Roundtable: Abolition and Perspectives from Decarcerators and Jail Downsizers in Alameda County

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

There is a strong movement in Alameda County, CA to reduce the number of people incarcerated in county jail. Many policies and mechanisms can influence the jail population count, including police practices; prosecutor, defense, and court behavior; availability and content of diversion and other pretrial and re-entry programs; access to appropriate community mental health and other treatment alternatives; and extent of upstream living conditions such as employment or other income opportunities and affordable housing with or without supportive services. Roundtable participants represent a variety of backgrounds and work perspectives and pursue a range of strategies to limit – or abolish – the county’s reliance on incarceration. This session is designed for panel members to describe and assess their strategies and to encourage input from audience members about models proven useful in other localities.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Chairs

• Richard Speiglman, Interfaith Coalition for Justice in our Jails

• Ami E. Stearns, Coastal Carolina University

Discussants

• Brian Bloom, Alameda County Mental Health Advisory Board and Deputy Public Defender

• Gavin O’Neill, Collaborative Courts, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda

• Katie Dixon, CA Coalition for Women Prisoners

• Tash Nguyen, Restore Oakland Inc.

• Wendy Still, Alameda County Reimagine Adult Justice

• Marina Bell, University College Cork

Organized by a Division or external group?

"Abolition Working Group"