Many thanks to all who signed petitions for Frankie’s release!!
California Coalition for Women Prisoners challenges the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) and its destructive effects on our communities. All communities and all people suffer from the abusive nature of this system that punishes those deeply in need of healing. The PIC sustains itself by further entrenching racism and systemic racial discrimination to which all forms of discrimination are connected.
Over the last four months, we have petitioned Governor Schwarzenegger to uphold the rulings made by his own Board of Prison Hearings for the release of the following people all of whom have spent more than 15 years in California Women’s Prisons:
Rosie Sanchez – Released
Frankie Williams – Released
Romarilyn Baker – Reversed
Linda Rodriguez – Reversed
Molly Kilgore – Reversed
Patricia Joellen Johnson – Reversed
Cynthia Feagin – Reversed
Governor Schwarzenegger, in response to a political atmosphere of fear, has denied the freedom for five of these seven people whom his own parole board had deemed safe to return to their communities according to the very strict standard used to evaluate rehabilitation.
The Board finds only 8% of people suitable for parole. Some people are denied parole over ten times and spend double the number of years of their minimum sentence locked up. This costs the state $52,000 – over $135,000 per person/per year. Can we afford this consequence of a a system fueled by false fears, assumptions of guilt, racism and attitudes of vengefully retributive justice that pervade our culture?
These petitions (available on our website) represent one very small way we can let the governor know we are watching and oppose his casual disregard for human rights and the farce this state is making of justice through this unfair system of parole. This action is one step in the direction of addressing how deeply destructive the US system of Criminal Injustice truly is. Let’s take it together and build the momentum and solidarity of this movement. Let people inside know you care!
Thank you.
