Demand Action: Make Probation Reform a Priority in 2025

Over the past few years, Delaware has taken important strides forward on criminal justice reform, but there is still a major driver of incarceration harming thousands of Delawareans every day: our broken probation system.

Delaware’s probation system is driving incarceration rates, and not by new crimes, but minor probation violations. Instead of probation focusing on the rehabilitation and support of returning citizens, it works more like a revolving prison door for those caught in a broken system. Delaware has the second highest incarceration rate in the northeast corridor (behind Pennsylvania), with incarceration rates higher than Connecticut, Maryland, New York, DC, and most other states on the east coast.

Delaware’s current one-size-fits-all probation model costs the state millions of dollars by creating a system that punishes people for technical violations like missing an appointment or failing a drug test. Assigning the same 13 conditions to each person on probation makes it needlessly difficult to successfully complete probation, and does little to increase public safety.

Join us in calling for systemic change by signing the petition to urge state legislators to make probation reform the next focus of Delaware’s criminal justice reform efforts in 2025. Our state leaders must take action to stop the endless incarceration cycle fed by our current probation policies.

Every person sent back to prison represents a failure of our justice system—a life delayed because of a system focused on punishment rather than rehabilitation. With your help, we can work toward a probation system that will lift people up and provide them the support they need to thrive.