Montgomery, AL, June 16, 2024 – Kenneth Shaun Traywick, also known as Swift Justice, is scheduled for a parole hearing on June 18th. Traywick has spent approximately six years in solitary confinement due to his activism efforts. His work shedding light on the systemic issues within the Alabama parole system and the broader criminal legal system has been published through local and national outlets.
He is the founder of the 501(c)(3) Unheard Voices of the Concrete Jungle and the Strategy Director of The Woods Foundation. Traywick’s attorney, Lauren Faraino, says, “When Shaun first told me about the work that he did, he said his number one goal is for the public to see people in prison as human beings. That’s a hard thing to do in the context of a parole hearing when you don’t even invite the person in the room when making a decision that could affect the next five years of their lives.”
The Alabama Parole Board has a record of denying parole to individuals convicted of violent and sexual crimes, contradicting Department of Justice guidance. DOJ data shows that those who have served extended sentences for violent crimes are less likely to reoffend than those incarcerated for drug-related offenses. Despite this, Alabama curiously has a higher rate of release for higher risk individuals. Its overall parole grant rate remains one of the lowest in the nation, dipping under 5% in recent months. The Alabama Parole Board’s practices contribute to the severe overcrowding in the state’s prisons, which are operating at 170% capacity.
Swift Justice remarked, “I did not want my family to speak or even appear at the hearing because of how families are so disrespected in this setting. They are asked to bear their souls and then are immediately rejected. The cruelty that unfolds in the boardroom is something that no one should have to be subjected to.”
Traywick, who has served 15 years for robbery and sodomy charges, has maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration. Traywick has not had a disciplinary infraction in years, and all past disciplines involving fighting were either forms of retaliation or situations where he was defending his life in Alabama’s most violent prison system.
Deegan Malone, a licensed professional counselor with 29 years of experience working in the field of sexual harm, evaluated Traywick pro bono. She found, “I did an evaluation of his social skills, what he’s been doing, what he has accomplished, what support factors he has, what preventative factors he has put in place, and he’s done an extraordinary job. He’s quite accomplished in 14 years. Where is your risk here? You’ve asked him to do all the stuff he can do. The one thing he hasn’t done is programming that is not available in Alabama’s prisons. If he can’t do what you think he needs to do in prison, then he will never be eligible for parole.”
In the United States, there have been significant numbers of exonerations for sex crimes. The Innocence Project reports that as of 2020, there have been 375 DNA exonerations nationwide, with a significant portion involving sexual assault cases. The National Registry of Exonerations indicates over 550 people have been exonerated for sexual assault-related convictions. These exonerations highlight systemic issues that have profound impacts, with exonerees spending an average of 14 years in prison before being cleared.
Attorney Lauren Faraino added, “Even if Shaun’s account of what happened is a lie and the alleged victim’s account is true, Alabama’s system has failed his victim and all other victims. People don’t get better in prisons; they fight daily for survival. There are no programs for those who have committed crimes of sexual harm. Who are we serving other than the politicians who benefit from fear-mongering rhetoric?”
Swift Justice concluded, “If the goal of the Board is to protect the public and to offer healing to victims, they are failing.”
Shaun’s parole hearing is a crucial test for the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. Granting parole to Shaun is not just about his freedom; it is a statement that acknowledges the humanity and potential of incarcerated individuals and supports the ongoing fight for justice and real solutions. And if the Board genuinely prioritizes public safety, it must rely on empirical evidence supporting the release of individuals like Shaun. His release will create space for those in need of treatment and ultimately contribute to a safer society.
Unheard Voices O.T.C.J. 