4. JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
CORE PROMISE: I will fight for real accountability, transparent use of public authority, and community-centered solutions that protect civil rights, prevent harm, and rebuild trust in the institutions meant to serve the public.
I will fight for real accountability, transparent use of authority, and community-centered solutions that prevent harm and rebuild trust between the public and the institutions meant to serve them.
Across the United States, our justice system struggles under the weight of racial disparities, inconsistent standards, political interference, and public mistrust. The system treats people differently depending on race, income, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, reproductive status, and ZIP code — violating the basic promise of equal justice under the law.
Police accountability varies wildly between jurisdictions. Use-of-force incidents go unreported or uninvestigated. Civil-rights abuses are under-prosecuted. Hate crimes rise while federal enforcement lags. Sentencing disparities persist, disproportionately harming Black and Brown communities.
LGBTQIA+ Americans are especially vulnerable to these failures. They experience higher rates of harassment, assault, and hate-motivated violence, yet hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ people are among the least likely to be fully investigated or prosecuted. Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals face disproportionate profiling, mistreatment during police encounters, and incarceration in facilities that do not match their identity, placing them at increased risk of violence and abuse. When protections depend on state or local discretion, equal justice becomes optional — and too often, it is denied.
Disability discrimination remains widespread across policing, incarceration, education, healthcare, and employment systems. People experiencing mental health crises are frequently met with force instead of care, and accountability is rare when encounters escalate unnecessarily.
At the same time, reproductive rights have been stripped of federal protection, allowing government intrusion into deeply personal medical decisions. Women and people capable of becoming pregnant now face criminal penalties, delayed emergency care, and legal uncertainty simply for seeking healthcare. This erosion of bodily autonomy undermines trust in public institutions and places healthcare providers in impossible legal positions.
Federal funding to law enforcement comes with little transparency or accountability. Departments can receive millions without demonstrating constitutional policing, civil-rights compliance, or meaningful community engagement. Meanwhile, many communities — especially in Prince George’s County — report feeling over-policed for revenue through automated enforcement systems, while being under-protected when serious crimes occur.
HOW I’LL WORK TO FIX IT:
Tie federal law-enforcement funding to real accountability and transparent reporting — no transparency, no blank checks
Establish national baseline standards for use-of-force, training, and misconduct tracking so civil rights to do not depend on zip code.
Require uniform tracking and investigation of hate crimes, including crimes targeting LGBTQIA+ people with clear federal enforcement benchmarks.
Invest in evidence based proven violence-prevention and youth programs alongside smart, targeted policing focused on early intervention, mentorship and community trust.
Reduce court backlogs and reform sentencing to ensure fairness, consistency, and public safety, not punishment for punishment’s sake.
Strengthen federal civil-rights enforcement, including faster investigations, meaningful penalties for violations, and stronger whistleblower protections.
Curb predatory “revenue policing” incentives, including automated camera enforcement, by using federal grant conditions to ensure enforcement is about safety, not profit.
Expand victim services, crisis response teams, and mental-health intervention partnerships, so people in crisis are met with care, not force.
MD-05 FOCUS POINT:
I will fight to expand federal support for youth programs & community-based violence prevention, especially in neighborhoods that have been over-policed and under-resourced.
I will strive to rebuild trust between law enforcement through fair enforcement, transparency and accountability, not fear or revenue driven tactics.
JOIN THE FIGHT.
Your contribution helps Terry Jackson fight for integrity, fairness, and opportunity in Congress. Every dollar supports grassroots outreach, community events, and keeping government accountable to the people. Every movement for change begins with people who refuse to stand by.