Jay Z and Meek Mill help launch criminal justice reform organization

Reuters - Rappers Jay Z and Meek Mill have collaborated on a new criminal justice reform organization. The pair joined Kraft Group CEO & New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin and other entrepreneurs for the announcement of Reform Alliance in New York on Wednesday (January 23). The founding partners have committed $50 million (USD) collectively to the organization. The initial goals of the organization is to "highlight individual cases that embody the most egregious problems in the criminal justice system and discuss this unprecedented partnership that spans several industries." Rubin said the initial focus is going to be on the four and a half million people that are on probation and parole. "This is two-thirds of the population in the criminal justice system and yet it's been the area that's been the least focused on. And it's also what keeps sending people back to prison and jail," he said. Rubin hopes to free 1 million people from the system in the next five years. Meek Mill, whose legal name is Robert Williams, was sentenced in November 2018 to two-four years in state prison for probation violations stemming from his 2008 conviction. His case, which became a cause for recording artists, athletes and celebrities, was seen by criminal justice reform advocates as emblematic of a legal system they say treats minorities unjustly and hands out too harsh of punishments. The founders say with determination, capital funding and a platform they plan to make a big impact. CNN host and journalist, Van Jones, has been named CEO of the organization.