On Tuesday, November 18th the Federal three-judge panel began a month of hearings in San Francisco to deal with the continuing issue of prison overcrowding and the cruel and unusual conditions it creates for people imprisoned in California. We had an amazing rally on the first day of the trial with roughly 50 former prisoners, loved ones of prisoners, and our supporters demanding prisoner release and an end to the inhumane treatment of people inside.
This Friday December 19th will be the last day of these hearings and we want to make sure the voices of our loved ones inside are heard and let them know that the only solution to prison overcrowding is prisoner release!
The overwhelming defeat of Proposition 6 (he so-called “Safe Neighborhoods Act”) sent a strong message that the public does not want to spend millions of more dollars on a failed prison system. Proposition 9, billed as a victims rights initiative, passed but only due to a well-funded media campaign filled with misleading information. Unless we challenge it now, prisoners will be incarcerated well beyond their mandated sentences.
Join loved ones, friends and advocates for people in California’s prisons to demand:
PAROLE ELIGIBLE PRISONERS NOW!
RELEASE LOW-RISK AGING PRISONERS, INCARCERATED SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND MEDICALLY INCAPACITATED PRISONERS!
STOP THE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT OF PEOPLE IN PRISON!
INVEST IN COMMUNITIES NOT IN PRISONS!
For more information about the rally, contact us at 415-255-7036 x314 or info@womenprisoners.org
For more information about the hearings, see the following news articles:
San Francisco Chronicle-November 18th, 2008-Prison Overcrowding Blamed for Health Woes
New York Times-December 7, 2008-Judges to Decide Whether Crowded California Prisons Are Unconstitutional
San Francisco Chronicle-December 15th, 2008-Jammed By Neglect
Rally for Prisoner Releases Friday December 19th 8:30 AM
