Community News
Open dialogue among community members is an important part of successful advocacy. Take Action California believes that the more information and discussion we have about what's important to us, the more empowered we all are to make change.
On Saturday July 25, Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) will be hosting their Creating Healthy Alternatives Mobilizing Prop 47 (CHAMP 47) Felony Reduction Clinic under the guidelines of Proposition 47. Their campaign is seeking to reach the thousands of residents in San Bernardino County that have the qualifying felonies on their record; simple drug possession, petty theft under $950, shoplifting under $950, forging or writing a bad check under $950, and receipt of stolen property under $950.
What Prop 47 is seeking to accomplish is to change policies that contribute to discrimination, racial disparities in low-income communities and communities of color, and invest in our communities.
TFCF believes in the value of “treatment, not punishment is the solution.” While the United States has the greatest number of incarcerated people in the world (prisonpolicy.org), and California recently coming into compliance with the federal mandate to reduce its prison population, Prop 47 was a huge step forward in the journey towards ending mass incarceration.
While spreading community awareness about the event, Time for Change Foundation spoke to many individuals and families that needed the assistance provided through Prop 47. “We see the faces of those who need it and the numbers are staggering,” said Civic Engagement Specialist, Vanessa Perez. “We anticipate a huge turnout at this event and look forward to people getting closer to obtain employment, which is the number one struggle for people that have these felonies.”
Time for Change seeks to lower recidivism rates and provide families with the opportunity to move forward in life. Many people assume that having a record is something that only affects the individual, yet hardly ever is just one person affected. The effects of prop 47, when made available to those who need it, can change the lived experiences of entire families.
TFCF believes in the power of this initiative and have hope in the short term and long term effects that it can have in California and ultimately our nation.
The Free Felony reduction Clinic that is being held at the Way World Outreach Downtown Mission in San Bernardino, gives people the opportunity to meet with a lawyer and have their records changed for free. The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. They encourage everyone that is eligible to attend and spread the word.
By Abry Elmassian, Intern
Proposition 47 Community Forum
YOU’RE INVITED!
Prop 47 Community Forum: Progressives’ Role in Implementation
WHEN: Sunday JANUARY 25, 2015
1:00 – 5:30 pm
WHERE: Golden Gate University School of Law
536 Mission Street in San Francisco, Room 2201
(BART to Montgomery Street Station)
** 2.5 Hours MCLE credit for attorneys **
Panel discussions and breakout sessions, featuring: formerly incarcerated people, public defenders, legal service providers, advocates for prison abolition & civil rights
- What’s the most comprehensive implementation model for Proposition 47 outreach?
- Where do we go from here for large-scale criminal justice change?
- How do we work with or around people who oppose change in our post-47 world?
- How do we build the most inclusive movement we can for future success?
1pm-2pm “Outreach & Implementation Models.” SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi, Alameda Public Defender Brendon Woods, Meredith Desautels of Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, Eliza Hersh of East Bay Community Law Center, Milena Blake from Californians for Safety & Justice. Moderator Alex Berliner of All Of Us Or None.
2:15-3:30 ”Building An Inclusive Movement.” Lenore Anderson of Californians for Safety & Justice, Prof. Cynthia Chandler of Golden Gate University, Manuel La Fontaine of All Of Us Or None, Laura Magnani of American Friends Service Committee, Natasha Minsker of American Civil Liberties Union, Lynne Lyman of Drug Policy Alliance. Moderator Dorsey Nunn of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
3:45-4:45 BREAKOUT SESSION “Cultivating A Network Of Unlikely Allies,” with facilitator Gopal Dayaneni of Progressive Communicators Network.
3:45-4:45 BREAKOUT SESSION “Next Steps Towards Change,” with facilitator Harriette Davis of All Of Us Or None.
4:45-5:30 Wrap-up & light refreshments
Proposition 47: The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act of 2014 is an initiative for the November 2014 California ballot. Over the last 25 years there have been 1,000 changes made to the California penal code, many of those have made misdemeanor offenses become felonies. As a result, people of color have been highly impacted and continue reap the negative affects of mass incarceration in California. Annually, we spend $10 billion on the prison system with more than 130,000 people in prison at a yearly cost of $62,396.
Proposition 47 will permanently reduce incarceration and shift one $1 billion over the next five years alone to K-12 school programs and mental health and drug treatment. More specifically, Prop. 47 will:
- Reclassify six petty theft crimes including: petty theft , shoplifting, receipt of stolen property, writing a bad check, fraud, and drug possession (all under $950).
- Create retroactive sentencing to those currently incarcerated and not at risk to public safety and any Californian with prior felony convictions (listed above).
- Re-allocate funds that will support rehabilitation; 65% will be shifted into mental health and drug treatment; 25% will support K-12 school programs; and 10% will go to victim services.
Hundreds of thousands of Californians that have paid the time for their crimes will now be able to fix their records which will ultimately eliminate the barriers to employment, housing, student loans, and public assistance. Prop. 47 will save billions in tax payers dollars and reduce the rates of recidivism so that children will not continue in the cycles of incarceration.
For more information on The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act visit: http://www.safetyandschools.com/
