Our Response To COVID-19Our response to COVID-19 was immediate. We sent this letter to the Sheriff’s Department on March 12th, 2020. Following that public statement, we worked to support the Public Defender’s office with their motions that, if approved by a judge, would release hundreds if not thousands. The first motions approved the release of those with less than 60 days on their sentence. The Sacramento County Jail population overall was reduced by over 30% due to COVID-19 related releases. We are demanding that the requirement for people released early to return to finish their sentences be lifted, and that the County focus its efforts on continuing to reduce the jail population.
History
Decarcerate Sacramento formed in response to an $89 million dollar jail expansion planned for the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC). Community members were deeply concerned that this expansion would continue to cause county budget cuts to vital human services. Our goals were clear from the beginning—in addition to preventing the expansion of our jail system, we need sustained decreases in our jail population and a drastic shift in county funding to community-based services that prevent harm.
In November of 2019, we successfully convinced the Sacramento County Board of Superivsors to cancel the planned expansion of the RCCC jail. Then, after many more months of research and organizing, the Board cancelled a second, separate plan to build a new jail "annex" in March of 2021.
After preventing two jail expansion projects in under two years, Decarcerate Sacramento is now focused primarily on Pre-Trial reform that prioritizes Preserving the Presumption of Innocence (PPI), Alternatives to Incarceration outside of law-enforcement, and shifting county funding priorities towards human services that promote public health and community safety.
Current Campaigns
PreTrial Justice: Ending Pretrial Detention
Fighting against the growing power of Probation in Pretrial and for Pretrial programs to prioritize supportive community-based services outside of law-enforcement.
Budget Transparency & Reinvestment
Advocating for public spending to be transparent and to be invested in life-affirming human services that promote community safety
Decarceration & Decriminalization
Decreasing Sacramento County jail populations requires a plan that prioritizes strengthening networks of care and resources that heal, decrease poverty, prevent harm and increase capacity for diversion from policing and the legal system.
Events
Find out more about upcoming Decarcerate Sacramento events!
January 8th
A Community Power-Building Project
(Not Just Another Listening Session)
June 15
Press Conference & Public Comment
In-Person & Remote Event
March 31
Honk For Justice
(COVID Safe Car Rally)
March 23
Demand Budget Action Event
(Call & Email Campaign)
March 23
Stop All Evictions & Rent Payments
(Call & Email Campaign)
March 23
Stop All Evictions & Rent Payments
(Call & Email Campaign)
