Since forming 6 years ago, Decarcerate Sacramento has supported the Sacramento community in a myriad of ways and this month they are mobilizing yet again to organize against a problematic $2 billion dollar jail expansion plan
by Radical-Guide on 2nd Feb 25 via thefreeonline at https://wp.me/pIJl9-FTY
With supporters of Mutual Aid General Fund of Sacramento coming together and sharing financial solidarity for local, grassroots mutual aid, we are grateful and proud to offer this month’s support to Decarcerate Sacramento.
Mutual Aid General Fund – Jan 2025 Recipient: Decarcerate Sacramento
Since forming 6 years ago, Decarcerate Sacramento has supported the Sacramento community in a myriad of ways and this month they are mobilizing yet again to organize against a problematic $2 billion dollar jail expansion plan that our community has repeatedly made clear is not wanted (more on that later).
Decarcerate Sac’s direct community support has come in many forms including:
- Created a groundbreaking jail hotline to be better able to support and organize alongside those inside the county jails including medical advocacy, free books, information sharing, legal research, and more.
- Hosted powerful community events including a vigil outside the downtown jail, honoring those who’ve died inside and centering their families and formerly incarcerated advocates.
- Sent over 3,000 letters to reach every person incarcerated in Sacramento County with words of encouragement and solidarity along with information on voting rights for people in jail, educational info on election topics, and their ongoing jail fight.
- Co-created a zine, “Inside Voices Breaking Out”, with individuals in Sacramento County jails and hosted a zine launch party and art show with live performances by previously incarcerated folks.
- clothing donations
- Hosted community education events including film screening of Care First California’s short film “Probation Pretrial is Mass Incarceration”
- Letter writing to incarcerated protestors for movements like Stop Cop City and Black Lives Matter
- Provides the community with education on our City and County budgets
In addition to direct support to community members, Decarcerate Sac also regularly organizes in support of our community at the city and county level regarding budgeting concerns and other key decisions made by Sacramento City Council and Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Since 2019 they have:
- Stopped the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC) jail expansion in 2019 and again in 2020.
- Halted the Main Jail expansion in 2021 and won an official pause in 2023 working with a collective of architects and organizations to generate a report on crucial errors in the proposed expansion plans.
- Pressured the county to create its first ever jail population reduction plan.
- Forced the Community Corrections Partnership to create its required community advisory board after 7 shameful years of vacancy..
- In partnership with the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network and the Community Care First Sacramento coalition, released the Sacramento County People Power for Public Health report in August of 2022. The report interviewed individuals who are unhoused, incarcerated, and/or on probation to create a set of policy and budget recommendations for Sacramento County.
This month, Decarcerate Sac is gathering the community to engage yet again with the County Board of Supervisors in their February 26th meeting as they review recommendations for the next stage of the $2 BILLION jail expansion project.
In the fall of 2023, Decarcerate Sac along with 17 other organizations, including architects, provided the Board of Supervisors with a report detailing the artificial arguments for the expansion and the many errors in the proposed plans.
“It is our hope that, supplied with this new information, you will recognize that it is not necessary to build a new jail facility to meet the requirements of the Mays Consent Decree. If your goal is to meet the Mays Consent Decree in the most fiscally responsible way, there are other, more efficient and effective ways to do so. We are more than happy to provide additional context and answer any questions you may have.”
If you are a Sacramento County resident, I encourage you to review the report and attend the meeting (or send a comment to the County Board of Supervisors by Feb 25th) to share with them your concerns.
We are eager to contribute our support to Decarcerate Sacramento — especially as the jail expansion fight ramps up again — in all of the ways that strengthen community resistance, amplify grassroots organizing, and challenge systems of harm.
The Free 