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Public commenters press Reentry Council on transparency and meaningful engagement
Summary
Multiple public commenters and advocates urged the council to expand meaningful engagement with people most impacted by reentry, enable real‑time Q&A and chat access during meetings, and publish transparent selection criteria for council seats.
During public comment, Kehlani and Izzy (community advocates) told the council they want deeper, more meaningful participation from families and justice‑impacted people, not only limited chat access and 15 minutes of public comment at the end of long meetings.
Kehlani said public participation feels controlled and limited: "Public asset access is not the same as public voice," she said, and asked what exact policy recommendations the council is producing for people inside institutions. Izzy raised concerns about transparency in the process used to select incarcerated council members and other seats, noting rumors and asking for a clear public explanation of selection criteria and who reviewed applications.
Council leadership acknowledged the concerns, apologized for any technical difficulties with the Q&A, and committed to (a) compiling the written questions submitted in the meeting, (b) answering outstanding Q&A items publicly, and (c) discussing options to increase public comment time and Q&A opportunities at future meetings. Staff said they will circulate slide decks and written answers and bring the selection‑process questions to the September meeting for public response.
