For Immediate Release –March 29, 2014
San Diego Anti-Prison Coalition Calls for California Decision-Makers to Act Immediately to Reduce the Prison Population and Cancel All Prison Expansion Plans
Contact: Diana Zuñiga, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, 213-864-8931
San Diego—On Saturday, March 29th in Otay a broad coalition of organizations representing housing, health care, faith, youth, women’s issues, criminal justice, and more will hold a rally at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility to call on California decision-makers to take immediate action to reduce prison overcrowding by expanding parole and sentencing reform measures, investing resources in social programs and services, and canceling all prison expansion plans.
CURB (Californians United for the Responsible Budget) joins local San Diego organizations to hold a press conference and rally at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility to demand Governor Brown and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) stop all plans to build a 792-bed prison for prisoners with disabilities and mental health needs next to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in Otay Mesa.
“The social impact of over-incarceration is extraordinarily destructive. Building more prison cells does nothing to solve our prison overcrowding crisis. We must reform our draconian drug sentencing laws and put funding and resources back into our communities. A majority of people behind bars are non-violent drug offenders who need transitional services, community-based treatment, housing, jobs and education so that they can successfully reintegrate back into society, where they belong.” Gretchen Burns Bergman, Co-Founder & Executive Director, A New PATH, (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing), and Lead Organizer, Moms United to End the War on Drugs.
The new expansion unit for people with disabilities next to Donovan Correctional Facility would cost $168.7 million, with an annual operating budget of $5.5 million.
San Diego is also building a women’s jail and the California Department of Corrections recently announced a proposal to open up a Family Foundation Program in the area.
RALLY AND PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS
When: Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 11:00am
Where: Donovan State Prison (480 Alta Road San Diego)
At the site close to the correctional facility, advocates will urge the Governor and the legislature to implement cost effective population reduction strategies and sensible alternatives to incarceration, rather than spending millions on additional, unnecessary beds. CURB along with advocates and community activists are also planning to take further future actions against prison plans.
Participating organizations include: A New PATH, All of Us or None – San Diego, California Families to Abolish Solitary Confinement, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, California Partnership, California Prison Focus, Community Hispanic Association, Courage Campaign, Critical Resistance, Committee Against Police Brutality, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, Committee Against Police Brutality, California Prison Moratorium Project, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, FACTS Education Fund,FairChance Project, Freedom Archives, Friends Committee on Legislation California, Grey Panthers of San Francisco, Invest in Education Not Incarceration Transform Education, ISIDORE, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, The Los Angeles Community Action Network, National Association of Social Workers – CA Chapter,National Lawyers Guild – SF Bay Chapter,People’s Power Assembly – United for Racial Justice, PICO California, Students Against Mass Incarceration – San Diego, Sin Barras – Santa Cruz, United Against Police Terror – San Diego, Western Center on Law & Poverty, and the Youth Justice Coalition along with hundreds of additional organizationsand individuals.
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