Gen Z Demands Criminal Justice & Supervision Reform from Candidates, New Poll Reveals Strong Bipartisan Support

Two Weeks Out from Election Day, Jay-Z & Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance Release Gen Z Polling and Launch Future Shapers Network of Gen Z Leaders and Orgs to Bolster Policy Changes Nationwide

NEW YORK , Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 2024 election just two weeks away, a new poll commissioned by Jay-Z and Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance reveals that criminal justice reform is a decisive issue for Gen Z voters. 

64% of the 1000 respondents (18-28 years old), including 75% of whom were registered or likely voters, would be more likely to support a presidential candidate who advocates for modernizing the criminal justice system, including probation and parole reforms. 59% say they would be more likely to cast a vote for President if candidates offered more ideas on this issue.

To capitalize on this momentum and push for further policy changes, REFORM is also announcing the launch of the Future Shapers Network, aimed at mobilizing Gen Z voices in battleground states and nationwide.

Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse voting bloc in history, with 40 million Gen Z voters expected to head to the polls in 2024—many for the first time. The data, collected by The Bullfinch Group, delivers a clear message: reform the system or risk losing the Gen Z vote.

"Our votes will go to the leaders who take real action. As Gen Z emerges as a powerful political force, we're seizing this opportunity to drive lasting reforms," said Rondo Bonilla, Gen Z Organizer at REFORM Alliance. "The Future Shapers Network is our platform to translate our generation's passion into policy change that modernizes probation and parole systems and builds toward a justice system that rebuilds lives and reduces crime. "

Other Key Poll Findings: Gen Z's Electoral Priorities

• 90% of Gen Z respondents say public safety is important to them.
• 72% of Gen Z respondents say it's important that their elected officials support criminal justice reform.
• 71% support policies aimed at reducing technical violations and modernizing probation and parole to reduce crime.
• 68% agree that reforms to probation and parole, including reducing technical violations and providing more rehabilitation services, would help reduce crime.
• 62% support reforms like the federal Safer Supervision Act, which aims to focus supervision resources on high-risk individuals while reducing supervision for lower-risk individuals.

"This is a generational ultimatum," said Jessica Jackson, Chief Executive Officer at REFORM Alliance. "Gen Z is eager to hear more from candidates about their solutions to this issue, up and down the ballot. As the most diverse generation, they're looking for leaders who speak directly to their values and lived experiences."

REFORM Alliance, in conjunction with The Bullfinch Group, conducted a nationwide online survey fielded Oct. 7-11, 2024, among 1,000 adults ages 18-28, of whom 747 were registered voters. Sampling controls were used to ensure that a proportional and representative number of respondents were interviewed from demographic groups such as age, gender, political affiliation, race, and geographic region. The margin of error for registered voters is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence interval. View the entirety of the poll here.

Future Shapers Network: Mobilizing the Youth Vote

The Future Shapers Network will target key battleground states where REFORM Alliance has engaged in policy change efforts including Pennsylvania, Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Georgia, where Gen Z voters can influence critical races, hold elected officials accountable, and champion the passage of federal supervision reform legislation like the Safer Supervision Act.

"Gen Z is tired of politicians' outdated, overly-carceral approach to public safety," said Aidan Kohn-Murphy, Founder of Gen Z for Change and a member of REFORM's Future Shapers Network. "We're demanding real solutions from our elected leaders, not empty, tough-on-crime rhetoric. The momentum for change is undeniable, and through the Future Shapers Network, we're turning that energy into action. It's time for candidates to understand that if they want our vote, they need to deliver on the issues that matter most to us, starting with taking on unjust and ineffective probation and parole policies."

By uniting young leaders and organizations who provide critical services and advocacy to young people, the Network will push for smart-on-crime policies that modernize probation, parole and supervision systems.  Over the coming year, the Network will engage in a dynamic series of community forums, digital campaigns, and high-impact campus activations to energize young voters and advocates.

Last year, REFORM Co-chair and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin partnered with Kim Kardashian to host a dinner to inspire young content creators to learn about and inform their audiences on the injustice in our criminal justice and supervision systems. That event spurred REFORM's Future Shapers Advisory Council, a cohort of some of the nation's leading Gen Z leaders and influencers building a movement for reform. The Future Shapers Network is the next iteration of REFORM's efforts to engage young people in the fight to transform probation and parole systems.

About REFORM Alliance
REFORM is committed to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture. Our goal is to replace America's punitive criminal justice system with a restorative approach that is fair, accountable, and invested in rehabilitation, making families and communities safer and stronger. REFORM Alliance has passed 18 bipartisan bills in 11 states, creating pathways for more than 850,000 people to exit the system.

SOURCE REFORM Alliance