ACTION ALERT - Close California Prisons for Racial Justice
In California, 80% of people sentenced to life are people of color
Felony Murder Elimination Project asks our supporters and advocates to join the Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) coalition in opposing Governor Newsom's proposed cuts to essential social safety net programs in the 2024-25 May revised budget. These cuts jeopardize the well-being of Californians, especially our most vulnerable community members.
Despite the feasibility of more substantial savings, Governor Newsom has thus far refused to commit to additional state prison closures. Instead, Newsom’s budget failed to include $200 million of critical funding to maintain survivor support programs (Victims of Crime Act) and included significant cuts totaling $114.1 million that are nonsensically targeting crucial areas like visiting and reentry services. These programs are vital for maintaining community ties, supporting community members, and safely returning incarcerated people home to their loved ones.
Budgets are a reflection of our values and priorities. The persistent and principled work of the advocates at CURB show us that decarceration though budget advocacy is a very effective and practical strategy in accomplishing racial justice. California’s prisons are racist, toxic, and harmful. In California, 68% of people sentenced to Life Without Parole are Black or Latinx. 80% are people of color. California disproportionately cages more Black, Indigenous and People of Color than any state of the former Confederate South.
You can TAKE ACTION NOW by contacting members of the California Legislature and urge the state to prioritize smarter, cost-saving measures like closing five more state prisons. Together, we can protect vital programs and promote true public safety––#CloseCAPrisons and save over $1 billion annually!
STEP 1 --->>> Email your legislators today
STEP 2 --->>> Use this social media toolkit to share alternatives to prison on your pages
STEP 3 --->>> Share the whole toolkit with a friend
Imagine if we ended generational injustice by investing in ‘whole person care’ for marginalized communities. Isn’t that the true definition public health and safety?
Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) is a Black-led statewide coalition of more than 80 grassroots organizations. Their three-point mission is to reduce the number of incarcerated people in California; reduce the number of prison and jails in our state; and shift wasteful spending away from incarceration and toward healthy community investments.
