Donald Perry is the Founder and Director of Project: Operation Change, a state-wide campaign to change the antiquated policies and abusive practices of the Massachusetts Parole System. He gives an insider’s view in hopes of raising awareness about the system’s many pitfalls. In 1983, Donald was wrongfully sentenced to a 2nd degree life sentence for armed robbery and served 18 years and 7 months in the Massachusetts Department of Correction. He was paroled in 2001 and his journey on parole was documented by film producer Joe Berlinger, in an 8-part justice documentary called “The System” (Donald is featured in Episode #5 “Parole and High Stakes”). On March 29, 2017 a petition was finally heard in Hampden County Superior Court and 34 ½ years later, Donald’s 2nd degree life sentence was vacated.
Today, Donald Perry is “off paper” and committed to being an effective change agent in the movement for criminal justice reform. He holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and is the 2016 recipient of the Criminal Justice Policy Coalition’s Peg Erlanger Award for his work toward criminal justice reform.
Mail that includes checks only:
JUSTLEADERSHIPUSA, INC
P.O. Box 23681
New York, NY 10087-3681
All other mail:
P.O. Box 1730, New York, NY 10037
347.454.2195
© 2024 JustLeadershipUSA. All Rights Reserved.
JustLeadershipUSA is a non-partisan organization. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the individual author or speaker, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.
Since 2014, JustLeadershipUSA has maintained our commitment to ensuring systems-impacted voices are at the forefront of the movement for criminal legal reform, empowering directly impacted leaders in over 45 states with the tools, resources, and connections to transform their work.
Your donation will provide crucial support for our leadership training programs, empowering future generations of leaders and propelling the work of JLUSA and our alumni as we continue to advocate and push reform on issues that matter the most in our communities.
In just 10 years, JLUSA and our network of leaders have worked to dismantle decades of harm caused by the criminal legal system.