Press

Yesterday, Governor Newsom signed into law a budget which includes significant funding for rehabilitative programming inside California prisons, reentry services for returning citizens, survivors and victims of crimes, and age-appropriate care for system-involved youth. Most notably, the state will fully fund the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC)’s transformative Hope and Redemption Team (HART), in which ARC Life Coaches who served life sentences go back into CDCR institutions to provide parole board preparation, rehabilitative programming, and reentry support to those still in confinement. The funding will allow the Hope and Redemption programming to operate in 31 prisons.

Washington, DC – Congressmembers Bruce Westerman (R- AR), Karen Bass (D- CA), and Tony Cárdenas (D- CA) have introduced a bipartisan package of legislation supported by research and brain science with a clear message: Children are different from adults and must be treated differently in the criminal justice system. The members will appear in a press conference today at 3pm ET alongside those directly impacted to discuss the legislation -- register for the press conference here, and look for an email confirmation with log-in credentials. 

SACRAMENTO, CA –  Governor Gavin Newsom signed several criminal justice bills into law yesterday. Most notably, the bills the Governor signed will protect youth in police custody (SB 203) and pair oversight and accountability with the closure of the Department of Juvenile Justice (SB 823).  “We applaud Governor Newsom for signing a suite of bills that enacts further positive change to our criminal justice system,” said Sam Lewis, Executive Director of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC). “By recognizing the unique vulnerability of children and by choosing to close DJJ the right way,  our California leadership continues to uphold the humanity of those who have experienced or are experiencing incarceration.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (August 27, 2020) -- Today, as COVID-19 spreads through prisons and jails, philanthropies and nonprofits joined the State of California and Governor Gavin Newsom to announce “Returning Home Well”,  a new public-private partnership that provides essential services -- like housing, health care, treatment, transportation, direct assistance, and employment support -- for Californians returning home from prison after July 1, 2020. These are individuals that have either met their natural release date or are being released on an expedited timeline due to COVID-19. The State announced an initial commitment of $15 million, which will be matched by philanthropic contributions for a total goal of $30 million. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Vicky Waters November 29, 2017 (916) [...]