Stand with us to advocate for Invest in San Diego Families (ISDF) budget demands!
Our call to action:
We are asking the County of San Diego to invest $3 million to make the Restorative Community Conference program a county-wide resource for young people to avoid the revolving door of incarceration. We also support all ISDF coalition demands that emphasize:
- Smart Justice
- Transparency and Accountability
- Equal Rights for All San Diego Residents
- Good Jobs
- A True Social Safety Net
You can take 3 actions with us to create a county budget that prioritizes San Diego's working families
1. Click here to send a pre-drafted email in support of the ISDF demands to our San Diego County Board of Supervisors by Tuesday 8/25, 2:00 p.m.
2. Call your San Diego County Supervisor and advocate for ISDF demands by Tuesday 8/25, 2:00 p.m.
Supervisor Contacts
Cox District 1: Ph: 619-531-5115 | Email: [email protected]
Jacob District 2: Ph: 619-531-5522 | Email: [email protected]
Gaspar District 3: Ph: 619-531-5533 | Email: [email protected]
Fletcher District 4: Ph: 619-531-5544 | Email: [email protected]
Desmond District 5: Ph: 619-531-5555 | Email: [email protected]
You can use this script for your phone call:
"I am calling to express that I am very disappointed that the $3 million for Restorative Community Conferencing was not included in your change letter. Years of spending on racist policing and incarceration will not give low-income communities and communities of color the public safety they deserve.
RCC is a restorative justice practice that promotes personal accountability and repairing harm, in place of more punitive punishment, which has proven to ultimately leads to lower levels of recidivism and prison entry for youth.
We need to maintain and expand the Restorative Community Conference (RCC) to make the program available for all youth countywide by allocating just $3 million dollars to the proven diversion program. The funds for the pilot program end in March. As you make your final decisions and vote for the county budget, you should take time to rethink policing and public safety. We need leaders who will prioritize the youth!"
3. Submit your written e-comment or call in for the last county budget hearing on 8/25 at 2:00 p.m. to reject the proposed budget until it includes funding to keep youth out of the prison system
Submit written e-comments
- Fill out the form here by August 25, 2020, at 2:00 PM.
- Select agenda item 2.
- Select "oppose" because the current budget proposal does not include $3million for RCC.
- Ask for a $3 million investment in RCC. Use our sample message below to advocate for alternatives to youth incarceration.
Call in to give testimony for the last county budget hearing
-
Click here to make a phone call testimony by August 25, 2020, at 2:00 PM.
- Select agenda item 2.
- Select "oppose" because the current budget proposal does not include $3 million for RCC.
- Once the form has been submitted, there will be instructions for you to call in.
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Watch at: sandiegocob.com
- Mute the video when public comment begins.
- When it is your turn to speak, you have 1 minute to advocate for the $3 million expansion of RCC, using the talking points below.
Sample message for written e-comment or to call in
I stand with Mid-City CAN & Peace Promotion Momentum Team community members to advocate for alternatives to youth incarceration!
We are extremely disappointed that NONE of the Board of Supervisors included Restorative Community Conferencing in their change letter. We insist that the board allocate $3 million for RCC.
At the evening budget hearing, there were over 123 e-comments and 15 phone testimonies demanding that RCC get funding. With the current budget proposal, we feel that we are not being heard!
Why do police budgets consistently increase, while budgets for public services and resources are pushed aside? We demand that you divest from militant policing and invest in the health and well-being of our communities.
RCC has proven to lead to lower levels of recidivism and prison entry of youth, while allowing youth to remain in their communities, with their families, where they can learn, grow, thrive and become contributing members to their community. Yet, our message continues to fall on deaf ears.
The Sheriff’s budget is nearly $1 billion! Our $3 million ask is only a fraction of a percent. $3 million dollars is a small price to pay for a proven program that will keep young people out of jail in the long term.
It is long overdue for us to reevaluate our end-goal and re-imagine public safety. We need to divest money from harsh policing, move away from incarceration and invest those funds into redemptive alternatives like RCC.
The funds for the pilot program ends in March. As you make your final decisions and vote for the county budget, you should take time to rethink policing and public safety.
We remain opposed to this budget until funding for RCC is included! Our campaign will continue until community demands are a priority.
