#1in3

#1in3 Campaign

We’re excited to launch our #1in3 campaign to raise awareness of how common it is to have a criminal record.

About the Campaign
1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record, which is a lot more common than people think. No one expects to be involved in the justice system, but it can happen to anyone. This campaign is intended to raise awareness of how common it is to have a criminal record and reduce the stigma associated with it. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders, and income-levels are involved in the justice system. Their pathways vary, but the barriers of a record affect them all. Our hope is that by sharing their portraits and telling their stories, we can change the way people think about people with records and appreciate them for all they have overcome.

Click on the portraits below to read their stories. Illustrations by Yifan Luo.

Brian

“Everyone has value, regardless of what they’ve done. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to change.” In the wake of the devastating loss of his twin brother, Brian turned to substance and alcohol use to cope with the grief and loneliness. Over time, this addiction began to cause his life to unwind and cycle in and out of incarceration.

Coss

Coss is a proud parent of two kids, a fifteen year old and a baby. But he’s also an entrepreneur. As an obese 24 year old serving a prison sentence, Coss found fitness, and upon release started his own business providing boot camp style workouts run by formerly incarcerated people.

Portia

Like so many other people who find themselves caught up in the justice system, Portia never thought she would end up having a criminal record. She was married, a mother, and had her own successful wedding photography business. And then her life spiraled.

Anthony

After Anthony’s father was killed by a drunk driver, his mother struggled to deal with the grief. She was alone, trying to raise two young children and found herself using alcohol and drugs to deal with her pain. Anthony’s family moved around so much, that by the time he was in fourth grade, he had attended 13 different schools.

Sheba

Too often, the justice system impacts not just individuals, but generations of families. That is how life started for Sheba. Sheba's parents were arrested when she was a little girl, and Sheba picked up her own criminal record after being wrongfully convicted in 2004.

Amy

Amy’s path to the justice system started with a routine foot surgery. 12 surgeries later, she was addicted to opioids, which led to a heroin addiction. Amy lost everything and has had to rebuild her life from homelessness. Today, Amy is coming up on 5 years of sobriety, is a 4.0 student at the University of Utah and the Director of Client Services for Rasa.