Voices representing the voiceless

Extracted from Prison Moratorium Project

“Americans believe that our country’s strategy on crime and criminal justice has failed. A majority of all adults (54%) say the nation’s approach to crime is on the wrong track, while just more than a third (35%) say we’re are headed in the right direction.” –Changing Public Attitudes Toward the Criminal Justice System, by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc.

“An independent board of inquiry might wonder at the logic of increasing levels of incarceration at a time of significant decreases in crime.” –Connect the Dots on Crime, by William Raspberry (Washington Post – 9/1/03)

“Chino Hardin is a 21 year-old activist from East Flatbush, Brooklyn, with the Prison Moratorium Project, whose experience with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) began at the age of 13 for fighting in junior high school. Hardin was sent to the notorious Spofford Juvenile Detention Center for a month and three days, and later served time at Rikers when she was 16. ‘Our campaign is to let young people know that they have an opportunity in this democratic government to make changes in the way that we are treated. If the city doesn’t want us to hang out in the street, they should build us community centers or after school programs so that we develop the skills and training to be productive. Building more jails is not the way to rehabilitate America’s future. When kids commit crimes, [prisons] are a quick fix, like a Band-Aid when I really need surgery.’” -Young Activists Demand Alternatives to Incarceration (Caribbean Life – 2/19/03)

‘“There is a marriage of public and private sector to target communities of color and immigrant communities under the umbrella of the USA Patriot Act and the prisonindustrial complex as well. The private prison corporations are salivating over the prospect of immigrants being detained at the rate it is going on right now. The main theme of the rally is to bring together individuals from immigrant and non-immigrant communities for violations that are happening to both,” said Kate Rhee of the Prison Moratorium Project.’ -Asian Week (1/31/03)

“Truth telling, soul-searching, as well as witness bearing. . .my god, there is so much pain and suffering out here but to transfigure that pain and suffering into joy so that we can find some source for struggle. . .struggle predicated on broad vision.” -Cornel West, No More Prisons CD

“Youth activists had cause for celebration last month when $53 million of a proposed $65 million allocated for the expansion of juvenile correctional facilities was removed from the city budget proposal…as previously reported in the Village Voice, a group of young activists and grassroots organizations calling themselves the Justice 4 Youth Coalition mobilized around issues of juvenile justice reform and encouraged city politicians to fight against the proposed funding.” -Youth Jail Funding Detained (Village Voice – 7/30/02)