2.5 22-0715 Subject: Reimagine Alameda County's Youth Justice System
From: Vice Mayor Kaplan, President Bas And Councilmember Fife
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Supporting The Creation Of A Countywide, Collaborative, Community-Based Planning Process To Reimagine Alameda County's Approach To Youth Justice As Proposed By The Free Our Kids (FOK) Coalition And The County's Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) Realignment Subcommittee Created Pursuant To California Senate Bill 823
My name is Anna Wong. I live in Oakland and am writing in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution and the Free Our Kids proposal for a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system. We need to bring together directly impacted youth and families along with system stakeholders and community experts to reimagine a health-based, care-first approach to caring for our youth. Alameda County spends between $500,000 and $800,000 annually to incarcerate each young person. We can better use that money – it’s time to stop investing in a system of punishment and harm and start investing in our youth. Please do the smart and right thing and support this resolution.
My name is Chris James, I work at the W. Haywood Burns Institute, I LIVE IN OAKLAND, and I strongly support the creation of a countywide community based process to reimagine Alameda County's approach to youth justice. We know the youth in the Alameda County system are disproportionately from Oakland, disproportionately black and brown, and that no one feels safer as a result of this over-incarceration. Support the community in developing the right solutions to the issues, responding to the needs our youth have, investing in them, building their capacities and skill sets, and holding youth accountable in non-punitive, supportive, and rehabilitative ways that allow them to learn, grow, and develop into the pillars of the community we know they can be with the right tools. Thank you.
My name is Dr. Frankie Free Ramos, I work at CURYJ and I am a member of the Free Our Kids Coalition. I am writing in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution and the Free Our Kids proposal for a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system. We need to set a table that brings together directly impacted youth and families along with system stakeholders and community experts to reimagine a health-based, care-first approach to caring for our youth.
The City of Oakland has an important role to play in the reimagination process- nearly half of all youth who are entrenched in the justice system in Alameda County are from Oakland. Right now, Alameda County spends between $500,000 and $800,000 annually to incarcerate each young person. We can better use that money – it’s time to stop investing in a system of punishment and harm and start investing in our youth. Research affirms the dangerous effects of incarceration on young people; and community-based alternatives and interventions across the United States and in the Bay Area have demonstrated significant potential as alternatives to the punishment-based system. We need to move away from a punitive system and towards one that centers community strengths, resources, and needs.
My name is Louise Anderson, I am an Oakland resident and a Commissioner on the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission. I urge the City Council to support the Free Our Kids proposal for Reimagining Youth Justice in Alameda County and to move forward with a reimagination table that incorporates their proposal. This is a community led proposal based on input from impacted young people. The City of Oakland has a role to play in this process since almost half of youth in the Alameda County system are from Oakland. I urge you you to support this resolution.
My name is Dieudonné , I represent Urban Peace Movement , and I live in West Oakland. I am formerly incarcerated and want to express my support for Free Our Kids proposal to reimagine youth justice in Alameda County.
The time is now to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system! We need to set a table that brings together directly impacted families along with county stakeholders and community experts to reimagine the entire system.
To create lasting change, we need a comprehensive process to REIMAGINE ALAMEDA COUNTY’S APPROACH TO YOUTH JUSTICE as outlined in the proposal by Free Our Kids.
We need a youth justice system that centers on the care and well-being of youth by providing community-based alternatives to incarceration that will allow young people to rehabilitate and transform. I have been home 10 years now and it’s important to note that our young people and their families need healing and repair, not to be cast away and dehumanized. It’s important that we adopt new practices and culture that centers the well being of our youth.
I want to thank Oakland city council for your support for the resolution as we know that the current system disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth in particular Black and Brown youth from Oakland. Creating a reimagination table is a step towards racial justice in Alameda County.
I write in unwavering support of this resolution and the effort to reimagine the way Alameda County responds to young people. As we well know, the current juvenile legal system works to ensnare young people, especially young people of color, and inhibits their ability to thrive as members of their communities. We need to move away from a punitive system and towards one that centers community strengths, resources, and needs. This resolution and the reimagination table it calls for are crucial steps for living up to the ideal of justice for youth.
As we create and reimagine a system that actually takes care of and support our youth, especially our black youth. Who we know make up the population of these youth facilities. I urge you all to support and vote aye as we take a moment to pave the way for our young folks to thrive. Without a community led approach and without your support we are disappointing our youth. We need the City to stand with us and actually be apart of the solution to save these babies from any further harm that is caused by incarceration. We need a care approach and more preventative measures in order to keep our youth safe and cared for.
I write in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution to support a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s juvenile legal system. Alameda County has opportunity to transition away from a deeply flawed, punishment-based system that disproportionately entrenches and locks up young people of color. We can reimagine and rebuild a new vision of youth justice and community safety that is health-focused, care-first and honors our youths' potential and humanity.
The City of Oakland has an important role to play in the reimagination process and dismantling institutional racism. Nearly half of all youth referred to Alameda County’s youth justice system come from Oakland, and 99% of youth from Oakland who are under probation supervision in Alameda County are youth of color.
For these reasons and more, I urge your aye vote on the resolution and your support of the important work that lies ahead.
My name is Anna Wong. I live in Oakland and am writing in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution and the Free Our Kids proposal for a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system. We need to bring together directly impacted youth and families along with system stakeholders and community experts to reimagine a health-based, care-first approach to caring for our youth. Alameda County spends between $500,000 and $800,000 annually to incarcerate each young person. We can better use that money – it’s time to stop investing in a system of punishment and harm and start investing in our youth. Please do the smart and right thing and support this resolution.
My name is Chris James, I work at the W. Haywood Burns Institute, I LIVE IN OAKLAND, and I strongly support the creation of a countywide community based process to reimagine Alameda County's approach to youth justice. We know the youth in the Alameda County system are disproportionately from Oakland, disproportionately black and brown, and that no one feels safer as a result of this over-incarceration. Support the community in developing the right solutions to the issues, responding to the needs our youth have, investing in them, building their capacities and skill sets, and holding youth accountable in non-punitive, supportive, and rehabilitative ways that allow them to learn, grow, and develop into the pillars of the community we know they can be with the right tools. Thank you.
My name is Dr. Frankie Free Ramos, I work at CURYJ and I am a member of the Free Our Kids Coalition. I am writing in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution and the Free Our Kids proposal for a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system. We need to set a table that brings together directly impacted youth and families along with system stakeholders and community experts to reimagine a health-based, care-first approach to caring for our youth.
The City of Oakland has an important role to play in the reimagination process- nearly half of all youth who are entrenched in the justice system in Alameda County are from Oakland. Right now, Alameda County spends between $500,000 and $800,000 annually to incarcerate each young person. We can better use that money – it’s time to stop investing in a system of punishment and harm and start investing in our youth. Research affirms the dangerous effects of incarceration on young people; and community-based alternatives and interventions across the United States and in the Bay Area have demonstrated significant potential as alternatives to the punishment-based system. We need to move away from a punitive system and towards one that centers community strengths, resources, and needs.
I urge your support of the resolution.
My name is Louise Anderson, I am an Oakland resident and a Commissioner on the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission. I urge the City Council to support the Free Our Kids proposal for Reimagining Youth Justice in Alameda County and to move forward with a reimagination table that incorporates their proposal. This is a community led proposal based on input from impacted young people. The City of Oakland has a role to play in this process since almost half of youth in the Alameda County system are from Oakland. I urge you you to support this resolution.
My name is Dieudonné , I represent Urban Peace Movement , and I live in West Oakland. I am formerly incarcerated and want to express my support for Free Our Kids proposal to reimagine youth justice in Alameda County.
The time is now to reimagine Alameda County’s youth justice system! We need to set a table that brings together directly impacted families along with county stakeholders and community experts to reimagine the entire system.
To create lasting change, we need a comprehensive process to REIMAGINE ALAMEDA COUNTY’S APPROACH TO YOUTH JUSTICE as outlined in the proposal by Free Our Kids.
We need a youth justice system that centers on the care and well-being of youth by providing community-based alternatives to incarceration that will allow young people to rehabilitate and transform. I have been home 10 years now and it’s important to note that our young people and their families need healing and repair, not to be cast away and dehumanized. It’s important that we adopt new practices and culture that centers the well being of our youth.
I want to thank Oakland city council for your support for the resolution as we know that the current system disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth in particular Black and Brown youth from Oakland. Creating a reimagination table is a step towards racial justice in Alameda County.
I write in unwavering support of this resolution and the effort to reimagine the way Alameda County responds to young people. As we well know, the current juvenile legal system works to ensnare young people, especially young people of color, and inhibits their ability to thrive as members of their communities. We need to move away from a punitive system and towards one that centers community strengths, resources, and needs. This resolution and the reimagination table it calls for are crucial steps for living up to the ideal of justice for youth.
As we create and reimagine a system that actually takes care of and support our youth, especially our black youth. Who we know make up the population of these youth facilities. I urge you all to support and vote aye as we take a moment to pave the way for our young folks to thrive. Without a community led approach and without your support we are disappointing our youth. We need the City to stand with us and actually be apart of the solution to save these babies from any further harm that is caused by incarceration. We need a care approach and more preventative measures in order to keep our youth safe and cared for.
I write in strong support of the City of Oakland Resolution to support a community-led and collaborative plan to reimagine Alameda County’s juvenile legal system. Alameda County has opportunity to transition away from a deeply flawed, punishment-based system that disproportionately entrenches and locks up young people of color. We can reimagine and rebuild a new vision of youth justice and community safety that is health-focused, care-first and honors our youths' potential and humanity.
The City of Oakland has an important role to play in the reimagination process and dismantling institutional racism. Nearly half of all youth referred to Alameda County’s youth justice system come from Oakland, and 99% of youth from Oakland who are under probation supervision in Alameda County are youth of color.
For these reasons and more, I urge your aye vote on the resolution and your support of the important work that lies ahead.