Support alternatives to incarceration - sign onto Seattle I-100

[eridani]

Initiative 100 in Seattle will instruct the city to fully explore collaboration with King County, examine upstream human services alternatives to incarceration, study the effects of disproportional incarceration on low-income communities of color, and put the question of a new municipal jail to Seattle voters for a vote this fall.

Thursday morning, we come-together at Town Hall to celebrate the launch of Initiative 100, and pledge our support to put I-100 on the ballot for public vote this November.

Join us for:
Musical performances by Laura "Piece" Kelley
Keynote address by Floris Mikkelson, Director of The Defenders Association
Reverend Le Roi Brashears, President of "The Committee for Efficiency and Fairness in Public Safety"
Lisa Fitzhugh, Founder and former Executive Director of Arts Corps
Timothy Harris, Executive Director of Real Change.

Where: Town Hall, Downstairs (8th Ave. & Seneca St. - entrance on Seneca St.)
When: Thursday, Feb. 19th - 7:30-9:00 AM (Light breakfast provided)
Hosted by The Committee for Efficiency and Fairness in Public Safety

86 days… 23,000 Seattle voters… 100 organizations

Does Seattle need a new jail?
Posing this question to the City will yield one response: their hands are tied. In a few years the County will no longer accept Seattle's misdemeanants, and misdemeanant charges such as driving under the influence and domestic abuse carry mandatory jail time. No one likes locking people up, but we will need a place to put these offenders.

However, this line of argument ignores the root causes of incarceration and two important aspects that have not been properly addressed.

First, the number of Seattle citizens in County incarceration facilities for felony drug charges is growing. 22% of people in King County Jail right now are there for drug-related charges. Reducing this number through enhancing alternatives such as Clean Dreams and CURB would leave more County beds open for Seattle's misdemeanants.

Secondly, the direct connection between under-funded social and human services and incarceration rates is not addressed. It was staggering to hear the City announce the building of a $220 million jail in the same 10 days as the School Superintendent announced closing 5 schools. Where do we want to put our money? Into positive investments like schools that will enrich our community, or into furthering a system of structural race and class discrimination?

Jails are not the answer - put Democracy and Justice into action!

For more information visit nonewjail.org
Or contact [e-mail]/ 206.441.3247 X206