created by or centered on people who have experienced incarceration, paired with conversations that bring filmmakers, advocates, and community members together. Society Impact is proud to be working alongside the organizers to help bring this powerful festival to the region and support the important stories it elevates. As part of the program, we’ll also be

We originally published the piece below several years ago, at a moment when concern about the Supreme Court’s politicization was becoming harder to ignore. It focused on a part of the Court’s power that receives far less attention than its final rulings: its ability to decide which cases it hears, and when.

About ten years ago, we collaborated with the Skidmore College Project on Restorative Justice to put on a forum on criminal justice reform and the role of faith communities in the Bethesda Episcopal Church in Saratoga Springs, New York. . It brought people together to talk about what a more humane system could look like and what responsibility communities have in making that real. There was a focus on restorative justice and the barriers people face after incarceration, but

Today is Good Friday, a day that not only followers of Jesus, but people of all faiths and beliefs, can join in solidarity in recognition of the one common denominator that unites us all: pain.

They say love is easy when everything is going right. But Shymel and I… we learned what love really is when everything wasn’t. There are days when the weight of our reality tries to convince me that something is wrong with us—like love isn’t supposed to feel this hard. But then I remind myself… every couple faces challenges. Ours just looks different. It doesn’t mean our love is broken. If anything, it proves just how strong it is. We’ve had moments where frustration could’ve

In the 1990s, growing up as a young Black boy in New York often meant learning survival before you ever learned freedom.

There was a time when I almost gave up. My faith in God was becoming attenuated. I was losing myself, mentally and physically.

Prison visitation is supposed to preserve family bonds. That’s the official narrative.

People often say marriage is about love, loyalty, and standing beside the person you choose for life. But when your husband is behind prison walls, marriage becomes something different. It becomes endurance. It becomes sacrifice. It becomes a quiet kind of strength most people will never understand.

Please consider signing this petition to bring Shymel home.

“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” Zechariah 9:12 As we navigate this season of reflection and renewal, we want to share with everyone an open letter from our associate Gordon, who is currently serving a sentence at the Maine State Prison in Warren. Writing on behalf of his fellow residents, Gordon reaches out directly to the diverse faith communities in and around the Portland, Maine area. His messa

Last month, Maine lost one of its fiercest and most compassionate public servants.