Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC)

Our executive director Sam Lewis is speaking at the Together We Thrive Summit, hosted by Los Angeles County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department on October 17, 2024! We’ll be diving into critical discussions on justice reform in Los Angeles. It’s FREE and open to the public. Register at togetherwethrivela.com #TogetherWeThrive #JCODSummit2024

Thank you Bernadette Butler and our incredible partners at Impact Justice for this vision and the opportunity to help inspire our currently community members.

Our Executive Director, Sam Lewis, recently gave a speech, announcing his resignation from the LA County Probation Oversight Commission. This announcement came after two years serving on the commission, struggling to find solutions for our youth. After this meeting, we began to hear rumors about Sam’s ‘public outburst’. That he had ‘yelled’ and acted ‘unprofessional.’ In the spirit of transparency, here is the video of Sam’s speech. Not only does it dispel these rumors, it demonstrates Sam’s passion for the work and his commitment to uplifting our Credible Messengers, helping our youth and protecting our communities. Thank you to all who have shown your support and we look forward to continue to work alongside you, towards solutions.

California's Prop 6 is a historic step toward ending modern-day slavery in our prison system. By removing the forced labor exception, we can give incarcerated individuals real opportunities for rehabilitation and restore their dignity. https://lnkd.in/g7_2Ass8

Dont' just take it from us. The LA Times Endorsed a NO vote on Prop 36. "Proposition 36 is a wrong turn. Voters saw through an earlier rollback attempt four years ago and would be wise to say “no” again." https://lnkd.in/eYZp6Prb

Check out the newest episode of our podcast, Sincerely with Sam Lewis, hosted by our CEO, Sam Lewis. In today’s episode, he speaks to Tinisch Hollins from Californians for Safety and Justice, Mike Males from CJCJ, and ARC staff, David Barclay and Isabella Suleiman about the most contentious and consequential measure on the California ballot…PROP 36! Together, they discuss how real public safety comes from investing in crime prevention and rehabilitation, not from spending more on prisons, as Prop 36 intends to do. They also dive into the new study of California crime statistics, “Stop Lying About California”, authored by Mike Males, which proves crime rates are near historic lows despite the false narratives telling us otherwise. Listen to the full episode wherever you stream podcasts and remember to VOTE NO ON PROP 36! #AntiRecidivismCoalition #NoOnProp36 #StopPrisonScam #SincerelyWithSamLewis https://lnkd.in/gsAuTJRf

Join us for The Sentencing Project's third Marc Mauer Racial Justice Award event on September 24th, where Sam Lewis and Shaka Senghor will be honored as champions of justice reform. This virtual event will be a celebration and a thought-provoking discussion on ending extreme sentences and eliminating racial injustice to achieve true community safety. https://lnkd.in/gNiHjZHS

This week, we held a power rally in support of Proposition 6, bringing together a diverse group of elected representatives, labor leaders, and formerly incarcerated individuals. The event underscored the critical need to end forced labor in California’s prisons and highlighted why this issue resonates with all Californians. Dominique Davis, an ARC member, shared a poignant testimony: “Fearful of write-ups and disciplinary actions that would extend my time, I accepted the assignment although it did not fit my rehabilitation needs.” This statement captured the profound impact of forced labor on the lives of those within the prison system, emphasizing the need for reform. The press conference featured key supporters including Yvonne Wheeler, President of the LA County Labor Federation; Brian Rice, President of the California Professional Firefighters; Senator Steven Bradford; Senator María Elena Durazo; Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuervas; Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer; Assemblymember Tina McKinnor; and several formerly incarcerated ambassadors. Their collective voices reinforced the importance of Prop 6, which aims to end the exploitative practice of forced labor by removing the exception clause in California’s Constitution. For more details on the press conference, read the Laist article here: https://lnkd.in/gBnKPyWJ

Don't miss the relaunch of “Sincerely, with Sam Lewis,” the podcast hosted by ARC's Executive Director, Sam Lewis, next Wednesday, September 11, at 11 AM, LIVE on all ARC social platforms. In the first episode of the new season, Sam will delve into why voters should reject Prop 36—a dangerous ballot measure that threatens to undo the progress made by Prop 47. Prop 36 poses a major setback to safety and treatment, cutting funding from essential crime prevention, drug treatment, victim services, and education programs. Sam will be joined by an expert lineup: Mike Males, Senior Research Fellow at The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) David Barclay, ARC Life Coach Isabella Suleiman, ARC Policy Fellow Join us live on YouTube, X, and Instagram next Wednesday at 11 AM! #SincerelySam #NoOn36

California Assembly Bill 2740, authored by Assemblymember Waldron, has successfully passed the state legislature and is now awaiting approval from Governor Newsom. AB 2740 provides comprehensive prenatal and postnatal care for pregnant individuals in prison. The bill also directs prison officials to connect pregnant individuals with social workers within a week and ensures expedited visitation for overnight stays with newborns. Tyrique Shipp, a Policy Fellow with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, highlighted the importance of the bill, stating, “A prison cell is no place for somebody who is pregnant or somebody after pregnancy—it’s not safe, it’s not clean. Our goal is to ensure we can create a safe environment for these women.” For more on AB 2740 and the challenges faced by pregnant individuals in prison, read the Bolts Magazine’s in-depth profile of the bill: https://lnkd.in/gBcynRG9