The Demands
We demand respect; positive opportunities; and a future beyond life behind bars!
1. Reduce LA’s reliance on lock-ups with a mandate to reduce detention and incarceration rates by 75% by 2010 (for all facilities in LA county – juvenile halls, jails, probation camps, ranches and secure placements, CYA/DJJ and state prisons). As part of this effort, work with the state to offer counties financial incentives for reducing the length of stay in juvenile halls, expanding use of alternatives and addressing disproportionate confinement of youth of color
2. Enforce the human and civil rights of immigrants. Block any expansion of police powers to inquire about a person’s immigration status. Reject any policies that limit immigrant access to public education, financial aid and other public resources. People – including youth – are regularly deported to countries where they face being killed at the hands of mercenaries and government death squads. Youth are often returned to countries where they have no history, no family, no home and no employment. End the deportation of all youth, including youth with convictions, and reunite youth with their families.
3. Challenge LA County and the State of California to end the “WAR on GANGS.” A War on Gangs is a War on Youth.
To protect and support the positive development of all youth, rather than sweeping all youth into a police net, push law enforcement’s gang suppression efforts to focus on the 5-10% of gang members claimed by law enforcement to be the serious offenders.
Guarantee that people cannot be added to the Cal Gang (State Department of Justice) or local gang database(s) without receiving official notification and having the right to an appeal process.
Ensure that Probationers and Parolees who complete their Probation or Parole are removed from the database(s).
Ensure that people on gang database(s) who are not convicted of a gang-related crime or a violent felony within 18 months, are removed from the database(s).
Exempt all community-based organizations, church programs and public transportation from gang injunctions so people named in an injunction can still access essential services such as job training, counseling, etc. Stop violating people (on Gang Injunctions, Probation and/or Parole) for living or being in contact with family members who are gang members unless they are committing a crime together.
Push for the appointment of an LA County Peace Process Coordinator to develop and recommend a comprehensive gang violence prevention plan for communities that suffer from gang violence. As part of this effort, establish a Countywide Peace Council composed of people working to promote gang truces and other gang violence prevention projects, either on the streets or within the prison and jail system. Because so much conflict happens statewide, similar councils should be established in other impacted counties and peace efforts should be coordinated.
4. Support people to return from lock-up to communities.
In order to connect people in the system and their families to resources for employment, career training, education, health, housing, drug treatment, legal services, etc., establish mobile family resource centers staffed by a social worker, youth advocate and parent advocate outside every court and lock-up; as well as a mobile youth outreach truck that can travel to schools, parks and other locations where youth hang out. Resource teams should also be at the scene anytime a young person is a witness, victim or alleged perpetrator of violence in order to prevent future victimization and/or system involvement.
Ensure that parents – including parents under the age of 18 – remain in close and constant contact with their children during their incarceration and support them to reunite with their children upon release. Establish programs for parenting education and legal advocacy in order to re-establish legal guardianship whenever possible. Do not punish prisoners further by crippling them with back child support that was built up during their time in lock-up.
Children and youth of detained and incarcerated parents/siblings must have regular, physical contact with their family members, and should face no discrimination or dehumanizing treatment during visiting or in their community by law enforcement, school or other officials due to their family’s incarceration.
