Overview
We advocate for policies, budgets and administrative practices to reduce wasteful spending on incarceration and prioritize investments in communities that make us safer.
Since our founding, we co-authored and co-led the successful Yes on Proposition 47 ballot initiative campaign in 2014 (c4), Yes on Proposition 57 ballot initiative campaign in 2016 (c4) and over a dozen/s legislative and budget campaigns. These efforts have reduced incarceration and increased rehabilitation and investments into community prevention and treatment. We have also advocated for trauma recovery centers — growing them from just 1 to 12 across California.
We focus our statewide advocacy to advance smart safety priorities that reduce wasteful spending on prisons, expand rehabilitation, remove barriers to recovery for crime survivors, and build pathways to successful re-entry for people living with past convictions.
SB 36 (Hertzberg) - Risk Assessment Transparency
This bill would require the collection of data in order to evaluate the effectiveness of risk assessment tools, already used in 49 California counties, for pre-trial determinations on detention. SB 36 will improve the transparency of pre-trial risk assessment tools and practices, reducing the potential for discriminatory decisions and improving outcomes. Learn More
SB 375 (Durazo) – Removing Victim Compensation Time Limit
This bill would remove a barrier crime victims across the state face in accessing the victim compensation program. Under current law, many crime victims have to file an application for victim compensation within three years of a crime and can be denied for missing the deadline. SB 375 would extend the time-limit to reflect the reality that many crime survivors are not ready within that time period, because they are unaware of the program or process, not ready to apply because of their trauma, or are dealing with their trauma years after their victimization. This bill will ensure crime survivors have access to the resources needed to recover and heal when they are ready. Learn More
AB 1076 (Ting) – Automatic Record Removal
This bill would provide relief to millions of Californians living with a past conviction or record. It would standardize a process where old convictions, or records from an arrest that did not result in a conviction, would be automatically removed from people’s records after a certain period of time. AB 1076 would help with building a pathway for millions of Californians to earn stability, and clear irrelevant arrest records that can be obstacles to success. Learn More
AB 875 (Wicks) - Pupil health: in-school support services.
This bill would re-establish the Healthy Start Initiative within the Department of Education, in partnership with the Health and Human Services Agency, to oversee a grant program to fund local collaboratives between schools, communities, parents, county health and human service agencies, and nonprofit service providers. These collaboratives will support children and their families in accessing health and mental health care, screenings, basic need supports, and other opportunities that allow children to succeed in life. Additionally, the grant funds will build local capacity and program sustainability, strengthen partnerships between child and family-facing services providers, and support best practices through state, regional, and local technical assistance. Healthy Start 2.0 will target school districts serving a large proportion of students who have been marginalized due to poverty, isolation, immigration status, or other social determinants that impact their health. This bill will help streamline and integrate programs that serve these students and provide them with more effective prevention and early intervention. Learn More
AB 1331 - Data Quality In Criminal Records
This bill would address gaps in criminal justice data and improve access to it by clarifying existing law. Comprehensive collection of criminal justice data is essential to public safety by building the foundation for record clearance efforts that advance community well-being and advancing independent research. Learn More