For most policy issues in the United States, change can be brought about in four ways: popular movement, Congress, legal challenge in the courts, and finally, by executive order.  While the popular movement in favor of prison reform is steadily growing, and the issue remains one of few being addressed in the bipartisan Congress, neither force has proven strong enough to demand meaningful change. Several recent court decisions have favored those incarcerated, but mostly on the state level.

The final vector for change is President Barack Obama, who could shape the future of prison reform in America by exercising the White House’s power to create commissions, bring change to the Justice Department, and engaging the American public in the discussion.

With Obama’s time in the White House coming to an end, will he make it a priority to end mass incarceration?

Read more at theatlantic.com