The Emancipation Initiative is a group of community members and students in Massachusetts that engages the community and local residents in a legislative, participatory planning event.

The project derives from the growing concern of community members, community-based organizations, local government agencies, and families regarding long term and limitless prison sentences sanctioned through state legislature.

In effect, this communal grievance has fueled the initial inspiration for participants to develop a plan for addressing the problem and for identifying its key issues through the organization of such initiative.