Target: President Joe Biden
Goal: End mass incarceration in the United States.
The United States is the world’s leading jailer by far, imprisoning more than double the population percentage of nearly every other country in the world, besides Russia. Since the 1980s, the American prison population has skyrocketed thanks to racist policies and practices that target Black and brown POC. It is time to end mass incarceration.
These are just a few steps lawmakers can take to restore justice within American communities: First, they can pass sentencing reforms as many low-level, non-violent offenses should not merit prison time. It is also important for lawmakers to acknowledge and eliminate the racial bias in U.S. laws and sentencing guidelines. They must eliminate mandatory sentencing, strengthen the parole and probation system, and create more alternatives other than locking people up and throwing away the key.
It is time to properly fund rehabilitation and addiction programs, and end the costly and failed “War on Drugs.” Corporations shouldn’t profit off mass incarceration, and the for-profit prison system should be eliminated.
Mass incarceration is driven by racism, and it deepens racial disparities. It is completely ineffective at reducing crime or improving public safety. Ending mass incarceration starts here with us.
Sign the petition to reform America’s broken prison system and end mass incarceration.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Biden,
The United States is far and above the rest of the world when it comes to incarceration. The skyrocketing prison population stems from racist policies and practices that target POC. Racial disparities drive these issues, but it is important to focus on all the steps that can be taken to address the issue.
It is important to pass sentencing reforms for low-level nonviolent offenses, acknowledge and eliminate the racial bias in U.S laws and guidelines, eliminate mandatory sentencing, and create alternatives to the prison as a means of punishment. America also needs to fund rehabilitation and addiction programs, end the war on drugs, and eliminate the for-profit prison system.
America’s prison system is broken. Black and brown men are rotting in jail due to racist policies that originate in Jim Crow policies and slavery. Please, reform a broken system and bring justice to those affected by it.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Matthew Henry
Mr. President, prisons should be a place where serious crime offenders should be. Just because a person of color is seen should not be a “get him” signal to the police. I live in a small town with few black persons. This one man we know, retired & from a good family, not into drugs or crime is frequently stopped by the police without cause.
If he has to go thru that on a regular basis I can see how other people of color are automatically targeted by police who see an easy target.