New Clinic Partners with Benevolence Farm to Reform Criminal Justice

UNC School of Law’s newest clinical program is breaking new ground in criminal justice reform through an innovative partnership with Benevolence Farm, a transitional employment and housing program for formerly incarcerated women. 

The Criminalized Survivor, Detention, and Justice Clinic, led by Reef C. Ivey II Distinguished Professor of Law Deborah M. Weissman, addresses a critical gap in the criminal justice system. The rate of women’s incarceration has increased even as overall incarceration rates have declined, Weissman explains, noting that the criminal legal system has historically been designed around men’s experiences. 

During a transformative visit to Benevolence Farm this fall, students shared breakfast with residents and listened to their stories. For many women, it was the first time they had processed their circumstances in such depth. Some shared clear narratives of how domestic violence led to their involvement with the criminal legal system, while others struggled to articulate their experiences through years of trauma. 

“Domestic violence has largely been seen as the progressive realm of prosecution,” says 2L Katrina Smith. “What we’ve been learning is just how much that same legal system is actually hurting the very victims that are supposed to have their cases heard through prosecution—they themselves are being charged with crimes.” 

The clinic’s work spans multiple fronts to address these layered challenges. Students are supporting post-conviction relief efforts for women with strong cases, evaluating new cases, and drafting proposed legislative changes. They’re also examining how reentry services fail to address women’s specific needs, particularly around traumatic brain injury—a common but overlooked consequence of domestic violence. Only recently has attention been paid to traumatic brain injury in women, even though it’s a frequent result of domestic abuse, Weissman notes. 

For 2L Erin Namovicz, working directly with survivors has transformed her understanding of advocacy. “No matter how much technical expertise I may gain, I am not qualified to speak for people about the challenges that they understand intimately,” she reflects. “I can use my skills and connections to help spread their message, but the message and recommendations must come from them.” 

One powerful voice in this conversation is Mona Evans, a Benevolence Farm resident who spent four and a half years navigating three North Carolina prisons and county jail. Evans is co-authoring an article for the North Carolina Law Review with Professor Weissman and sociologist Professor Marsha Weissman (Syracuse University), drawing on her firsthand knowledge of prison operations and reentry barriers. “My goal was to share my story with the world but most importantly with formerly incarcerated individuals like myself, to show them that even during the face of adversity they can be successful in their transitions,” says Evans, who is also completing a memoir set for publication in late April. 

“It’s been a recurring theme: reentry is not one-size-fits-all,” Namovicz concludes. “There is what might feel like an overwhelming amount of need in this area, but you still need to slow down, ask survivors what they need, and craft individualized strategies.”