Orden Ejecutiva remueve fondos para traducciones en diferentes idiomas
El pasado primero de marzo, el Presidente de los EE.UU. Donald J. Trump, firmó una orden ejecutiva en donde oficializa el Inglés como el “idioma oficial”, orden que afecta a miles de personas, familiares de encarcelados y no encarcelados quienes no leen, escriben o hablan dicho idioma. Trump, a través de su mandato da a las agencias … [Read More...]
Nuevos proyectos de reformas para el sistema encarcelado en el estado de Pennsylvania
Pensilvania aprueba leyes para reformar el sistema de libertad condicional y permite a los tribunales sellar más antecedentes penales. Según la Prensa Asociada. De acuerdo a la publicación, en Pensilvania se puede ocultar más antecedentes penales de la vista del público y menos personas podrían permanecer en libertad condicional o en cárceles … [Read More...]
Palm Springs approves $27 million reparations package for Black, Latino families
Palm Springs, Calif., officials have approved a $27 million reparations package for Black and Latino families displaced in the 1960s. The agreement addressed the leveling of a predominately Black and Latino neighborhoods, known as Section 14, in order to make way for more commercial development in the city. According to the Oakland Post, … [Read More...]
Apelando por la libertad en corte ― Prop. 57
La Audiencias de Libertad Condicional (BPH por sus siglas en inglés) dio una actualización de la demanda en contra de la Proporción 57. De acuerdo al informe, la Fundación Legal de Justicia Criminal mantiene una demanda desde diciembre del 2023 en contra del Departamento de Corrección y Rehabilitación de California. Esto … [Read More...]
Transgender community reacts to executive order
Dismay and concern over changes to transgender rights impacts incarcerated persons’ mental state Hours after taking the oath of office, newly-elected President Trump signed an executive order declaring the that the United States government will only recognize two biological sexes, according to the L.A. Times. The executive order … [Read More...]
Signed and vetoed bills impact incarcerated effective 2025
The following list are of bills signed or vetoed by the Governor of California and could have an impact on the SQ community. Here is what was signed or vetoed in September 2024: Signed bills: AB 1186 (Bonta) – Effective January 1, 2025, this bill will alleviate youth restitution fines older than 10 years. The bill also prevents the state … [Read More...]
Organization fights to repeal Three Strikes Law
The public may have lost interest in the efforts to repeal California’s controversial three strikes law, but the 30,000 second-strikers and the 7,000 third-strikers have not. In 2022, activists who are strongly opposed to the law ran into significant road blocks that stopped their efforts altogether. “We couldn’t get on the ballot,” said … [Read More...]
Second Look movement reassesses lengthy sentences
The phenomenon of mass incarceration changed criminal justice in important ways, particularly with sentencing policies. Ever younger defendants, treated as adults, received sentences that amounted to life. For many non-homicide crimes, courts handed out sentences longer than for homicide crimes. A report on “The Second Look Movement: A Review … [Read More...]
Act funds legal representation as a human right
6th Amendment of U. S. Constitution ensures criminal defendant's right to counsel The Criminal Justice Act provides funding for a person defending themselves in a federal case to safeguard the retention of legal representation. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution ensures a federal criminal defendant’s right to defense counsel, … [Read More...]
Proposition 6 furthers slavery in prison, SQ residents say
In 2023, the California Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 3089, which would act as California’s official apology for chattel slavery. AB 3089 provided that the State of California recognizes and accepts responsibility for all the harms and atrocities committed by the state and entities under its jurisdiction that facilitated and enforced the … [Read More...]
Passing of Prop 36 set to reboot mass incarceration
During the final inning at the 2024 ballot box, criminal justice reform took three strikes with the defeat of reform-minded prosecutors, the defeat of Proposition 6 to remove involuntary servitude, and the passing of Proposition 36 to hyper-criminalize retail theft into the felony zone. Sarah Staudt of the Prison Policy Institute titled a … [Read More...]
Maryland Governor pardons 175,000 individuals convicted of misdemeanor drug charges
An executive state official signs into law sweeping reforms, based on minor drug offenses. Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore passed an executive order pardoning over 175,000 individuals convicted of misdemeanor marijuana charges. This is the most extensive state-level pardon in the Nation, according to the Associated Press. Shiloh Jordan lost his … [Read More...]
Policy creates easier access to Medicaid, housing, and education upon reentry
Policy is being developed to help with the incarcerated people who are re-entering society. As the crime rates skyrocket lawmakers sign state legislation to allow easier access to housing, Medicaid, education and economic opportunities for reentry, according to the Charlotte Post. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order … [Read More...]
Executive order clears homeless encampments but raise concerns
The Supreme Court ruling for City of Grants v. Johnson, which targets houseless people, will have a direct impact on some being paroled from prisons along with others who have limited resources to sleep in a home. On July 25th, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order urging local officials to quickly identify and clear out dangerous … [Read More...]
Lifers await possible appeal of Proposition 57
Lifers found suitable for parole now must overcome another hurdle for release. If they had their parole board dates advanced based on Proposition 57 credit earnings, they must wait — possibly for as long as two years or perhaps even longer — for a ruling from the Court of Appeals on the validity of their earned credits. In a lawsuit dating … [Read More...]
Court rule on gang enhancements says re-sentencing not a right
The California Supreme Court has overturned an appellate court’s ruling effectively stripping incarcerated persons of the right to use a recently enacted state law to challenge gang-related sentencing enhancements. Assembly Bill 333, better known as California’s STEP Forward Act, became law in 2022, requiring street gang enhancements to be … [Read More...]
Incarcerated explore top 10 myths about mass incarceration
Per the latest count, America had about 6,500 jails and prisons but only about 4,500 colleges and universities. The report “Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2024” by the Prison Policy Initiative aimed to put the numbers into perspective. According to the “Big Picture” section on mass incarceration, the criminal legal system collected “a lot of … [Read More...]
‘Tough on crime’ is making a comeback, weakening criminal justice reforms
Lawmakers across the United States are retreating on criminal justice reforms, moving back toward a “tough on crime,” according to an article in USA Today. These rollbacks range from repealing voter approved drug decriminalization laws to lessening parole and early release opportunities. Politicians from Louisiana, Oregon, California, and … [Read More...]
SB 731 Ayuda a unos residentes de CRSQ reintegrarse
Cientos de personas liberadas de CRSQ cada año tienen algo en común con millones de personas encarceladas en los EE.UU. — enfrentan limitaciones incontables en la sociedad aun después de cumplir sus condenas. Al obtener su libertad física, los antecedentes penales les imponen barreras para reintegrarse como ciudadanos, de acuerdo al News … [Read More...]
Incarcerated pay increases lead to job cuts and financial losses
Across the state of California, a long-awaited pay increase for incarcerated workers took effect April 16. Although first seen as a step in the right direction, for 25% of San Quentin’s workers the pay increase ultimately amounted to an overall pay decrease, or release from their job assignment. “I can barely buy a case of soups. It is … [Read More...]
Proposition 47 faces political pushback after ten years of enactment
Legislation approved by California voters to reduce jail time for low-level crimes, faces of political roll back. Proposition 47 was passes by in 2014. Ten years later there political support is surging to eliminate the law. Republicans have criticized the law from its beginning, and have repeatedly attempted to overturn it. They insist … [Read More...]