SOCIAL MEDIA GALLERY

friendsoutsidela

Assisting children and families, prisoners, and former prisoners with the immediate and long-term effects of incarceration

Voting Day is Tuesday, November 5th. If you have n

Voting Day is Tuesday, November 5th. If you have not registered, or if you are unsure about where to drop off your early ballot or your voting location, please visit: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections for more information.

There are roughly 78,000 people incarcerated in Ca

There are roughly 78,000 people incarcerated in California county jails and nearly 60% of them have not been convicted of a crime. This makes them eligible to participate in the election process. Most California jails don’t offer in-person voting, and voting by mail can be challenging. People might be registered at one address, but even if their mail is being forwarded to their jail, they get released or transferred elsewhere. If you, or anyone you know, is having trouble finding a way to vote, please visit: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections for more help.

California Senate Bill 690 would extend the statut

California Senate Bill 690 would extend the statute of limitations for prosecution from five years to seven years if approved. Currently, domestic violence is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years, or in a county jail for not more than one year, or a fine of up to $6,000, or by both fine and imprisonment.

Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposes a reduct

Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposes a reduction to Family Stabilization funding of $55 million in the current year and $71.2 million in 2024 25 and ongoing. Family Stabilization services have helped recipient families exit unsafe situations, secure stable housing, avoid Welfare to Work sanctions, and address barriers to work. In the absence of identifying alternative resources, eliminating the Family Stabilization program would likely limit the amount of support and types of services counties can provide to their highest need CalWORKs clients.

California Medical Facility (CMF) in Vacaville, ho

California Medical Facility (CMF) in Vacaville, hosted Prison Palooza 3.0, a unique event that brings together CDCR staff, community members, and the incarcerated population for a day of connection, music, and celebration.

This year’s event continues the legacy of promoting unity, inclusion, and rehabilitation, all within a positive and engaging atmosphere. Prison Palooza 3.0 highlights CDCR’s commitment to the CA Model, which focuses on improving prison conditions for incarcerated individuals and staff, fostering rehabilitation, easing reentry into society, and improving public safety.

By bridging the gap between staff and the incarcerated population, the event promotes the CA Model foundational pillars of “Dynamic Security” and “Normalization” – key components of reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety.

The California Supreme Court reinforced rules in a

The California Supreme Court reinforced rules in a new decision, stressing that child welfare agencies must investigate whether children have Native American ancestry before placing them in foster care. It’s a decision that could strengthen tribes’ hand in disputes over separating families by compelling social workers to go a step further before removing a child.

In California, over half of Native American youth in California’s foster care system end up in non-relative and non-Native households, a number that has remained relatively steady in the past decade, according to state data analyzed by researchers at UC Berkeley. Tribes have long argued they have a necessary stake in ensuring the wellbeing of Native youth, and that social workers must make good-faith attempts to inquire about ancestry.

Job Announcement - FOLA's SECTOR program helps jus

Job Announcement - FOLA's SECTOR program helps justice-involved individuals re-enter the workforce. This full-time (40 hrs/week) Job Specialist (Inglewood) provides employment services using a cohort model. (Services may be virtual due to COVID-19).

Ideal candidate: Passionate about serving justice-involved individuals, experienced in employment services for multi-barriered populations, and comfortable conducting workshops/groups.

Pay: $26.21/hr + benefits (health insurance, PTO).

Duties: Outreach, support participants, job search prep, workshops, job referrals, data collection & reporting, collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications: Lived experience with the criminal justice system, 2+ years' experience in employment services, workshops & data entry, strong communication & computer skills, Associate's degree (substance abuse/mental health a plus).

To Apply: Submit cover letter & resume to info@friendsoutsidela.org (Subject: Sector Career Coach). No phone inquiries.

FOLA: A 501(c)(3) welcoming applicants with criminal convictions. Background check required.

#jobannouncement #jobspecialist #inglewood #friendsoutsidela #SECTOR

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day to all in our comm

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day to all in our community who celebrate. Today we honor and celebrate the rich culture and traditions of Native Americans and all of the contributions they have made to our country.

Happy Rosh Hashanah to all our friends in the Jewi

Happy Rosh Hashanah to all our friends in the Jewish community. Friends Outside in Los Angeles County wishes everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year. May this Rosh Hashanah bring new beginnings, joy, and peace to you and your loved ones.

Ten years ago, voters approved Proposition 47, whi

Ten years ago, voters approved Proposition 47, which sought to reduce California’s prison overcrowding by making some theft and drug crimes into misdemeanors. Since then, prosecutors, police and big box retailers have blamed the law for an increase in property crimes and homelessness. Prop. 36 is their attempt to unwind Prop. 47.

During the pandemic, the rate of shoplifting and commercial burglaries skyrocketed, especially in Los Angeles, Alameda, San Mateo and Sacramento counties. Statewide, the Public Policy Institute of California found that reported shoplifting of merchandise worth up to $950 soared 28% over the past five years. That’s the highest observed level since 2000.

Combining shoplifting with commercial burglaries, the institute’s researchers found that total reported thefts were 18% higher than in 2019.

California Assembly Bill 2178 aims to cap the numb

California Assembly Bill 2178 aims to cap the number of empty beds in CA prisons to 11,300. The prison system has cut down on its population over the last decade under federal court orders. The result is that the prison system now has too many empty beds, at least 13,000 in January. By 2028, the prison system is anticipated to have 19,000 empty beds, about one-fifth of the system’s total capacity.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to close four prisons, a reduction that his administration says will save about $3.4 billion by 2027. A recent report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office says the system can afford to close five more, which would save an additional $1 billion a year.

The lawsuit, led by UC Berkeley’s Criminal Law &

The lawsuit, led by UC Berkeley’s Criminal Law & Justice Center and Edelson PC, seeks retroactive payments for people who were denied their gate money and an end to the department’s withholding of allowances.

The lawsuit describes the release funds as a “critical lifeline” and “small but vital aid.” According to a 2008 report by the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, the first 72 hours after someone is released from prison are paramount to the success of their long-term reentry.

A group of advocates for formerly incarcerated people wrote in a March 8 letter to lawmakers, “This practice has created economic harm and disadvantages among newly released individuals, leaving returning citizens significantly more vulnerable and highly susceptible to homelessness and recidivism due to unmet needs.”

SB 804 would allow community service officers to t

SB 804 would allow community service officers to testify at preliminary hearings where authorities present evidence to a judge who decides whether to move ahead with a full felony trial.

The Redding Police Department brought the issue to the attention of the region’s senator, Republican Brian Dahle, arguing that as police budgets shrink, community services officers should be allowed to testify to free up sworn officers for other duties.

ACLU California Action, criminal defense attorneys, including the California Public Defenders Association, and social justice groups opposed the legislation. They argue that the changes could lead to shoddy testimony being admitted into legal proceedings where a suspect’s freedom is on the line.

A new report examining how Latinos interact with t

A new report examining how Latinos interact with the criminal justice system found police and jails rarely track their racial and ethnic data, complicating how researchers track potential disparities.

An estimated 1.2 million people are incarcerated in the nation’s state and federal prisons today, and close to 550,000 are in jail, but there's little research into how Latinos fit into this picture, according to the report, published by the University of California, Irvine, School of Social Ecology.

Author Nancy Rodriguez says she hopes the study will be the first of many to look at how Latinos interact with the criminal justice system because having accurate data will lead to reforms and more racial equity.

Senate Bill 94, by State Senator Dave Cortese, wou

Senate Bill 94, by State Senator Dave Cortese, would have allowed certain people serving life without parole (LWOP) an opportunity to petition to have their sentences changed.

The new petition would have only been available for people serving LWOP for a crime committed before June 5, 1990, and served at least 25 years in custody.

SB 94 would have allowed an individual to petition the court for their sentencing to be reexamined. For a sentence to be changed, it would have needed approval from a judge, the State Parole board and the governor.

The proposed amendments blocked in the Assembly Thursday would have narrowed the scope of eligible individuals. It would also have changed the number of petition attempts allowed from three to one per individual.

People convicted of killing three or more people or convicted of killing a law enforcement official would not have been eligible to petition under SB 94.

The project to transform San Quentin Prison into a

The project to transform San Quentin Prison into a modern, cutting edge Rehabilitation Center is officially under way.

The construction project is part of a systemwide change referred to as the California Model: Making Safer Communities, Inside and Out. The initiative’s goal is creating safer communities and a better life for all Californians, by breaking cycles of crime for the incarcerated population, while improving workplace conditions for institution staff.

The California Model is a holistic initiative designed to improve the well-being of those who live and work at state prisons by leveraging international, data-backed best practices.

California advocates are pushing for the passage o

California advocates are pushing for the passage of Assembly Bill 2740.

The proposed legislation would codify that prison officials connect pregnant people with social workers within a week of entering prison custody or being identified as pregnant. Additionally, the bill requires prison staff to expedite the visitation process so that incarcerated mothers can have overnight visits with their newborns as soon as possible. It would also require an incarcerated mother to be permitted to breastfeed their newborn and pump breast milk to be stored and provided to the child once they’re separated.

The California Prison Industry Authority’s new E

The California Prison Industry Authority’s new Entry to Employment program shifts focus from what has been decades of investment in securing inmates hands-on job training behind bars and now emphasizes the importance of helping them transition into the workplace after they are released.

E2E works with inmates in its program to apply for jobs using a secure online network while they are still behind bars about six months before they get out.

They also are taught interview skills, how to create their resume, how to use new technologies that have changed since many were first incarcerated, and how to set up secure email accounts.

The goal is that participants will walk out of prison and right into the workplace.

Back to the Start produces powerful narratives und

Back to the Start produces powerful narratives underscoring the need for critical investments in early childhood and family resources. The new narrative series is written by incarcerated persons reflecting on the arc of their lives from childhood to incarceration. This initiative is grounded in the power of stories and provides a historically missing viewpoint to help build empathy and a shared understanding of the legacy of our nation’s systemic and racial inequities starting at birth.

A federal judge says California’s prisons are fa

A federal judge says California’s prisons are failing to provide blind and deaf inmates with the equipment and assistance they need to participate in parole hearings that could lead to their release.

The judge ordered the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to prepare a plan within 60 days to make video recordings and transcripts of parole hearings available to deaf and hard-of-hearing incarcerees, as well as English translators for those who need them.
to issue procedures that will enable blind and visually impaired inmates to read and write parole-related documents. The plan must include access to audio output, magnifiers and other visual aids, Braille touch reading and education on use of those facilities.

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