THE ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. I AM
HONORED TO CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE,
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM THE LA COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM LIVE FREE
CALIFORNIA CREATING RESTORATIVE
OPPORTUNITIES AND PROGRAMS.
HOMEBOY INDUSTRY A NEW WAY OF
LIFE ADVOCATES FOR PEACE AND
URBAN UNITY. LA VOIGTS,
CENTINELA YOUTH SERVICES AND
MEN. COLLABORATIONS. MEN
COLLABORATION. URBAN UNITY. LA
VOIE. CENTINELA YOUTH SERVICES.
OUR GOAL IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE
ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS TO
DISCUSS IN THIS HEARING HOW TO
POTENTIALLY MOVE OUR STATE'S
TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM TO A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
SYSTEM BY INVOLVING ALL
INTERESTED PARTIES TO WORK
TOGETHER TO SHIFT FROM CURRENT
PUNISHMENT FOCUSED SYSTEM TO ONE
CENTERED ON HEALING AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE REPRESENTS A
TRANSFORMATIVE SHIFT IN HOW
SOCIETY ADDRESSES CRIME, MOVING
AWAY FROM A SYSTEM CENTERED ON
PUNISHMENT AND TOWARDS ONE
FOCUSED ON HEALING AND
RECONCILIATION, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE MARKS A PIVOTAL SHIFT
FROM CONVENTIONAL PUNITIVE
APPROACHES TO A SYSTEM THAT
PRIORITIZES HEALING,
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND INCLUSION.
FIRST, LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
COMMUNITY LED RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROGRAMS. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTORS, OR
OTHER JUSTICE SYSTEM OFFICIALS
ARE NOT APPROPRIATE TO LEAD OR
CONTROL RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PROGRAMS. THEY ARE NOT A NEUTRAL
ENTITY. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CAN
ONLY BE EFFECTIVE WHEN LED BY A
COMPLETELY NEUTRAL PARTY THAT
DOES NOT ALSO HOLD
RESPONSIBILITY FOR
INVESTIGATIONS, PROSECUTION, OR
DEFENSE. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO
ENSURE THE PARTICIPATION.
PARTIES. THE PARTICIPATING
PARTIES CAN BE TRULY OPEN AND
HONEST IN ATONING FOR ANY WRONGS
AND MAKING THINGS RIGHT WITH
EACH OTHER. THAT SAID, LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SYSTEM
OFFICIALS CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE IN
VALUING AND PARTNERING.
PARTNERING WITH THIS CRITICAL,
COMMUNITY LED SERVICE. SECOND,
FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE NOT ONLY
REDUCES THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM,
BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE
BROADER GOALS OF JUSTICE AND
REHABILITATION. IT OFFERS A MORE
HUMANE AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO
DEALING WITH CRIME, FOCUSING ON
RESTORATIVE RESTORATION AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT RATHER
THAN RETRIBUTION AND ISOLATION.
THIS METHOD CAN LEAD TO
TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES IN
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES,
FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE
HEALING AND RECONCILIATION ARE
POSSIBLE. THIRD, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PRACTICES HAVE HAD A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE
CALIFORNIA STATE LAW,
PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND THE
HEALING OF YOUTH. THE IMPACT OF
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN
CALIFORNIA REFLECTS A BROADER
SHIFT TOWARDS MORE HOLISTIC AND
COMMUNITY FOLKS FOCUSED
APPROACHES IN DEALING WITH CRIME
AND MISCONDUCT, AIMING TO HEAL
RATHER THAN TO SIMPLY PUNISH.
FOURTH, ADMINISTERING
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE THROUGH
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND ACTORS ALL OFFER SEVERAL
COMPELLING ADVANTAGES THAT ALIGN
WITH THE GOALS AND PRINCIPLE OF
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES. PUBLIC
PERCEPTION OF RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IN CALIFORNIA VARY, BUT
THERE ARE SOME REOCCURRING
TRENDS NOTED BELOW THAT
ILLUSTRATES THE BROADER FEEDBACK
FROM VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE
COMMUNITY. OVERALL. WHEN
SUPPORTIVE TRENDS EXIST, THE
PUBLIC PERCEPTION IN CALIFORNIA
IS NUANCED, WITH ONGOING DEBATES
ABOUT THE SCOPE, EFFECTIVENESS,
AND APPROPRIATENESS OF
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND VARIED
VARIOUS CONTEXTS. IN CALIFORNIA,
THIS APPROACH HAS GAINED
TRACTION, SUPPORTED BY GROWTH,
GROWING PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT OF
REHABILITATION OVER RETRIBUTION,
AND A LEGISLATIVE PUSH TOWARDS
MORE HOLISTIC COMMUNITY CENTERED
JUSTICE PRACTICES. AS THIS
APPROACH CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND
EXPAND, IT OFFERS A PROMISING
PATH TOWARDS A MORE JUST AND
COMPASSIONATE SOCIETY. SO I'M
NOW GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF
OVERALL STRUCTURE OF THIS
HEARING AND GO OVER SIMPLE
HOUSEKEEPING, BECAUSE WE HAVE
LIMITED TIME TODAY FOR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL
TRICKLE IN, YOU'LL NOTICE, WELL,
THE MEMBERS AREN'T HERE YET, SO
I'LL SKIP THAT PART, WE WILL
HEAR FROM LÀ D.A. GEORGE GASCON,
THE FIRST PANEL WILL BE
CENTINELA YOUTH SERVICES MEN
COLLABORATION. THE SECOND PANEL
WILL BE CROPPED LIVE FREE
CALIFORNIA AND HOMEBOY INDUSTRY.
THE THIRD PANEL WILL BE A NEW
WAY OF LIFE. LA VOIGTS ADVOCATES
FOR PEACE AND URBAN UNITY, WILL
ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE
END. IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO MAKE
COMMENTS DURING THIS HEARING,
YOU MAY SUBMIT THEM IN WRITTEN
COMMENTS TO THIS COMMITTEE. I
UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE A LOT
OF FOLKS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
THE SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING.
HOWEVER, REGARDING DISRUPTIONS
DURING THIS HEARING, THE
ASSEMBLY AND SENATE HAVE
EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF
DISRUPTION TO COMMITTEE AND
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS, SO THIS IS LET'S SO
LET'S BE CRYSTAL CLEAR TO
EVERYONE, CONDUCT THAT DISRUPTS,
DISTURBS OR IMPEDES THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF THIS HEARING IS
STRICTLY PROHIBITED TO ADDRESS
ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT, I WILL
DIRECT THE INDIVIDUALS TO STOP
AND WARN THAT IF THE DISRUPTION
CONTINUES, THEY MAY BE REMOVED
FROM THE PARTICIPATING HEARING
OR CITY HALL. IF DISRUPTIONS
CONTINUE, WE MAY TEMPORARILY
RECESS OR SIMPLY ADJOURN THE
HEARING, WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO
DO, THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR
YOUR COOPERATION. NOW, I'D LIKE
TO TURN IT OVER. WELL, IT'S NO
MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE, SO I
DON'T HAVE TO TURN IT OVER TO
ANY MEMBERS. ALL RIGHT, LET'S
GET STARTED. AND WE WELCOME D.A.
GASCON. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. YOU MAY PROCEED WHEN
READY. WE. YOU HAVE FIVE
MINUTES. I THINK I THINK HERE WE
GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MCKENNA. IT'S REALLY AN
HONOR BEING HERE WITH YOU TODAY
AND WITH THE OTHERS, WHAT I'D
LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE TO, FIRST
OF ALL, GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF
WHY I THINK RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
IS SO IMPORTANT, THEN I'M GOING
TO GIVE YOU SOME DATA POINTS,
AND THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT LÀ IS
DOING. LÀ DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE. BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHY
AND THE WHY. I'M GOING TO BREAK
IT DOWN INTO THREE AREAS. I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT VICTIMS. I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY,
AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT
SAFETY. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINK THAT RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IS ACTUALLY OFFENDER
CENTERED IN A THE VICTIM IS
IGNORED. WHILE THE CONTRARY, IN
ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROCESS
REQUIRES ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE
HARM THAT WAS CAUSED TO THE
VICTIM BY THE OFFENDER. IT
PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS
NOT AFFORDED IN OUR REGULAR
ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM, WHERE THE
VICTIM IS ACTUALLY HEARD. THE
VICTIM GETS TO DISCUSS THE PAIN,
THE HARM THAT WAS CAUSED, AND
THE OFFENDER IS ACTUALLY THERE.
TO LISTEN, TO ABSORB THE HARM
THAT THEY HAVE CAUSED. AND THEN
THE PROCESS REQUIRES THAT THERE
WOULD BE A DISCUSSION AND A
CONVERSATION AROUND HOW WE'RE
GOING TO REPAIR THE HARM. AND
THAT DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE
REGULAR SYSTEM FOR THE
COMMUNITY. IT HAS MULTIPLE
BENEFITS. NUMBER ONE, IT GIVES
THE OFFENDER AND THEIR FAMILY
AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR REDEMPTION TO
MAKE THINGS RIGHT AND TO MOVE ON
AND NOT HAVE A SCARLET LETTER OF
A CRIMINAL RECORD FOR THE REST
OF THEIR LIFE, OR INCARCERATION.
THAT MIGHT EVEN MAKE THINGS
WORSE, NOT ONLY FOR THE
PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL, BUT THEIR
FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. FINALLY, WHEN
IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WE
KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH
THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE MODEL,
THE SUCCESS RATE FAR OUTSTRIPS
THE REGULAR SYSTEM. I WILL GIVE
YOU A COUPLE OF DATA POINTS. THE
DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES IN
THE LA COUNTY REPORTS A 95%
SUCCESS RATE ON PEOPLE THAT THEY
RUN THROUGH THE RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE MODEL. WHEN YOU CONSIDER
THE SUCCESS RATE FOR
PROSECUTIONS, IT'S SOMEWHERE
AROUND 50 TO 60%, MEANING THAT
PEOPLE GO BACK TO CAUSE HARM
AGAIN. PERSONALLY, WHEN I WAS A
D.A. IN SAN FRANCISCO, WE PUT
TOGETHER A FULLY RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE MODEL FOR JUVENILE. IT
WAS CALLED MAKE IT RIGHT. WE
WORK WITH IMPACT JUSTICE FROM
OAKLAND, AND WE SAW OUR
RECIDIVISM RATE DROP BELOW 10%
FOR THE KIDS THAT WERE BEING
INVOLVED HERE, AS OPPOSED TO
SOMEWHERE AROUND 45% UNDER THE
NORMAL SYSTEM IN LA. WHAT WE'RE
DOING IS WE'RE TAKING A
MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO THIS,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE
HAVE, WE'RE WORKING IN
PRE-FILING DIVERSION WITH
CENTINELA YOUTH CENTER. SO I
KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
MISS ELLIS, WE'RE WORKING WITH
THE NEW WAY OF LIFE WITH SUZANNE
BURDEN, WE'RE WORKING ON POST
FILING FOR THE 18 TO 25 YEARS OF
AGE WITH HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES AND
CHAMPIONS FOR SERVICE, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR ADVISORY
BOARDS, INCLUDING REBECCA WIKER,
WHO IS HERE NOW. SHE'S NO LONGER
ON OUR VICTIM'S ADVISORY BOARD,
BUT SHE DID, YOU KNOW, SHE
CONDUCTED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
HEARINGS AND PROCESSES FOR US.
TO RECAP, WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT CREATING SAFETY FOR OUR
COMMUNITY, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FAR, FAR OUTPERFORMS THE
TRADITIONAL SYSTEM. AND I AGREE
WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE
MADE. LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT
INCLUDES PROSECUTORS. WE ARE A
PARTNER. WE CANNOT BE THE ONES
IN THE ROOM IF WE'RE NOT. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE CENTRAL,
DRIVERS. WE SIMPLY HAVE TO WORK
AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE
COOPERATING AND THAT WE'RE
PROVIDING THE AVENUE FOR THE
PROCESSES TO TAKE PLACE. BY THE
WAY, I DIDN'T EVEN GO INTO THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS A
FRACTION OF THE COST OF
TRADITIONAL ARREST, PROSECUTIONS
AND INCARCERATION. SO WHETHER
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VICTIM
SUPPORT, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OR
EVEN ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF
DOING THE WORK, THIS WAY,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS FAR
SUPERIOR TO OUR TRADITIONAL
ADVERSARIAL SYSTEM. AND I HOPE
THAT LEGISLATIVELY WE BEGIN TO
START REQUIRING A CERTAIN TYPES
OF OFFENSES ARE A MANDATORY,
DIRECTIVE THAT AT LEAST ON THE
EARLY STAGES, RJ MUST BE
IMPLEMENTED AND ONLY IF IT FAILS
SHOULD WE REVERT TO THE
TRADITIONAL SYSTEM. I'M OPEN FOR
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. GASCON.
WHAT TYPE OF OFFENSES WOULD YOU
WOULD YOU SUGGEST AS WE LOOK AT
LEGISLATION NEXT YEAR? BECAUSE I
WANT HOPEFULLY WE GET SOME
REALLY GOOD, POLICY OUT OF THIS
HEARING. WHAT TYPES OF OFFENSES
WOULD YOU SUGGEST WE SHOULD USE
FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE DATA
IS VERY CLEAR ON THIS AREA. I
THINK THAT YOU FIRST OF ALL, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE, WELL, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO, BUT IT'S BETTER WHEN
YOU HAVE A VICTIM. THAT IS
SOMEONE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY AS
A COMMUNITY MEMBER. RIGHT? IF
YOU HAVE A CORPORATION OR YOU
HAVE A BIG BUSINESS, GENERALLY
THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK AS WELL,
BECAUSE PART OF THE PROCESS IS
THAT INTERACTION BETWEEN A HUMAN
BEING, THE VICTIM, AND A HUMAN
BEING, THE OFFENDER AND THE HARM
THAT WAS CAUSED TO THAT PERSON
AND TO THAT COMMUNITY. THAT
TENDS NOT TO WORK WHEN YOU'RE
DEALING WITH LARGE CORPORATIONS.
SECONDLY, THE DATA ALSO SHOWS
THAT, YOU KNOW, TO DO THIS FOR
VERY MINOR OFFENSES GENERALLY
DOESN'T HAVE THE IMPACT BECAUSE
IT'S HARD TO CONNECT THE HARM
CAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
MINOR OFFENSES. SO YOU'RE REALLY
LOOKING AT NUMBER ONE PEOPLE,
VICTIMS AND OFFENSES THAT CAUSE
SOME HARM. THE QUESTION AND
THERE'S A POLITICAL QUESTION TO
THIS, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE HAS SHOWN TO
WORK WITH VERY, VERY SERIOUS
CRIMES. BUT WE REALIZE THAT
THERE ARE SOMETIMES THE
COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE VERY
APPREHENSIVE TO DEAL WITH THINGS
THAT INCLUDE SEVERE VIOLENCE,
EVEN THOUGH THAT TECHNICALLY WE
KNOW THAT THEY WORK. SO I
SUGGEST THAT WE START ON, YOU
KNOW, THOSE CRIMES THAT ARE
HARMFUL TO INDIVIDUALS, THAT
THERE IS A CLEAR CONNECTION TO
HUMAN BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE EQUATION, BUT THAT IS NOT
GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE
GOING TO CAUSE SO MUCH ANGST
BECAUSE PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY
FEEL THAT THE ONLY WAY TO DO
THIS IS TO DO AN EYE FOR AN EYE,
YOU KNOW, IT MUST BE, HEAVY
RETRIBUTION AND PERHAPS DO IT IN
AN ESCALATED MANNER WHERE WE
HAVE AN INTRODUCTORY PERIOD OF,
YOU KNOW, A CYCLE OF TIME,
WHATEVER THAT IS. A YEAR OR TWO.
AND THEN SLOWLY, AS WE GATHER
DATA, THEN BEGIN TO EXPAND AND
LEARN AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.
AND SO MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE A
COMBINATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
POLITICALLY, AS YOU SAID, IT
DEPENDS ON WHAT THE YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE CAN GET OUR COLLEAGUES
TO, TO VOTE FOR. BUT MAYBE IT'S
A COMBINATION OF BOTH. MAYBE WE
SHOULD ALWAYS USE A RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE COMPONENT WHEN WE'RE
WHEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING
SENTENCED. YEAH. AND BY THE WAY,
I THINK THE BEST SUCCESS WHEN IT
COMES TO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS
STARTING REALLY EARLY. RIGHT,
YOU NEED VICTIM. YOU KNOW, YOU
NEED VICTIM PARTICIPATION OR
APPROVAL. BY THE WAY, THE VICTIM
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ROOM,
BUT WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD
UNLESS THE VICTIM AGREES. WE
EDUCATE THE VICTIM. AND THEN IF
THE VICTIM WANTS TO BE IN THE
ROOM, THEY CAN. IF THE VICTIM
DECIDES NOT TO BE IN THE ROOM,
THEN WE. WE CAN HAVE A PROXY
THAT IS TRAINED TO DO THE WORK.
BECAUSE THE SUCCESS OF THIS
PROCESS IS HAVING THE PERSON
THAT CAUSED THE HARM.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF THE
HARM. RIGHT. IT'S CRITICAL TO
THAT COMPONENT OF IT. SO HAVING
VICTIM APPROVAL IS CRITICAL. AND
THEN, YOU KNOW, THE TYPE OF
OFFENSES THAT YOU DO, I THINK IT
REALLY BECOMES A POLITICAL
QUESTION FOR COMMUNITIES AND
CERTAINLY FOR THE LEGISLATION.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE ECONOMIC
IMPACT. WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S IN
THIS ROOM NØ THAT THERE THAT WE
HAD A TOUGH BUDGET THIS YEAR.
WHAT TYPE OF ECONOMICAL IMPACT
WOULD THIS HAVE IF WE LOOK AT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE INSTEAD OF
JUST LOCKING PEOPLE UP AT THE
STATE LEVEL, YOU'RE PROBABLY
LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS. IF THIS BECAME
CENTRAL TO OUR PRACTICE, WHEN
YOU CONSIDER THAT JUST, YOU
KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND IN
THE CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL
SYSTEM, RIGHT? SOMEWHERE AROUND
15, $16 BILLION A YEAR, YOU
KNOW, AN OFFICE LIKE MINE,
RIGHT? WE SPEND 530, $540
MILLION A YEAR. POLICE
DEPARTMENTS. YOU KNOW, OUR
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS A $14
BILLION BUDGET, LA COUNTY. SO IF
YOU START REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT THESE AGENCIES HAVE TO
DO, NOT NECESSARILY REDUCING
THEIR FOOTPRINT, BUT JUST
REDUCING THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE
TO DO, OFFICERS DON'T HAVE TO
COME TO COURT. PROSECUTORS DON'T
HAVE TO PROSECUTE. NOBODY'S
SPENDING TIME IN CUSTODY OVER A
CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE
YOU HAVE THIS ADJACENT SYSTEM
THAT IS WORKING, AND WE'RE USING
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE A NEW WAY OF
LIFE. CENTINELA, YOU KNOW,
HOMEBOYS. RIGHT. THAT QUITE
FRANKLY, THEY WORK FOR A
FRACTION OF THE COST OF WHAT
GOVERNMENT WORKS. AND YOU'RE
ALSO SAVING ALL THE CUSTODY
TIME, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS WILL
BE IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS, EVEN IF YOU TOOK A
SMALL CHUNK OF THE WORK, BY THE
WAY. THANK YOU. AND WE CAN USE
THE MONEY, FOR OTHER THINGS.
100% SCHOOLS, ROADS, PUBLIC
HEALTH. I MEAN, GOD KNOWS THERE
ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE COULD BE
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE
LEGISLATURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
THAT WAS LED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER
REGGIE JONES-SAWYER, BECAUSE WE
HAVE, IMPLEMENTED A LOT OF LAWS
THAT THAT, THAT DECREASED, BEDS
IN PRISONS. AND WE'VE SAID WE'VE
SAVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DOING
THIS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CONTINUE THAT WORK. DO
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL,
THANK YOU, DR. GASCON, I WANT TO
OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. WE
HAVE FIVE MINUTES. I DON'T SEE A
MICROPHONE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE
THE PUBLIC WOULD YOU WANT TO.
YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT WITH
EACH? I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT
WITH EACH. OKAY. YEAH, IF WE
HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL
STEP IN THE MIDDLE THERE. WE
HAVE FIVE MINUTES TOTAL FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. RELATED TO, THIS
PART OF THE HEARING. SEEING
NONE. THANK YOU. DR. GASCON. I
APPRECIATE YOU FOR ATTENDING
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO
THE SECOND PART OF THIS HEARING.
WE'LL HAVE JESSICA ELLIS,
REBECCA WELKER AND TRINO
JIMENEZ, WHO WILL DISCUSS THE
VICTIM AND YOUTH PERSPECTIVE.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND PARTICIPATION TODAY. I
ALSO ASK THE PUBLIC TO BE
COURTEOUS AND NOT INTERRUPT THIS
PART OF THE HEARING, OR THESE
PRESENTATIONS, EACH PERSON
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. THE
ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT A
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR
EXPERIENCE ON THE SUBJECT. OF
COURSE, IF YOU HAVE MORE
INFORMATION TO PROVIDE BEYOND AN
OVERVIEW, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO
SO. EACH PANELIST WILL HAVE UP
TO FIVE MINUTES. YOU MAY PROCEED.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
MCKINNON, FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS
IMPORTANT TOPIC. MY NAME IS
JESSICA ELLIS. I'M EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF SENTINEL YOUTH
SERVICES, AND I COME TO THIS
WORK BECAUSE MY OWN FAMILY WAS
IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE TO
GUN VIOLENCE AND FAMILY MEMBERS
TO INCARCERATION. I'D LIKE TO
START US OFF WITH A DEFINITION
OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE POLICY
COALITION, WHICH IS A DIVERSE
GROUP OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PRACTITIONERS ACROSS THE STATE.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS A
COMMUNITY BASED, NON PUNITIVE
APPROACH TO HARM THAT ENCOURAGES
ACCOUNTABILITY, HEALING AND
REPAIR, AND IT ALLOWS THE PERSON
WHO HARMED, WHO WAS HARMED TO
SHARE THE IMPACT OF THAT
INCIDENT AND WHAT THEY NEED IN
ORDER TO HEAL. AND THE PERSON
WHO CAUSED HARM IS SUPPORTED TO
ARTICULATE THE REASONS FOR THEIR
ACTIONS AND TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY
TO MEANINGFULLY REPAIR THAT HARM
THROUGH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. WE
CAN GET A LOT MORE CREATIVE THAN
WE CAN IN THE COURTS. IN THE
COURTS, REALLY, ALL WE HAVE TO
ASK FOR IS MONEY. SO THE MORE
HURT I AM, THE MORE MONEY I ASK
FOR. BUT MONEY DOESN'T HEAL MY
HEART AND SO THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, WE CAN REALLY MOST
VICTIMS REALLY WANT ANSWERS TO
WHY DID YOU DO THIS? TO ME, AND
THEY REALLY WANT TO BE HEARD.
AND WHEN WE DO VICTIM IMPACT
STATEMENTS AT COURT, IT'S LIKE
SCREAMING INTO THE VOID, YOU GET
NO RESPONSE BACK. AND HUMANS
WERE ABOUT CONNECTION AND
WITHOUT A RESPONSE BACK AND
KNOWING THAT YOUR MESSAGE REALLY
LANDED, IT CAN FEEL VERY EMPTY
AND SO TO ACHIEVE A SINCERE AND
AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL PROCESS
WITHOUT COERCION, IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT THE RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROCESS BE LED BY
COMMUNITY, NOT SYSTEMS OF
AUTHORITY, AND I THINK D.A.
GASCON FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT
REALLY EFFECTIVELY. AND IT MUST
BE VOLUNTARY FOR ALL INVOLVED,
AND YOU'LL HEAR EXAMPLES TODAY
WHERE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS
USED TO REPAIR, BRING REPAIR TO
THE SURVIVOR OF CRIME AFTER
SENTENCING HAS OCCURRED. AND
YOU'LL HEAR EXAMPLES WHERE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS USED TO
INTERRUPT THE NEXT LEGAL STEP
AND DIVERT OR LIMIT SYSTEM
ENGAGEMENT IN THE INCIDENT. BUT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CAN ALSO BE
USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO EVEN
CALLING POLICE. MORE THAN HALF
OF VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME
DON'T EVEN CALL THE POLICE
BECAUSE WHEN WHAT OUR SYSTEMS
HAVE TO OFFER CAN OFTEN CREATE
MORE HARM THAN GOOD. SO THERE
ARE POWERFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO
USE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS A
COMPLETE BYPASS OF OUR SYSTEM.
SO THE CRIME SURVIVOR CAN
MAINTAIN MORE SAY IN THE OVERALL
PROCESS THAT WILL BE HEALING FOR
THEM. AND THERE'S SOME
PHENOMENAL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE
THAT ARE DOING SOME OF THAT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN
ORDER FOR THE PARTIES TO COME
TOGETHER IN SESSION, THERE ARE
INTENSE PREPARATION AND VETTING
PROCESSES TO ENSURE SAFETY AND
INTEGRITY IN THE CASES OF
SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIME. THAT
PREPARATION PROCESS CAN TAKE UP
TO A YEAR BEFORE THE PARTIES ARE
BROUGHT IN THE ROOM TOGETHER. SO
THE PROCESS IS DEEPER THAN THE
POINT AT WHICH THEY COME TO
MEET. YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT
WHAT AMAZING TRANSFORMATION CAN
TRANSPIRE FROM THOSE MEETINGS
AND THE PREPARATION THAT LEADS
UP TO THEM AT SIZE. WE'VE BEEN
SERVING YOUTH SINCE 1975, AND IN
THE EARLY 90S WE BROUGHT IN
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE DIVERSION.
AND SO WHEN A YOUNG PERSON HERE
IN LA COUNTY HAS COMMITTED A
CRIME, WE WORK WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THE COURTS TO
PUT THE ARREST OR THE COURT
PROCESS ON HOLD FOR THE YOUTH TO
COME TO OUR COMMUNITY BASED
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROCESSES,
AND IF THEY COMPLETE
SUCCESSFULLY, THAT ARREST GOES
AWAY, OR THE COURT PROCESS GOES
AWAY AND GETS SEALED, WE PROVIDE
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH WHO
HAVE CAUSED HARM TO MEET
DIRECTLY WITH THE PERSON. ONE
EXAMPLE I LOST MY, CHILDHOOD
BEST FRIEND TO DRUNK DRIVING,
AND SO A YOUNG PERSON WAS
ARRESTED FOR A DRUNK DRIVING
CHARGE WITH NO VICTIM. THEY
FLIPPED THEIR CAR, THERE WAS
NOBODY ELSE INVOLVED, BUT WE CAN
STILL DO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
EVEN WITHOUT A VICTIM. I WAS
IMPACTED THAT BY THAT CRIME. SO
I SAT DOWN WITH THAT YOUNG
PERSON, AND IT WAS AN AMAZING,
TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS, EVEN
FOR ME. EVEN THOUGH THAT HAD
HAPPENED, I'D LOST MY FRIEND 30
YEARS PRIOR. AND THE YOUNG
PERSON GOT A LOT OUT OF IT. HE
IT REALLY HIT HOME FOR HIM. HE
ENDED UP RAISING A BUNCH OF
MONEY FOR MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK
DRIVING, AND DOING A LOT WITH
HIS PEERS TO RAISE AWARENESS. WE
HAVE OVER 30 YEARS OF DATA ON
NEARLY 10,000 RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE SESSIONS THAT WE'VE
CONDUCTED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, AND
WE SEE CONSISTENTLY 98% VICTIM
SATISFACTION RATES, 96% YOUTH
SATISFACTION RATES. THEY FEEL
THE PROCESS IS FAIR AND
EQUITABLE, 86% OF RESTITUTION
AGREEMENTS COMPLETED IN FULL,
WHICH FAR EXCEEDS OUR
RESTITUTION COMPLETION RATES
THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. 90% OF
OUR YOUTH DO NOT RECIDIVATE OR
GET REARRESTED. WE HAVE PROOF,
30 YEARS OF PROOF THAT THIS
PROCESS MAKES COMMUNITIES SAFER
WHILE SUPPORTING MEANINGFUL
ACCOUNTABILITY AND HEARING AND
HEALING FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN
HARMED AND THOSE WHO'VE CAUSED
HARM AND FOR THAT REASON, OUR
WORK HAS ALWAYS ENJOYED
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IS A SOLUTION THAT CAN
GET US OUT OF THE PARTIZAN
FIGHTS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM. IT'S AN APPROACH THAT
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE CAN
AGREE ON. THANKS THANK YOU
JESSICA. REBECCA THANK YOU. I'M
JUST GOING TO KEEP TRACK OF MY
TIME. SO MY NAME IS REBECCA
WIKER AND I AM THE CO-DIRECTOR
AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE MEND
COLLABORATIVE. WE ARE A
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION
HERE IN CALIFORNIA THAT SUPPORTS
VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF SEVERE
VIOLENCE AND PEOPLE WHO ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM. MOST OF
THE FOLKS WE WORK WITH ARE IN
COMMUNITY AND INCARCERATED IN
CALIFORNIA STATE PRISONS, OR WHO
ARE, PEOPLE WHO ARE ON PAROLE OR
HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY RELEASED FROM
PAROLE, OUR WORK IS REALLY,
POST-CONVICTION WORK AFTER HARM
HAPPENS AS JESSICA EXPLAINED,
FOR US, THERE'S DIFFERENT
CONTEXTS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
AND FOR US, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED
ON AFTER HARM HAPPENS, WHAT THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM DOES IS
PUTS INCARCERATES PEOPLE. BUT
SURVIVORS OFTEN HAVE MANY, MANY
NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT UNMET
AFTER AFTER INCARCERATION, AFTER
MANY YEARS 15, 20, 25 YEARS OF
INCARCERATION. AND SO WHAT WE
PROVIDE FOR SURVIVORS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO INITIATE WHAT'S
CALLED A VICTIM OFFENDER DIALOG,
WHICH IS A DIRECT CONVERSATION
BETWEEN THE PERSON WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM AND THE
SURVIVOR. WHAT THE NEEDS THAT,
THAT PEOPLE HAVE. THAT CAN BE
MET THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS OF WHY THIS
HAPPENED. WHO WERE YOU AT THE
TIME THAT YOU COMMITTED THE
CRIME? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING
SINCE THAT TIME? HOW DO I KNOW
THAT YOU CARE, THAT YOU'RE
ACCOUNTABLE, THAT YOU'RE
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED?
AND ALSO TO SHARE ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF THEIR EXPERIENCE OVER
THESE YEARS? PART OF THE REASON
WHY WE BELIEVE THIS, OUR
PROGRAMS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO
HAVE FOR SURVIVORS AND
INCARCERATED PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IN
CALIFORNIA IS THERE HAS BEEN
TREMENDOUS WORK TO IN THE
INTEREST OF JUSTICE, REDUCE OUR
PRISON POPULATION, GIVE YOUNG
PEOPLE PEOPLE WHO COMMITTED
THEIR CRIMES AS YOUNG PEOPLE,
OPPORTUNITIES TO RETURN HOME,
WHO WERE SENTENCED TO LIFE
WITHOUT PAROLE OR SEVERE
SENTENCES TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO
WERE SENTENCED TO EXTREME
SENTENCES AS THEY APPROACH THEIR
ELDER YEARS A CHANCE FOR ELDER
PAROLE. AND SO ALL OF THESE
SENTENCING REFORMS, WHICH ARE IN
THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE, IMPACT
SURVIVORS AND SO WHAT,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROCESSES DO
IS THEY GIVE TO SURVIVORS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW
THEY FIT INTO THAT PROCESS OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM THAT
THEY CAN REQUEST TO ACTUALLY
HAVE THEIR OWN CONVERSATION TO
UNDERSTAND WHO THIS PERSON WAS,
WHO THIS PERSON IS, TO SHARE
ABOUT THE IMPACT. SO ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT
NOW IS TO REACH OUT TO DISTRICT
ATTORNEYS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, TO
VICTIM ADVOCATES, TO COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT
THESE PROCESSES OF VICTIM
OFFENDER DIALOG ARE AVAILABLE TO
PEOPLE. IT'S THROUGH. WE DO THIS
WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES AND
SURVIVOR RIGHTS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, AND
THERE'S FOUR OTHER COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO
SIMILAR WORK THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA. AND SO WE REALLY
WANT, FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
HARMED AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO
HAVE COMMITTED HARM TO HAVE
THESE OPPORTUNITIES. I'M ONE
MORE THING I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE IS THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S
NOT A DIRECT MATCH BETWEEN THE,
THE, THE SURVIVOR. THERE HASN'T
BEEN SOMEBODY IDENTIFIED OR THAT
PERSON ISN'T A GOOD PARTNER FOR
A DIALOG. AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE
ALSO DESERVING OF HEALING, OF
UNDERSTANDING AND SO THE
SURROGATE DIALOG PROCESS WHERE
PEOPLE WHO ARE SURVIVORS GO
INSIDE A PRISONS AND SPEAK WITH
INCARCERATED PEOPLE WHO ARE
DOING THEIR OWN WORK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY CAN BE EQUALLY
POWERFUL FOR FOLKS AND ARE A
REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN HEALING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, REBECCA
TRINO, THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MCKENNA, FOR CREATING
THIS SPACE AND JUST ALLOWING US
TO SPEAK ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT
SUBJECT HERE, MY NAME IS TRINO
JIMENEZ, AND I AM A FACILITATOR
WITH MEND COLLABORATIVE, I AM
ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CRIME
VICTIM ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE
LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF GEORGE GASCON, MY
OLDEST BROTHER WAS A VICTIM OF A
VIOLENT CRIME, AS HE WAS
BRUTALLY MURDERED, AS A CRIME
SURVIVOR, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR
ME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS VICTIM
OFFENDER DIALOG, FOR MY OWN
PERSONAL HEALING JOURNEY. AND,
PARTICIPATING IN AVOD. IT GAVE
ME ANSWERS THAT ONLY THE PERSON
RESPONSIBLE COULD PROVIDE. IT
ALSO GAVE ME INSIGHT AND
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT LED TO
THIS PERSON'S CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR,
SOME ANSWERS THAT THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM DIDN'T OR
COULDN'T PROVIDE FOR ME. AND
WHEN THE CRIME OCCURRED, I'M
GOING TO BE HONEST. AND
TRANSPARENT. I WAS ANGRY, I WAS
HURT, I WAS DEEPLY HURT, AND I
WAS KEPT AWAY FROM THIS PERSON
RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM, WHICH AT
THE TIME, IT MAYBE IT WAS THE
RIGHT THING, BUT I WAS LEFT
ALONE TO NAVIGATE MY ANGER WITH
NO FOLLOW UPS, NO CARE, WHICH I
FELT IT WAS A FAILURE AND
INJUSTICE TO ME. I OFTEN ASK
THIS QUESTION THAT WHAT IF I
ACTED ON THIS ANGER THAT I HELD?
THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED
AS A PERPETRATOR IN OUR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. I BELIEVE THAT
MANY HAVE FALLEN INTO THIS
CATEGORY. THERE ARE MANY SYSTEM
IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE
UNRESOLVED ISSUES THAT WERE
NEVER ADDRESSED BY THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE ADDRESSES THESE THINGS,
THE PERSON WHO TOOK MY BROTHER'S
LIFE, HE WAS THE PERSON THAT
INTRODUCED ME TO THE VICTIM
OFFENDER DIALOG PROGRAM. SO THAT
BRINGS ANOTHER QUESTION. WHY WAS
THERE NO REPRESENTATION FROM THE
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURAL SYSTEM TO
GUIDE ME AS THIS BEING A
POSSIBLE OPTION? I HAD NEVER
HEARD OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FROM ANY GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIAL,
AND ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THIS
INTRODUCTION TO RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE, IT WAS A PERSON WHO WAS
FORMERLY INCARCERATED THAT TOLD
ME ABOUT VICTIM SERVICES,
THROUGH THE CDCR. AND I WAS ABLE
TO REQUEST I WAS ABLE TO REQUEST
A TRANSCRIPT OF PAST PAROLE
HEARINGS. AND, AND I WAS ABLE TO
OBTAIN INFORMATION OF THIS
PERSON THAT HAD DONE HARM TO OUR
FAMILY. YET EVEN THE OFFICE OF
VICTIM SERVICES HAD FAILED TO
OFFER ME INFORMATION OF VODS AND
OTHER OTHER AVENUES FOR ME, THE
IMPACT THAT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
HAS HAD ON ME HAS LED ME TO THE
WORK THAT I DO TODAY TO OFFER
OTHER VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS A
CHANCE FOR BOTH TO EXPERIENCE
SOME FORM OF HEALING IN A
TRANSFORMATIVE WAY, I HAVE
WITNESSED FIRSTHAND INDIVIDUALS
EXPRESS THEIR REMORSE, THEIR
REGRET FOR THE CHOICES THAT
THEY'VE MADE TO HARM ANOTHER
HUMAN. AND AS A SOCIETY, WE HOLD
INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
THEIR ACTIONS. BUT RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE ADDS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE PERSON THEMSELVES TO HOLD
THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
HARM THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED. SO
IT GIVES AN EXTENSION OF, OF
JUST GREATER WORK THAT CAN TAKE
PLACE. AND THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN
INSIGHT OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
HARM THAT THEY'VE INFLICTED ON A
FAMILY AND EVEN ON A COMMUNITY.
SO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CONNECTS
INDIVIDUALS FOR THEM TO HAVE
EMPATHY FOR THEM TO HAVE CARE.
SO WHEN THEY RETURN TO SOCIETY,
THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO
RESPAWN, TO RESPOND TO THEIR
EMOTIONS IN A POSITIVE WAY.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE HAS GIVEN
ME, AND TO MANY, I BELIEVE, A
HEALTHY OUTLET FOR OUR EMOTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WHAT SOUNDS LIKE IT HELPS BOTH
PARTIES. IT HELPS THE VICTIM AND
THEN IT HELPS THE PERSON THAT
COMMITTED THE CRIME. AND SO AS
I'M AS I'M LISTENING TO THIS,
I'M THINKING THAT RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE SHOULD BE A MANDATORY
COMPONENT TO CRIMES LIKE THIS
BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY
REHABILITATES PEOPLE, JESSICA, I
HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, IF WE
CAN, IS IT IN ANY WAY WE CAN
HAVE THE OUTCOME? DATA THAT YOU
HAVE IN WRITING SO THAT WE CAN
USE IT AS WE GO FORWARD IN OUR
WORK? YES DEFINITELY. I'LL SEND
THAT. THANK YOU. AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS. ALSO, CAN
YOU GIVE US THE THREE OF YOU?
CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW
MANY PEOPLE YOU SERVE EVERY YEAR?
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, 18, VICTIM
OFFENDER DIALOGS THAT WE'VE
FACILITATED SINCE WE STARTED
WORKING, THIS I THINK OVER THE
LAST YEAR, WE'VE GOTTEN THAT
MANY REFERRALS AND WE HAVE
SERVED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
THROUGH SURROGATE RESTORATIVE
DIALOGS. I THINK ONE THING THAT
I WOULD SAY IS THAT I THINK IT
SHOULD BE MANDATORY THAT
EVERYBODY IS OFFERED THESE,
PROCESSES IN OUR WORK WITH
PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING,
YOU KNOW, SURVIVORS OF HOMICIDE.
MY SISTER WAS MURDERED, AND IT
TOOK ME YEARS BEFORE I COULD
EVEN START TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I
NEEDED. AND SO I THINK, PEOPLE
HAVE THEIR OWN JOURNEYS. SOME
PEOPLE ARE READY IMMEDIATELY.
OTHER PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT THEIR
JOURNEY. AND SO I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKE IT
AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS
IT. AND TO HAVE A MENU OF
OPPORTUNITIES. WHETHER IT'S A
DIRECT CONVERSATION OR AN
INDIRECT WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO'VE
COMMITTED SIMILAR HARM. AND HOW
DO YOU HOW DO YOU GUYS, IDENTIFY
YOUR PARTICIPANTS? TO START, IN
OUR PROGRAM, WE WORK THROUGH
DIVERSION, AND SO WE GET
AGREEMENTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
TO, AGREE THAT ALL MISDEMEANORS
AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF
NONVIOLENT FELONIES WILL GET
DIVERTED INTO OUR PROGRAM,
THAT'S NOT TO SAY RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IS, AS WE'VE SAID, VERY
EFFECTIVE WITH VIOLENT
SITUATIONS AS WELL, THAT'S
BECAUSE OUR PROGRAM IS TIED TO
DIVERSION AS WELL. I WOULD SAY
THAT THOSE MINOR MISDEMEANORS
REALLY COULD BE DONE THROUGH A
COMMUNITY BASED RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PROCESS. OFTEN WITHOUT
POLICE CONTACT, AND SO THERE'S
AVENUES TO EXPAND EVEN ON THE
FRONT END BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO
SYSTEM CONTACT. OUR OUR VICTIM
OFFENDER DIALOG PROGRAM IS DONE
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE
OF VICTIM SERVICES AND SURVIVOR
RIGHTS, ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR, MORE
THAN HALF OF OUR REFERRALS HAVE
COME NOT THROUGH THEM. THEY COME
THROUGH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR
OWN FACILITATORS ARE WORKING IN
THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME. SO
THROUGH JUST OUR OWN NETWORKS OF
PEOPLE AND ALSO WE DO TRAININGS
FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND
PUBLIC DEFENDERS TO LET THEM
KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY
BECAUSE WE HAVE ISSUES ON BOTH
SIDES WITH THE DA'S, THEY
SOMETIMES, DON'T DON'T THINK
THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE OR DON'T SEE
HOW IT FITS IN. SO WE HAVE TO
MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY'RE NOT
SUBSTITUTING THEIR JUDGMENT FOR
THE NEEDS OF A SURVIVOR. AND
PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE SOMETIMES
WORRIED, AND WE LET THEM KNOW
THAT THIS PROCESS IS SEPARATE
FROM THE REST OF THE CRIMINAL
LEGAL SYSTEM. AND SO WE HAVE OUR
WORK TO DO TO KIND OF UNTANGLE
THIS PROCESS FROM FROM THOSE
SYSTEMS, SO WE BUT WE WANT
PEOPLE TO GET THE WORD OUT. AND
SO WE, WE, WE DO TRAININGS, ALL
THE TIME OF ALL AROUND THE STATE
FOR DIFFERENT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY
OFFICES AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS,
LAST QUESTION, WHAT CHALLENGES
HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED IN
IMPLEMENTING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
PROGRAMS AND HOW HAVE YOU
ADDRESSED THEM? ONE CHALLENGE WE
HAVE IS, WE REALLY OPERATE WITH
KIDS UNDER 18 BECAUSE OF LEGAL
PROTECTIONS. THERE'S A LACK OF
LEGAL PROTECTION AROUND
EVIDENTIARY PRIVILEGE FOR PEOPLE
OVER 18. ANYTHING THEY SAY IN A
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROCESS
COULD BE USED AGAINST THEM IN
COURT. AND THAT GETS US TO WHERE
WE CAN'T GET REALLY HONEST, IN
THAT PROCESS. SO WE'VE ELECTED
NOT TO DO THE PROCESS, IN A
DIVERSION CONTEXT BECAUSE WE
DON'T WANT TO PUT SOMEBODY OVER
18 AT RISK SO THAT LOCKS OUR
PROGRAM IN UNDER 18. SO WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT, LEGISLATIVE
PROTECTION AND EXPANSION. WELL,
I TRIED TO DO IT THIS YEAR, AND
I'M GOING TO TRY IT AGAIN,
BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO REALLY COME AND BE
HONEST. AND THEY CAN'T IF
THEY'RE AFRAID TO TELL THE
TRUTH. AND SO WE TRIED IT. WE'LL
TRY IT AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR
CHAMPIONING THAT. YES. I LIKE TO
POINT OUT I LIKE TO POINT OUT
ONE CHALLENGE THAT I FEEL THAT
WE HAVE IS, IS THAT, GETTING
INFORMATION OUT TO OUR CRIME
SURVIVORS? I FEEL THAT THAT, IN
THE COURT SYSTEM, IF THEY WERE
TO SAY, HEY, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE
HERE THAT THAT DO RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE, WE I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN
GROUPS OF JUST CRIME SURVIVORS
THAT COME TOGETHER. IT'S SUCH A
SAFE SPACE. THERE'S NO JUDGMENT.
EVERYBODY COMES. HOW THEY FEEL,
IF CRIME SURVIVORS COULD JUST
HAVE AN ACCESS TO HAVE THAT AND
GIVE THEM CHOICES, IF IT'S NOT
FOR THEM, IT'S NOT FOR THEM. BUT
BUT AT LEAST FOR THEM TO KNOW
AND TO BE INFORMED. SO I FEEL
THAT THAT'S JUST BEEN ONE
CHALLENGES FOR US IS GETTING
INFORMATION OUT OF RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE AND WHAT IT OFFERS.
THANK YOU. WE WILL. WELL, ONE
MORE I'M SORRY. I HAVE ONE MORE
QUESTION, WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN
PLACE TO PROTECT VULNERABLE
YOUTH AND VICTIMS DURING THE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SESSIONS,
THE PROCESS IS COMPLETELY
VOLUNTARY AND CONFIDENTIAL. SO
WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT AT ANY
POINT IN TIME, AND BOTH PEOPLE,
BOTH THE SURVIVOR AND THE PERSON
RESPONSIBLE, THAT THEY MAY END
THE PROCESS AT ANY TIME. IT'S
ALSO NOT A PART OF A
INCARCERATED PERSON'S FILE OR
PAROLE ANY. IT'S CUT OFF FROM
THAT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT
THE FOLKS WHO ARE SHOWING UP FOR
THIS PROCESS ARE SHOWING UP TO
CONNECT, TO SHARE, TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS, AND
NOT FOR OTHER REASONS. AND
THERE'S A LOT OF VETTING AND
CONVERSATION AHEAD OF TIME TO
HEAR HOW THEY'RE SEEING EACH
OTHER AND HOW THEY WANT TO COME
INTO THE SPACE. SO IF SOMEONE IS
STILL MAKING THREATS OR IN A
PLACE WHERE THEY'RE BEING
MANIPULATIVE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
BRING THEM TOGETHER. AND THERE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO
RESTORATIVE SORT OF SHUTTLE
DIPLOMACY, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
WE HAD A CRIME SURVIVOR WHO WAS
JUST REALLY SAYING A LOT OF
ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, AND WE KNEW
SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO
FOLLOW THE RULES. AND SO WE
STILL FOUND A WAY WHERE THE
YOUNG PERSON OFFERED TO STILL
PAY FOR THE DAMAGES AND MAKE
THINGS RIGHT, BUT INSTEAD OF
BRINGING THEM TOGETHER AND
SUBJECTING THE YOUNG PERSON TO
THE VERBAL ABUSE, AND THEY WERE
BOTH HAPPY WITH THAT RESULT.
THANK YOU. WELL, NOW WE WILL,
MOVE TO FIVE MINUTES OF PUBLIC
COMMENT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? WE'RE
GOING TO BRING THE MICROPHONE
AND STAND IN FRONT. AND WE HAVE
FIVE MINUTES FOR THIS PORTION.
AND PLEASE MAKE IT A QUESTION.
THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S
GOOD TO SEE YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR GATHERING
EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THIS
PANEL, ELDER JOE PAUL, PROMISE
ENTERPRISES LLC, THE QUESTION
IS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
SCALE OF WHAT THIS TAKES AND THE
DIVERSITY OF VICTIMS AND THE
DIVERSITY OF OFFENDERS, HOW DO
YOU INCORPORATE THIS INTO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM? BY REALLY,
TRULY ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO BE
A PART OF IT. HOW DOES THAT
HAPPEN? I'VE HEARD A LOT OF
ANECDOTAL SITUATIONS AND SOME
DATA THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH
YOU GUYS, BUT HOW DOES THAT
REALLY HAPPEN AT SCALE FROM THE
SENSE OF A PUBLIC SAFETY
PERSPECTIVE? THANK YOU, ELDER
JOE PAUL, I THINK THERE'S A
REALLY GOOD MODEL STARTING
AROUND THIS IN LA COUNTY, WHERE
AND, D.A. GASCON SPOKE TO IN THE
BAY AREA AS WELL, WHERE THERE
WERE THERE ARE, COUNTY
INVESTMENTS IN PROVIDING FUNDING
TO LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED
PROVIDERS THAT SPECIALIZE IN
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND THEN
CREATING THE PATHWAYS OUT OF THE
SYSTEM INTO THOSE PROVIDERS, AND
THEN REALLY LEAVING THEM TO DO
THE PROGRAMING. SO THE
PROGRAMING IS NOT CONTROLLED BY
THE SYSTEM ACTORS, BUT THE
SYSTEM ENTITIES DO DIVERT OUT TO
THOSE PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE
FUNDING. AND SO THAT IS, A WAY
THAT CAN REALLY BE SCALED OUT.
AND BEING AS NEIGHBORHOOD BASED
AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU HAVE
CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND
LOCALIZED TO LOCAL NEEDS
FUNDING. RIGHT. I'LL TAKE THAT
BACK. WE'RE PART OF THE TPW,
WHICH IS AN A COALITION OF OVER
100 IN PRISON PROVIDERS, AND IT
COSTS OVER $135,000 TO KEEP A
PERSON INCARCERATED. AND SO
WE'RE ASKING FOR 1% OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
BUDGETS TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK.
THAT'S THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE
WORK IN THE SYSTEM. AND SO IT IS
VERY LABOR INTENSIVE AND
EXPENSIVE WORK, BUT NOTHING
COMPARED TO WHAT CDCR PAYS FOR
INCARCERATION. ABSOLUTELY. WELL,
I WOULD LIKE TO END BEFORE I
CLOSE THIS SECTION. ANYONE ELSE
HAVE A QUESTION? AND THANK YOU
AND GOOD TO SEE YOU, ELDER JOE
PAUL. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR
COMING AND PARTICIPATING. I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOW WE MOVE TO OUR THIRD PANEL.
PART OF THIS HEARING, WE HAVE
JASON BRYAN, TIM KORNEGAY, AND
MIGUEL LUGO WHO WILL DISCUSS THE
SYSTEM IMPACTED PERSPECTIVE.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND PARTICIPATION TODAY. I
ALSO ASK THE PUBLIC TO BE
COURTEOUS AND NOT TO INTERRUPT
THIS PART OF THE HEARING. EACH
PERSON, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES, THE ORGANIZATION YOU
REPRESENT AND A BRIEF OVERVIEW
OF YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THE
SUBJECT. OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE
ANY MORE INFORMATION TO PROVIDE,
PLEASE DO SO. WELCOME AND YOU
MAY START. THANK YOU, GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, MY
NAME IS JASON BRYANT, AND I AM
THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS FOR THE
CROP ORGANIZATION, AS A YOUNG
MAN, I MADE A SERIES OF TERRIBLE
DECISIONS THAT RESULTED IN ME
RECEIVING A SENTENCE OF 26 YEARS
TO LIFE IN PRISON, AT 20 YEARS
OLD, UPON MY INCARCERATION, I
CAME TO THE SUDDEN REALIZATION
THAT MY DECISIONS DIDN'T ONLY
IMPACT MYSELF AND MY VICTIMS AND
MY COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO MY FAMILY.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE
THAT I ACTUALLY SAW MY FATHER
CRY ON THE DAY OF MY ARREST, AND
I MADE A DECISION TO, MAKE SOME
NEW CHOICES. I BEGAN TO PURSUE
MY EDUCATION, AND OVER THE
COURSE OF MY 20 YEARS OF
INCARCERATION, I EARNED A
BACHELOR'S DEGREE, TWO MASTER'S
DEGREES, AND BECAME A STATE
CERTIFIED DRUG AND ALCOHOL
COUNSELOR. I BEGAN TO USE MY
EDUCATION AS A TOOL TO GIVE BACK
TO MY COMMUNITY, MY INCARCERATED
COMMUNITY, AND HELP THEM IN
THEIR REHABILITATIVE JOURNEY,
WITH A SMALL GROUP OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALSO
CO-FOUNDERS OF CROP ORGANIZATION,
WE BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS
AROUND PERSONAL LEADERSHIP,
AROUND ESTABLISHING VISION FOR
THEMSELVES, WHAT IT MEANT TO
LIVE A RESPONSIBLE LIFE, TO LIVE
IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THEY SAY
IS MOST IMPORTANT. AND AS A
RESULT OF THIS WORK, WE ALSO,
STARTED A SCHOLARSHIP WHERE WE,
THE INCARCERATED POPULATION,
WHO, AS YOU KNOW, MAKES A LITTLE
OVER $0.11 AN HOUR, RAISED A
LITTLE OVER $32,000 TO SUPPORT A
DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN, IN THE
COMMUNITY, TO ATTEND A COLLEGE
PREPARATORY SCHOOL, I WAS A
RESULT OF THIS WORK INSIDE. IN
2020, GOVERNOR NEWSOM, COMMUTED
MY SENTENCE AND ORDERED MY
IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM
INCARCERATION, BACK IN THE
COMMUNITY, MYSELF AND THE
FOUNDERS, NOTICED THAT THERE
WERE SOME, SOME KEY DISTINCTIONS
OR NOT EVEN DISTINCTIONS, BUT
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE PRISON
SYSTEM AND THE REENTRY SYSTEM,
LARGELY GEARED TOWARDS
PUNISHMENT. THE SERVICES THAT
WERE PROVIDED IN THE REENTRY
SPACE WERE VERY SILOED. SO THE
FIVE OF US SAT AROUND A TABLE
WITH ABOUT 100 YEARS OF LIVED
EXPERIENCE BEHIND PRISON AND
SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT
REALLY TAKE TO CREATE A PROGRAM
THAT SUPPORTS AN INDIVIDUAL
COMING BACK TO SOCIETY IN A
HOLISTIC WAY, NOT ONLY WITH
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP, BUT WITH
JOB TRAINING, HOUSING SUPPORT
AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES? AND I'M
HAPPY TO SAY THAT IN 2021, WE
PARTNERED WITH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO LAUNCH A THREE
YEAR PILOT, FOR THE READY FOR
LIFE PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW
OPERATING IN BOTH OAKLAND AND
LOS ANGELES. AND, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE ASPIRATIONS TO INCREASE OUR
SERVICES IN LOS ANGELES WITH THE
HOUSING COMPONENT SPECIFICALLY
AND LAUNCH OPERATIONS IN
SACRAMENTO. WHILE I'M REALLY
PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THE LAST FEW YEARS
SUPPORTING SOME OF OUR, JUSTICE
INVOLVED, PARTICIPANTS, IT'S A
SMALL STEP IN A LONG, LONG ROAD
OF, LIKE, REAL RESTORATION FOR
THE WAY WE'RE REGARDING PEOPLE
WHO ARE COMING HOME FROM
INCARCERATION AND HOW WE'RE
PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THEM, I
KNOW FIRSTHAND, AFTER SPENDING
20 YEARS INSIDE THAT, THE
TRANSFORMATION IN MY LIFE, IT
DIDN'T COME FROM, YOU KNOW,
BEING LOCKED IN A CAGE. IT CAME
FROM HAVING PEOPLE AROUND ME WHO
BELIEVED IN ME, WHO SUPPORTED
ME. AND THE SAME IS TRUE OUT
HERE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER IN
THIS SPACE AND SHARE OUR
THOUGHTS. AND, AND, I JUST WANT
TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
AN OLD SAYING, IF YOU WANT TO GO
FAST, YOU GO ALONE. IF YOU WANT
TO GO FAR, YOU GO WITH OTHERS.
AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE
INVITATION TO GO FAR WITH THE
LEGISLATURE IN MAKING SOME
NECESSARY CHANGES AND BRINGING
REAL HEALING TO OUR COMMUNITY IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. JASON. MIGUEL
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS
TIME TO BE HERE. AND, SO I'VE
BEEN BOTH I'VE BEEN THE VICTIM
AND A VICTIMIZER. I'M A LIFER.
AT ONE TIME, I HAD LIFE IN
PRISON. AND, YES, MY LITTLE
BROTHER WAS MURDERED. AND WHEN
HE WAS MURDERED, AS PART OF THE
BEGINNING OF MY OF MY
TRANSFORMATION, WHEN I WALKED
INTO HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES. WE DO
HEALING IN DIFFERENT KIND OF
WAYS AT HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES. WE
DO HEALING CIRCLES AND WE GET
PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND I TAKE THEM
CAMPING. IF THEY DON'T GET
ALONG. WE GOT OVER 800 DIFFERENT
GANG MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT
GANGS IN THAT PLACE. AND, WE
FIGURE OUT HOW TO PLAY TOGETHER
IN THE SAME SANDBOX. THAT'S WHAT
I TELL THEM. MY JOB IS, SOME
PEOPLE CALL IT SECURITY, BUT MY
JOB IS COMMUNITY RELATIONS IS TO
STAY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE
FLOOR AND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH EVERY SINGLE GANG IN LA.
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH EVERY
SINGLE PERSON THAT WALKS IN
THROUGH OUR DOORS AND BE ABLE TO
TELL THEM THAT WE'RE HERE TO
HEAL, NOT TO, NOT TO. AND THAT'S
THE HONEST TRUTH. I CAN'T SIT
HERE AND GIVE YOU A I HAD
WRITTEN DOWN A WHOLE BUNCH OF
STUFF, BUT I CAME IN, I LEFT IT
ALL IN MY PHONE, AND I LEFT MY
PHONE BEHIND SO I WOULDN'T LOOK
AT IT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, I USED TO
THINK THERAPY WAS FOR WHITE
PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS. AND I WALKED
INTO HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES AND THEY
INTRODUCED ME TO THERAPY. I'VE
BEEN IN THERAPY NOW FOR NINE
YEARS, AND, IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE
AND IT HAS SAVED MY FAMILY
RELATIONSHIPS. I'M ABLE TO GO
BACK INTO MY COMMUNITY, THE SAME
COMMUNITY THAT I HELPED DESTROY
TO HELP REBUILD. AND THAT'S WHAT
THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING IS THEY
ARE NEEDED IN A IN IN ANYTHING
THAT HAS TO DO WITH, HEALING.
IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HELP
DESTROY THE COMMUNITY, THE SAME
PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO HELP REBUILD
IT. WE BURNED IT DOWN. WE HAVE
TO REBUILD IT TOGETHER. AND, A
LOT OF TIMES, AS WE, START
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND, AND WE
FORGET ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE THERE,
THAT'S PART OF THEIR HEALING.
THAT'S PART OF OUR WALK. WE HAVE
TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE
KIDS AND TO THE YOUNGER MEN AND
SAY, HEY, I FELT THIS PAIN. YOU
DON'T WANT TO FEEL THAT. AND I
AND I ALWAYS I HAVE TO HAVE I
GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
I HAD OTHER JOB OFFERS IN
DIFFERENT PLACES. AND, I SAID,
NAH, I'M HERE BECAUSE I TOOK SO
MUCH. I HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE AND
I HEARD MY FAMILY MOST OF ALL.
AND I KNOW IN THE PROCESS OF
HEALING, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
SEE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. THE,
WHEN I FIRST TOOK THE CLASS, I
THOUGHT IT WAS, I WAS I WAS
STILL ANGRY. SO HURT PEOPLE.
HURT PEOPLE. SO WHEN I FIRST
TOOK THE CLASS, I REMEMBER
SAYING, WHAT IS THIS GOING TO DO
WHEN I SEE MY VICTIM IN FRONT OF
ME? I SAID, OH MY GOD, LIKE, I
JUST WANTED TO CRY. AND I WENT
INTO THE BATHROOM AND DID AND,
BEING ABLE TO SEE HIM AND
TALKING TO THEM AND BEING ABLE
TO HEAL WITH THEM AND TELL THEM
THAT WAS JUST THE LAST KID THAT
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
THAT WAS JUST SOMEBODY IN PAIN.
THEY TOOK SOMEBODY FROM ME. I
WANTED TO TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE. I
WAS IN SOMEBODY IN PAIN WILL
BRING PAIN. AND BEING ABLE TO,
SIT THERE AND TALK ABOUT OUR
PAIN AND BEING ABLE TO SAY, HEY,
I'M SORRY. AND THEN WHEN IT WAS
MY TURN, WHEN MY LITTLE BROTHER,
OH, MY GOD, IT WAS, IT WAS
PAINFUL BECAUSE I COME FROM A
PLACE OF VIOLENCE THAT YOU DO TO
ME. I'M GOING TO DO DOUBLE TO
YOU AND TO GO WORK FOR A PRIEST
AND SAY, NO, NO, WE DON'T DO
THAT. WE'RE ALL ABOUT KINSHIP,
LOVE. AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
NONE OF THAT. AND SO I STARTED
LIVING IT. AND NOW WHEN I'M
LIVING AND I'M ABLE TO SAY. AND
TAKING MY MOM INTO THAT ROOM AND
SEEING THE BREAKDOWN OF HER KID
BEING KILLED AND SEEING THAT
THOSE THOSE ARE THE MOMENTS
WHERE I COME TO PLACES LIKE THIS
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I'M DOING,
I'LL BE HERE. YOU CALL, I'LL BE
THERE BECAUSE IT'S SEEING MY MOM,
JUST GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF
PEACE AFTER SEEING HER CRYING IN
HER ROOM FOR HOURS. THOSE ARE
THOSE THOSE MOMENTS THAT COUNT
BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD,
BEING ABLE TO BE IN A IN
RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER,
BEING ABLE TO BE OURSELVES. AND
I MAY JUST GO INTO HOMEBOY
INDUSTRIES REAL QUICK BECAUSE I
KNOW WE'RE ON TIME AND I'M GONNA
STAY AT HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES
RUNNING HEALING CIRCLES. WE TAKE
KIDS CAMPING TOGETHER FROM
DIFFERENT GANGS, AND I PUT THEM
IN THE SAME TENT. WE HAD A
FATHER. GREG HAS BEEN DOING THIS
FOR YEARS, TAKING THEM AND,
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT AND PUT HIM
IN A HOTEL ROOM. HE DID THAT TO
ME WHEN I FIRST GOT OUT OF
PRISON, PUT ME WITH A RIVAL GANG
MEMBER AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO
GO TALK IN SAN FRANCISCO. AND I
THOUGHT IT WAS JUST I GOT A FREE
TRIP. NO, IT WAS IT WAS A MOMENT
TO SEE THAT GUY TAKE OFF HIS
SHIRT AND SEE ALL THOSE TATTOOS
OF MY RIVAL GANG MEMBER AND
SAID, OH, WHOA. AND ME AND YOU
GOING TO TALK TOMORROW ABOUT
HEALING THAT WAS A MOMENT. AND
THOSE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT YOU
SEE AT HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES EVERY
DAY, IT'S DIFFERENT MAGIC THAT
HAPPENS THERE. AND I'M NOT HERE
TO SELL YOU HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES.
I'M NOT HERE TO DO ANY OF THAT.
I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU MY
FACTS AND MY TRUTH, BECAUSE I
WAS ONCE TOLD ONE OF MY FRIENDS,
TRUTH TO POWER WILL BE THE BEST
WAY TO GET THROUGH. THROUGH
THIS, THROUGH THESE CHANGES THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. AND,
AND ORGANIZING, BEING ONE OF THE
WAYS THAT I'VE BEEN BEEN ABLE TO
DO THAT, BEING ABLE TO BRING
PEOPLE BACK TOGETHER AND SAYING
LIKE, NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO HURT
EACH OTHER. AND I JUST WANT TO
SAY, THANK YOU FOR THIS MOMENT.
AND I ALWAYS WANT TO TELL YOU
THAT, ANYTHING THAT COULD CHANGE
THE PERSPECTIVE OF A YOUNG MAN,
ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP OPEN
THE DOOR INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM
IN A CAGE. CAGE HAS NEVER
HELPED. I'VE BEEN IN JUVENILE
HALLS SINCE I WAS NINE YEARS
OLD. THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN
JUVENILE HALL, AND SO I ENDED UP
IN PRISON. SO CAGE JUST NEVER
HELPED ME. PLACES LIKE THAT,
WHERE THEY KEPT ME AWAY FROM MY
FAMILY, NEVER HELPED ME. I
SPENT, WHEN I WAS IN THE SHU IN
PELICAN BAY I SPENT EIGHT YEARS
WITH. I EVEN SEEN ONE FAMILY
MEMBER AND, TO GET OUT AND HEAL
AND BE ABLE TO BE A DAD TODAY.
TODAY IS. THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
THIS IS LIFE. THIS IS FREEDOM.
NOW I LEARN HOW TO LIVE, NOT HOW
TO SURVIVE. AND THANKS TO ALL
THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
MADE IT AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN
THE POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE THAT
HAS CHANGED THE LAWS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR THOSE
FOR THE TAKING YOUR TIME FOR
THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, TIM. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMAN MCKENNA, WILL AND
TERRY, FOR HAVING THE
WHEREWITHAL TO BRING SOMETHING
LIKE THIS, TO THE FOREFRONT
BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT, OH,
LET ME SAY MY NAME. MY NAME IS
TIM KORNEGAY, AND I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF LIVE FREE
CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS 20 BLACK
LED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ALL DOING
SOME DEGREE OF SOCIAL WORK. BUT
I'M ALSO THE CO-DIRECTOR FOR THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CEASEFIRE
COMMITTEE, WHICH EVERY WEDNESDAY
IS A SPACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO
HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR HARM
OR IN THE SAME SPACE WITH THOSE
WHO HAVE, WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF
HARM, AND THIS IS A SPACE WHERE
I LEARNED THAT I WAS A SURVIVOR
OF SOME DEGREE OF HARM. BUT WHEN
YOU'RE LIVING A PARTICULAR
LIFESTYLE AND YOU'RE THE
RECIPIENT OF SOME DEGREE OF
VIOLENCE, YOU ACCEPT IT BECAUSE
YOU THINK IT'S A JUST AN
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD BECAUSE OF
THE LIFE YOU LIVE AND YOU HOLD
YOURSELF RESPONSIBLE. SO I THINK
THERE'S A LEVEL OF RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE THAT SHOULD HAND
INDIVIDUALS LIKE MYSELF AND
OTHERS. BRIAN MIGUEL, THEIR
HUMANITY BACK AND UNDERSTAND
THAT THESE ACTS THAT TAKE PLACE
ARE BIRTHED IN THE MIND OF
CHILDREN THAT DON'T EVEN
UNDERSTAND THEIR TRAJECTORY,
THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THEMSELVES
ON. MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE
DEGREE OF VIOLENCE WAS WHEN I
WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, AND SOMEONE
KILLED ONE OF MY MOM'S FRIEND'S
CHILD, AND IT FRIGHTENED ME TO
THE DEGREE. AT FIVE YEARS OLD, I
COULDN'T WAIT TO GROW UP AND GET
A GUN. NOT BECAUSE I WANTED TO
HARM FOLKS, BUT BECAUSE I WANTED
TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM SOMETHING
LIKE THAT HAPPENING. AND WHAT
YOU FIND IN SITUATIONS WITH
FOLKS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS, THEY HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED
AT EARLY AGES, AND OFTENTIMES
THEY ACT IN A MANNER BECAUSE
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR
HUMANITY IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN
LOST TO A BEHAVIOR THAT THEY
EXPERIENCED AS CHILDREN. WE NEED
TO HAVE A DEFINITION OF WHAT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS BECAUSE
IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO
DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT
TIMES. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO
THE COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT THAN
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO THE COURT
SYSTEM AND THE SYSTEMIC
APPLICATION OF IT, AND IT NEEDS
TO BE REVISITED AND REARRANGED
AND HAVE A PREVENTIVE ELEMENT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE INVESTMENT IN
SURVIVORS AND THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY THE
EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE BEEN
THROUGH TO KEEP THEM FROM
ENTERING JUVENILE HALL AT NINE
YEARS OLD, OR FOR GETTING 22
YEAR SENTENCES FOR COMMITTING
CRIMES AND MAKING DECISIONS THAT
ARE INSTANTANEOUS, THAT YOU
DON'T REALIZE THE DIRECT
CONSEQUENCES. I THINK THAT THIS
IS IMPORTANT, BUT WE MUST
REALIZE THAT THE SURVIVORS OF
THESE CRIMES, THEY NEED HELP.
THEY NEED THERAPY AS MIGUEL HAS
SAID, THERE NEEDS TO BE
INVESTMENT IN THAT BECAUSE
THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS
WHO ARE QUESTIONING WHY THEY
WERE HARMED, WHO THINK THAT IF I
HAD NOT WENT TO THIS PARTICULAR
PLACE, IF I HAD NOT MADE THIS
DECISION, AND NO ONE SHOULD HAVE
TO WALK AROUND CARRYING SUCH A
BURDEN, FEELING LIKE THEY'RE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN HARM
SYSTEMICALLY, THE JUDGES THAT
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SOME OF THESE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES
NEED TO BE TRAINED ON THE VALUE
OF IT, BECAUSE THEY ARE ENTERING
INTO THE SPACE WITH THE LOCK
THEM UP MINDSET, AND HAVE TO BE
CONVINCED OF THE VALUE OF WHEN
THEY'RE IN THAT POSITION, THEY
SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT MAKES BOTH SURVIVOR OF
VIOLENCE, OF CRIME, AND THOSE
WHO ARE PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE
A CRIME TO GIVE THEM THEIR
HUMANITY BACK, TO PUT FOLKS IN
THE SPACE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO
APOLOGIZE ACROSS THE TABLE FROM
SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN HARMED,
WHICH IS REALLY A HARD THING TO
DO. AND I SEE IT FREQUENTLY
EVERY WEDNESDAY WHERE SOMEONE
WHO HAS LOST THEIR CHILDREN.
THERE ARE FOLKS IN OUR SPACE WHO
HAVE LOST ALL THEIR CHILDREN TO
VIOLENCE, AND THEY HAVE TO SIT
ACROSS THE TABLE WHEN THEY DON'T
HAVE TO, BUT THEY CHOOSE TO WITH
WITH FOLKS THAT THEY KNOW MAY
HAVE BEEN PERPETRATORS OF
VIOLENCE, AND THEY ARE ONLY ABLE
TO DO THAT THROUGH A LEVEL OF
FORGIVENESS. BUT HOW DO YOU DO
THAT JOURNEY WITHOUT HELP? THERE
ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN
LUCKY, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF
FOLKS THAT NEED SUPPORT. AND IN
A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SPACE, IN
MY OPINION, THERE NEEDS TO BE
INVESTMENT IN THE SURVIVORS. AT
SOME LEVEL. THE STATE HAS TO
STEP OUT OF THE WAY AND LET
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED STEP
UP AND BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR CREATING THIS
SPACE. THANK YOU GUYS. SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR
COMING AND SHARING THIS WITH US
AND BEING BRAVE ENOUGH TO TALK
ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES, I HEARD
A COUPLE OF THINGS, WE'RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE READY FOR LIFE
PROGRAM. WHAT YEAR DID IT START?
BECAUSE THAT'S YOU SAID IT'S A
THREE YEAR PROGRAM AND WE DON'T
WANT TO. THIS IS SOMETHING MAYBE
WE COULD DO NEXT YEAR TO MAKE
SURE IT DOESN'T EXPIRE. YES. AND
THEN WE HAD ANOTHER QUESTION,
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT THE
READY FOR LIFE PROGRAM IS AND
THE WORK THAT IT, THAT IT DOES.
ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ENTERED INTO A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA IN 2021. WE LAUNCHED
OUR FIRST COHORT IN THE SPRING
OF 2022, WE ARE CURRENTLY
GETTING READY TO LAUNCH OUR
FOURTH COHORT IN LOS ANGELES,
WHICH IS A VIRTUAL SERVICE
PROGRAM, AND OUR THIRD COHORT IN
THE BAY AREA, WHICH IS AN
IN-PERSON, FULL SERVICE WITH
HOUSING AS WELL AS TRAINING. IN
OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S
WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT, WE'VE
SERVED A LITTLE OVER 170,
FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE,
OUR TARGET IS, APPROXIMATELY 390
OVER THE COURSE OF THE, CONTRACT
WITH THE STATE, THE PROGRAM IS A
YEAR LONG PROGRAM THAT CONSISTS
OF FOUR PILLARS PERSONAL
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. SO
HELPING PEOPLE COMING WHO ARE
COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION,
UNPACK THE LIMITING BELIEF
SYSTEM AND UNDERSTAND
ESSENTIALLY, IF IT'S MEANT TO
BE. IT'S UP TO ME HOW TO BE
RESPONSIBLE, HOW TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE, HOW TO BE A
CONTRIBUTOR TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH
DIGITAL LITERACY AND FINANCIAL
WELLNESS. IN THIS FIRST THREE
MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM, THE
SECOND PART OF THE PROGRAM, WE
CALL IT UPSKILLING, WHERE WE
PROVIDE THEM MARKET, MARKET
DRIVEN, LIVABLE WAGE TRAINING IN
CAREERS WHILE WE SIMULTANEOUSLY
WORK WITH PARTNERS TO GET THEM
EMPLOYED UPON COMPLETION OF THE
PROGRAM, THE THIRD PILLAR OF THE
PROGRAM, WE CALL IT, EQUIPPED
FOR LIFE, WHERE WE PROVIDE THEM
WITH THE EMPLOYMENT SKILLS THEY
NEED. SO HOW TO DO A RESUME, HOW
TO CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW, THINGS
OF THAT NATURE. HOW TO ESTABLISH
A SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE ON
LINKEDIN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A
LOT OF WORK IS DONE THESE DAYS.
AND THE FOURTH PILLAR OF THE
PROGRAM, WHICH WE CALL HOME FOR
LIFE, IS WHERE OUR REENTRY TEAM
WORKS WITH THEM AND WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO FIND
PERMANENT HOUSING. UPON
COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, WE
PAY THE PARTICIPANTS $1,000 A
MONTH STIPEND TO TAKE OFF SOME
OF THE CHEAT OF LIVING, BECAUSE
IT IS A VERY INTENSIVE PROGRAM,
MOST RECENTLY, WE LAUNCHED A
PROGRAM WITH THE EYE ON THE
TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY, TECH AND
TECH ADJACENT, AND WE ARE
CURRENTLY DOING A MARKET
ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE SERVING ALL, ALL OF THE
NEEDS OF NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY,
BUT PEOPLE COMING OUT OF
INCARCERATION WHO DON'T
NECESSARILY WANT TO SIT BEHIND A
DESK AND CLICK AWAY AT A
COMPUTER ALL DAY. THANK YOU, YOU
SAID THREE YEARS. SO THIS
PROGRAM MIGHT BE COMING UP TO
EXPIRE. YES, WE HAVE WE HAVE A
LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND SOME
CHANGE LEFT, TO FULFILL THE
CONTRACT. AND YES, SO THAT THAT
THAT'S ONE THING WE COULD PUT ON
OUR LIST IS LOOKING AT HOW WE
CAN GO BACK AND EXPAND THAT. THE
SECOND THING I HEARD WAS ABOUT
THERAPY AND SERVICES. SO,
MIGUEL, YOU RECEIVED SERVICES
FROM HOMEBOY INDUSTRY, NOT FROM
THE GOVERNMENT. SO ARE THERE ANY
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS. ARE
THERE ANY PROGRAMS THAT THE
GOVERNMENT PROVIDES WHEN YOU
COME OUT FOR THERAPY OR INSIDE
FOR THERAPY, ANY THERAPY
SERVICES? WELL, FIRST OF ALL,
YOU HAVE TO GET THE PERSON TO
THERAPY AND TO UNDERSTAND THE
THERAPY IS GOING TO HELP THEM.
IT'S LIKE I SAID, FOR ME, WHEN I
FIRST GOT OUT OF PRISON, I SAID,
NO, NO, NO, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
OUR PROBLEMS. SO IT'S ABOUT
CREATING A SAFE, ENVIRONMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT HOMELESS HAS
DONE. THAT'S WHAT WE GOT OVER
10,000, PEOPLE COMING IN EVERY,
EVERY, EVERY DAY THROUGH THE
DOORS, EVERY YEAR, 10,000 PEOPLE
COMING IN TO SEE WHAT KIND OF
SERVICES THEY NEED. AS WE WALK
IN THROUGH THE DOORS, WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT WE NEED. WE JUST KNOW
WE JUST GOT OUT OF PRISON. WE
NEED HELP. AND, THERAPY IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT THAT REALLY
PUSH ON YOU, LIKE, HEY, YOU
MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY
ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS, AND THEN IT
BECOMES A NORMAL THING. NOW AT
HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES HAS BECAME
NORMAL FOR PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY TO SAY, HEY, HOW CAN I
GET INTO THERAPY? HOW CAN HOW
CAN I, HOW CAN I GET SOME HELP
AND TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT MY
PROBLEMS? BUT IT ALSO TAKES A
CULTURE. IT'S A CULTURE. CHANGE
IS A SWITCH, IS A SWITCH THAT WE
HAVE TO HIT IN OUR COMMUNITY TO
BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE KIND OF,
SERVICES BECAUSE, WE'RE NEVER
ABOUT THERAPY IN, IN PRISON. WE
DON'T TALK ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS.
WE LEAVE THAT IN R&R. AND THE
WAY IN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND THEN SO
YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE
AS A CULTURE IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AS A
CULTURE OF SAYING, HEY, IT'S
HELP HERE AND KNOW I'M A PAROLE
OFFICER. I ASKED HIM FOR, FOR
THERAPY, AND I ASKED HIM FOR
DIFFERENT THINGS, THAT I NEEDED
HELP. HE TOLD ME TO GO FIND A
CHURCH. THAT'S WHAT MY PAROLE
OFFICER TOLD ME. AND, SO I DID.
I WENT AND FOUND THE PRIEST, YOU
KNOW, AND, AND THAT THAT WAS
JUST SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT
THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
MANY THINGS ARE PROBABLY OUT
THERE, BUT THEY DON'T OFFER
THEM, LIKE EVEN EVEN HOUSING AND
THINGS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE
GETTING OUT ON PAROLE, LIKE THEY
GOT THE, THE, THE SYSTEM, BUT
THEY DON'T OFFER IT TO PEOPLE
WHEN THEY GET OUT. SO WE HAVE TO
GO SEARCHING FOR IT. IT'S A LOT
OF THINGS THAT THEY KEEP, IN
THEIR BUDGET, THANK YOU. MIGUEL.
FOR US, FOR ALL OF US, FOR
AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKS, TOO. WE
DON'T TALK ABOUT THERAPY. IT'S
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOUR LITTLE BOY
STARTS CRYING AND THEY USED TO
SAY, WELL, DRY YOUR TEARS UP AND
DON'T CRY. SUCK IT UP. WELL, WE
ALL NEED A LITTLE THERAPY. WE
HAD TO ALL LEARN IN OUR CULTURE
THAT HAVING THERAPY IS OKAY, BUT
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT AT FROM
THE GOVERNMENT, FROM THE STATE.
WE'RE NOT PROVIDING THAT
THERAPY, MY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO
IN MY TEN YEARS IS MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING OUT,
THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE THE SERVICES THEY NEED
TO MOVE ON. AND SO IT LOOKS LIKE
THERAPY, GUYS, IS ONE OF THE
ISSUES WE WILL TACKLE, ONE LAST
QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU, HOW
HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO FORGIVE
OTHERS AND HOW HAVE YOU BEEN
ABLE TO FORGIVE YOURSELVES? SO
FOR MYSELF, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, YOU
KNOW, I WAS ONE OF THREE
CO-DEFENDANTS. AS I SHARED, I
WAS SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS TO
LIFE FOR FIRST DEGREE MURDER,
FOR BEING A PART OF A CRIME, I
DIDN'T ACTUALLY COMMIT THE
MURDER, SO THERE WAS A LONG
PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS OF MY
CO-DEFENDANTS AND MYSELF. ONE ON
FOR MY CO-DEFENDANTS
UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WASN'T
THEIR DECISION TO GO, IT WAS
MINE. AND FORGIVING THEM FOR
BEING HUMAN AND MAKING TERRIBLE
CHOICES. FORGIVENESS FOR MYSELF
WAS ANOTHER LONG PROCESS, THERE
WERE SEVERAL YEARS OF
INCARCERATION WHERE I WENT INTO
KIND OF A VERY, DARK PLACE IN MY
MIND AFTER MY FATHER PASSED
AWAY, ACTUALLY. AND I WAS
UNWILLING TO TOUCH THE PAIN
BECAUSE WHAT I CAME TO REALIZE
INSIDE, WHEN MY DAD DIED IN 2002
WAS THAT YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS HE
LOVED ME AND CARED FOR ME, HE
HAD NEVER GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SEE ME DO ANYTHING GOOD WITH
MY LIFE. AND HE WAS GONE, SO I
HAD TO DO A DEEP PROCESS OF
MOURNING, GRIEVING, AND COMING
TO THE REALIZATION THAT THE BEST
WAY TO HONOR HIM WAS TO LIVE A
LIFE IN AMENDS, FOR THE
BEHAVIORS THAT I HAD, YOU KNOW,
HARMED THE COMMUNITY WITH
DEVASTATED MY VICTIMS WITH LIKE,
I CAN'T I CANNOT BRING BACK MY
VICTIM, BUT I CAN LIVE A LIFE
THAT IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE
BEHAVIORS THAT I CONTRIBUTED AT
THE OUTCOMES THAT I CONTRIBUTED
TO IN 1999. AND IT'S ALSO THE
BEST WAY TO HONOR MY DAD AND MY
TWO SMALL BOYS. DIGGING DEEP IN
THERAPY, DIGGING, DIGGING AND
FINDING OUT WHY WHEN, WHEN IT
BECAME OKAY TO HARM SOMEBODY
ELSE IN MY LIFE. WHEN IT BECAME
OKAY FOR, FOR SOMEBODY ELSE'S
LIFE. NOT TO MATTER OR FOR MY
OWN LIFE. NOT TO MATTER. START
LOVING MYSELF. START RESPECTING
MYSELF. FINDING A SELF. A
PURPOSE. AND, BECAUSE WITHOUT A
PURPOSE, YOU JUST OUT THERE IN
THE WORLD. AND THEN NOTHING
REALLY MATTERS. AND THAT'S HOW A
GANG MEMBERS RECRUIT. I WAS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST RECRUITERS IN MY
GANG. THEY DON'T GOT A PURPOSE.
WE GIVE THEM A PURPOSE. AND IT'S
THE SAME THING. AND THE WHAT? WE
SAY, THE LEGIT LIFE. NOW FIND A
PURPOSE IN IN THE PURPOSE IS TO
BE COMING OVER HERE AND SHARING
THE MESSAGE OF THERAPY, SHARING
THAT I'M ABLE TO HEAL, I'M ABLE
TO TOUCH MY WOUNDS WITHOUT
TOUCHING THOSE WOUNDS. I CANNOT
MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT DIGGING
INTO THEM AND SAYING, WHAT GOT
ME THERE? WHAT? WHAT MADE ME SAY
IT WAS OKAY TO BECOME A GANG
MEMBER? WHAT MADE ME SAY IT WAS
OKAY TO HARM MYSELF AND OTHERS
AND MY FAMILY? MOST OF ALL. A
LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
THE PEOPLE WE HARM IN THE
OUTSKIRTS, WHICH IS GRANDMA AND
EVERYBODY ELSE. THEY WANTED YOU
TO BECOME THE GOOD LITTLE MEMBER
OF SOCIETY, THAT SOMEHOW, SOME
WAY, THEY HAD TO SEE YOU WALKING
IN AND CHANGE INTO A HOLDING
CELL LIKE THAT. I NEED TO GO
BACK AND REALLY FEEL THIS AND
CRY AND TALK TO MY THERAPIST AND
TELL MY THERAPIST, I DON'T WANT
YOU TO BE MY THERAPIST NO MORE.
WE DIGGING TOO DEEP, YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M SAYING? WE DIGGING TOO
DEEP. AND IT'S THAT TYPE OF
THING THAT THE HEALING PART
COMES WITH PAIN. WE HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO TOUCH OUR PAIN, TO BE
ABLE TO HEAL FROM OUR PAIN. AND
THAT'S WHAT I HAD LEARNED AT
HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES THAT THEY
THEY ALWAYS SAY, HEY, STABILITY
BEFORE MOBILITY. BUT STABILITY
ALSO COMES IN HERE. IF YOU'RE
NOT STABLE IN THE HEART AND THE
MIND, THEN YOU CAN'T MOVE
FORWARD. YOU CAN'T OFFER PEOPLE
BOOTS IN A JOB, BUT IF THEY'RE
NOT HEALED, THEY CANNOT GO OUT
THERE AND PERFORM THAT JOB. I
SEEN GUYS GO GET A UNION JOB AND
LOSE THEIR JOB BECAUSE SOMEBODY
SAY SOMETHING AND THEY WANT TO
CALL THEM OUT LIKE THEY'RE IN
THE HOOD. LIKE, NO, YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO SOCIETY AND FIGHTING
SOMEBODY. YOU HAVE TO HEAL. AND
THAT'S THE THING AT HOMEBOYS,
BEFORE WE USED TO GIVE PEOPLE
JOBS, IT WAS JOBS FOR A FUTURE.
TODAY WE KEEP PEOPLE HEALING
FIRST BEFORE OUR JOB. SO IF YOU
DON'T HEAL, YOU CAN'T MOVE
FORWARD. AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST
THING THAT I LEARNED IN MY IN MY
JOURNEY. WHAT, WHEN YOU'RE SENT
ON ONE OF THOSE NO OFFENSE TO
ANY OF YOU, STATE SPONSORED
VACATIONS WHERE YOU DON'T GET TO
COME HOME FOR A WHILE, THEIR
IDEA OF THERAPY IS PILLS. IF YOU
SAY YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
SUFFERING, YOU'RE SOMETHING.
SUFFERING THEY'LL GIVE YOU A
THERAPIST AND A THERAPIST WILL
RECOMMEND SOME DEGREE OF HIGH
POWERED NARCOTIC, OR YOU'LL JUST
BE, LOST AND WALKING AROUND,
LIKE, DETACHED FROM WHAT YOU'RE
GOING THROUGH. SO FOR ME, IN THE
FORGIVENESS SPACE, I DIDN'T WANT
TO TAKE ANY PILLS. SO I JUST
STARTED STUDYING WHAT THERAPISTS
DO. AND THROUGH THAT STUDY, I
REALIZED THAT I BECAME THE
PERSON I WAS BASED ON THE
DECISION OF A FIVE YEAR OLD KID
THAT WAS ANGRY AT SOMETHING. BUT
I WAS 42 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME,
SO WHAT I NEEDED TO DO WAS
RECONNECT WITH THAT DECISION AND
FORGIVE THE FIVE YEAR OLD FOR
THAT. THE CHOICE THAT WAS MADE
AND WORK FORWARD FROM THAT
POINT. KNOWING THAT I HAD TO
CHANGE. SO EVERY DAY FOR ME IN
THAT SPACE WAS A DEGREE OF
THERAPY, BECAUSE CHANGE IS THE
HARDEST IN THERE. BUT I, I
RECOGNIZE THAT IF I COULD DO IT
BEFORE I GOT PHYSICALLY FREE, IT
WOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFICULT FOR
ME TO DO IT WHEN I ACTUALLY GOT
OUT. SO WHAT I DID WAS THAT AND
KNOWING WHEN I GOT FREE WAS JUST
TO DEDICATE MYSELF TO A LIFE OF
SERVICE, TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE
AND SOME DEGREE OF EXAMPLE OF
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE RIGHT
TOOLS, WHAT YOU CAN DO ONCE YOU
GAIN THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS,
BUT NEVER LOSE TRACK OF THE FACT
THAT FORGIVENESS IS AN EVERYDAY
EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE WAKE UP,
OR AT LEAST BE C¢M AND I
STATEMENTS. I WAKE UP WITH A
RECOLLECTION OF WHO I WAS
KNOWING THAT MOVING, I HAVE TO
FORGIVE MYSELF AND TO MOVE
FORWARD JUST TO CONTINUE TO DO
THINGS AND BE THE BEST EXAMPLE
OF TRANSFORMATION. SO OTHERS
LIKE ME, WHO ARE LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO SEE, WHO ARE
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO HOLD ON
TO, WE'LL HAVE THAT. THANK YOU
GUYS SO MUCH FOR SHARING. IS
THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
FROM THE AUDIENCE BEFORE WE MOVE
FORWARD, PLEASE? ELDER JOE PAUL
AGAIN, JUST FIRST OF ALL, TO SEE
THESE GENTLEMEN AND THE JOURNEYS
THEY'VE BEEN ON. IT'S JUST
REMARKABLE. AND I APPRECIATE
EACH ONE OF YOUR TESTIMONIES. I
THINK TO TIM CARNEGIE'S POINT,
THE QUESTION IS THE PROCESS OF
HAVING THESE LIVED EXPERIENCES,
HAVING THESE MEMORIES, AND THEN
FIGURING OUT THERE'S AN
ALTERNATIVE WAY, HOW DO WE
AGAIN, IN A PUBLIC SCALE, HELP
TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS TO TAP
INTO THAT FIVE YEAR OLD THAT
MADE A DECISION THAT NEEDED TO
BE RECONCILED, TO ANSWER THAT, I
THINK THE FIRST THING THAT WE
SHOULD DO IS LET IS LET FOLKS
KNOW THAT IT'S OKAY, THAT WE
SHOULD NOT BE CONCRETIZED AT THE
MOMENT OF OUR WORST MISTAKES,
AND THAT YOU CAN BECOME
DIFFERENT, THAT IF YOU ARE
ALLOWED TO FORGIVE YOURSELF AND
BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT'S A
CONTRIBUTOR IN A POSITIVE
MANNER, INSTEAD OF SOMEONE THAT
TAKES AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY
THAT YOU'RE IN. I THINK THAT'S
THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY,
BUT A LOT OF US ARE JUST LOOKING
FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY THAT, HEY,
IT'S OKAY NOT TO BE LIKE THAT
BECAUSE THE TERM HAS BEEN USED A
LOT UP HERE. CULTURE. CULTURE
HAS INFUSED US INTO BELIEF THAT
WE HAVE TO CARRY ON A CERTAIN
WAY BECAUSE WE COME FROM A
CERTAIN PLACE AT A CERTAIN TIME
IS TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GIVE FOLKS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
DETACH AND SAY IT'S OKAY IF YOU
WANT TO CHANGE AND PUT A SUPPORT
SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT THEY CAN
ATTACH THEMSELVES TO IN ORDER TO
CONTINUE THE JOURNEY FORWARD IN
A POSITIVE MANNER, CAN I CAN I
ADD SOMETHING? YES. SO THAT WAS
AWESOME. THANK YOU. AND, YOU
KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
I'VE NOTICED THROUGH MY LIVED
EXPERIENCE IS THAT HE WAS
SPEAKING ABOUT IT VERY WELL.
LIKE, PEOPLE NEED A PURPOSE. AND
PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE
DOING IS LIKE, IT'S AN INTENSIVE
PROGRAM. BUT WHEN PEOPLE INSIDE
ARE HEARING ABOUT WHAT JASON OR
MIGUEL OR, OR WHOEVER THAT THEY
KNEW IS OUT HERE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND DOING WELL, THEY
BEGIN INSIDE TO DO THE HARD WORK
OF REHABILITATION, BECAUSE IF IT
CAN HAPPEN FOR HIM, IT CAN
HAPPEN FOR ME. IF IT CAN HAPPEN
FOR HER, IT CAN HAPPEN FOR ME.
SO, AND TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW,
I SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY
EDUCATION WHEN THE GOVERNOR
COMMUTED MY SENTENCE AND ORDERED
MY IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE NEXT
DAY, I CALLED MY OLD SALLY, OR
HE CALLED ME AND, HE TOLD ME
THAT THE, THE ENROLLMENT IN
COLLEGE WENT UP 300%. THE NEXT
DAY, THE NEXT DAY AT THE
INSTITUTION. SO WHEN WE SHOW
THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY WHO ARE COMING FROM
THE SAME SITUATION AND ARE
SUCCEEDING, IT PLANTS THE SEED
AND IT AND IT GIVES THE
INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO BEGIN
LOOKING INSIDE AND SAYING, OKAY,
IT CAN. SOMETHING ELSE IS
POSSIBLE FOR ME. YES I JUST WANT
TO. WELL, WE DON'T. OKAY WOW.
IT'S JUST WE JUST NEED A SAFE
PLACE. THAT'S IT. OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS HAVEN'T BEEN SAFE
FOR A LONG TIME FROM THE TRAUMA.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT TRAUMA,
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, THE
VIOLENCE OF THE. A LOT OF PEOPLE
SAY WHEN THEY SAY SAFE, THEY
WANT TO SAY, OH, POLICE AND
THIS. NO, NO, NO, NO FROM THE
TRAUMA AND ALL PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING FOR IS A SAFE PLACE TO
GO. AND THAT'S WHERE OUR
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE
MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE,
THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR
FUNDING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS,
THEY ARE CREATING THE SAFE
PLACES FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE
TO WALK THROUGH THE SIDEWALK
BECOMES A SAFE PLACE, BECAUSE WE
DON'T GOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THE
OFFICES. THE PARKING LOT BECOMES
A SAFE PLACE. IF SOMEBODY'S
HAVING A BREAKDOWN, IT DOESN'T
KNOW WHAT TO DO. IT'S ABOUT SAFE
PLACES AND IT'S OUR JOB TO
CREATE THE SAFE PLACES,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUTH. WHEN I
WAS A YOUTH, WE DIDN'T HAVE NO
SAFE PLACES. THE BEST THING I
HAVE WAS FOOTBALL. THEY KICKED
ME OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS A
GANG MEMBER AND ALL THE WRATH
THAT COMES WITH IT, BUT THAT WAS
MY SAFEST THING I HAD WAS CHIRLA
SPORTS, AND AT LEAST FOR A
COUPLE HOURS, I WAS SAFE AND I
USED TO GET HEART GET HEAD
HARDER IN MY FOOTBALL EQUIPMENT.
BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT, SAFE PLACES. AND THAT'S THE
THING. THAT'S WHAT OUR WHOLE
COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR. SAFE
PLACES AND DIFFERENT PLACES.
WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT OF PRISON,
WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT OF JUVENILE
HALLS, WHEN BEFORE KIDS GO INTO
JUVENILE HALLS, TO HAVE SAFE
PLACES ALL THE WAY ACROSS FROM
YOUTH CENTERS TO ADULT PLACES TO
JUST A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD
SAY, I COULD BREATHE TODAY FOR
ONCE, I JUST WANT TO BREATHE FOR
A LONG TIME. WE ALWAYS MY
COMMUNITY WHERE I GREW UP AT,
THE WATER FELT LIKE IF IT WAS
HERE AT ALL TIMES, LIKE, WERE
YOU JUST WAITING JUST TO LET IT
JUST GO ANOTHER LEVEL TO WHERE I
COULD DROWN? THEY TOLD ME WHEN I
WAS A KID THAT I WASN'T SUPPOSED
TO LIVE TO 15, AND THEN WHEN I
WAS 15 TO 18, AND THEN WHEN I
WAS 18, I WAS IN PRISON WITH
LIFE. SO IT WAS ALREADY A THING
THAT WAS CREATED. AND THAT'S THE
THING THAT WE NEED TO BREAK. WE
NEED TO BREAK THAT CYCLE. WE ARE
THE NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE COMING OUT HERE THAT WE
HAVE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND
I'LL BE IF I DON'T. YES. AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
TO MAKE THAT. I'LL BE IF I DON'T
EITHER. MICHELLE HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR
HAVING THIS VERY INFORMATIVE
CONVERSATION AND BEING HONEST
AND VULNERABLE. BUT AND MY
FRIEND TIM, AND WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE IN THESE SPACES, THERE'S
A FIVE YEAR OLD OUT HERE NOW
THAT STILL NEEDS HELP. SO
THERE'S A FIVE YEAR OLD RIGHT
NOW THAT GOES TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL
OR, EXCUSE ME, A ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL IN LA USD, OR IN OUR
COMMUNITIES WHO STILL SEE THESE
THINGS AND NEED HELP. HOWEVER,
WHEN THERE IS HELP THIS ASK OR A
TEACHER NOTICES, WHAT DO WE DO
WITH THE PSYCHOLOGIST OR THE ARE
THEY COUNSELORS IN SCHOOL? THEN
IT BECOMES A SOCIAL SERVICE
PROBLEM. THEN THE CHILD COULD BE
REMOVED FROM THE HOME AND THEN
IT BECOMES A LIFE CYCLE OF
FOSTER CARE COURT. WHEN THIS
CHILD WAS JUST TRYING TO SAY I
NEED HEALING, I NEED HELP, I
SEEN SOMETHING. SO WHAT WE HAVE
TO DO AND WE'RE HAVING A
CONVERSATIONS OF RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE. WE NEED TO ADD A
PROTECTIVE COMPONENT TO THAT.
AND HONESTLY, WHEN WE SAY MAKING
SOMETHING AS SAFE SPACE, BE TRUE
ABOUT MAKING IT A SAFE SPACE.
LET THOSE CHILDREN KNOW IT'S
OKAY TO TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE
SEEING. AND THEN GET THE PARENTS
TO WRAP AROUND SERVICES THAT
THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF
SERVICES THAT THIS CHILD
REQUIRES, BECAUSE THE MISSING
THAT COMPONENT IS WHEN THE
CHILDREN ACT OUT, WHEN THEY GO
AND GET THE GUN BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO DEFEND THEIR MOTHER
WHO'S BEING BEATEN BY THEIR HER
PARAMOUR, WHAT HAVE YOU. SO WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT RESTORATIVE
SERVICES, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE,
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES DOES NOT
DESTROY AND BREAK DOWN THE
ENTIRE COMPONENT THAT PART.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. YOU
KNOW, I HEARD A LOT IN THIS FROM
THIS PANEL THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE
BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET
SOME FUNDING FOR I LOVE WHAT
WHAT MICHELLE SAID ABOUT THE
SCHOOLS BECAUSE I WAS JUST
THINKING ABOUT I'M SURE WE DON'T
EVEN HAVE OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS IN
SCHOOLS ANYMORE WHERE WE HAVE
WHERE WE SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING
WITH A FIVE YEAR OLD KID AND WE
PULL THEM IN. RIGHT. THEY WANT
TO POLICE. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE
NEED. WHAT WE COULD PULL THE
FIVE YEAR OLD IN, GIVE THEM SOME
SERVICES. I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID.
THEN GIVE THE PARENTS SOME
WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND WHAT YOU
SAID ABOUT THE FOOTBALL YOU
DON'T. WE SEE A YOUNG MAN IN
GANG. WE SHOULDN'T KICK THEM OUT
OF SCHOOL BECAUSE WE'RE JUST
PUTTING THEM ON THE STREET AND
GETTING RID OF THEM, INSTEAD OF
TRYING TO HELP THEM. SO I THANK
YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR GIVING US
YOURSELVES AND BEING SO
VULNERABLE WITH US AND GIVING US
THIS INFORMATION. AND BELIEVE
ME, I'M GOING TO TAKE IT AND USE
IT. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.
SO NEXT, OUR NEXT PANEL, WE HAVE
SUSAN BURTON, PASTOR EDDIE
ANDERSON AND KEVIN ORANGE WHO
WILL DISCUSS THE COMMUNITY
PERSPECTIVE. KEVIN Ó KEVIN
COULDN'T MAKE IT, SO IT'LL BE,
PASTOR EDDIE ANDERSON AND SUSAN
BURTON, WHO BOTH OF THESE GUYS
CAN HANDLE THIS, THIS PANEL,
WELCOME. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR
PARTICIPATING, AGAIN, I'M ALSO
ASKING THE PUBLIC TO BE
COURTEOUS, WHICH WE HAVE HAD NO
PROBLEMS HERE. AND, LET'S GET
GOING, YOU GUYS. WE'LL START
WITH MISS BURTON AND MISS
BURTON. I LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM YOU. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, HAVING
THIS HEARING. I WANT TO STOP AND
TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST A MOMENT
OF SILENCE FOR SONIA MASSEY AND
ADRIAN BOULWARE, WHO RECENTLY
DIED IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE
PRISON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I'VE BEEN
HEARING ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE,
AND I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE
MEN, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD
ANYTHING ABOUT WOMEN WHO ARE THE
LARGEST, THE FASTEST GROWING
SEGMENT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM. SO
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING
ME HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M
ALL ABOUT THE WOMEN. AND WHERE
IS YOUR OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT ONE. ALL
RIGHT. WHEN YOU GET BACK UP TO
SAC, TELL THEM MISS BURTON SAID
THEY TRUANT. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED WITH TRUANCY. BUT
ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO
HAVE TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING,
YOU KNOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR
THIS, PANEL TO THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, IN THIS HEARING, TO THINK
ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. 60 TO 70%
OF THE WOMEN IN PRISON RIGHT NOW,
TODAY WERE VICTIMS PRIOR TO
THEIR INCARCERATION. I MYSELF
WAS A VICTIM IN THE WAY THAT I,
I DIDN'T CHOOSE. IT WAS THE ONLY
OPTION THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH
MY VICTIMIZATION AND MY HARM WAS
ILLEGAL DRUGS. AND FOR THOSE
DRUGS, I WAS INCARCERATED, I WAS
NOT INCARCERATED ONE TIME, BUT
SIX DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE I
FOUND HELP. THE HELP THAT THE
FORMER, THE PREVIOUS PANEL WAS
TALKING ABOUT THE THERAPY DRUG
TREATMENT. YOU KNOW, I'M A SOLID
MEMBER OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS.
WHAT I FOUND OUT THAT, YOU KNOW,
I WASN'T A BAD PERSON. I WAS A
SICK AND HARMED PERSON AND THAT
THERE WAS TREATMENT FOR ME.
THERE WAS THERAPY FOR ME. THERE
WAS SERVICES FOR ME. BUT I ONLY
FOUND THOSE SERVICES IN SANTA
MONICA, WHERE THOSE PEOPLE WERE
SENT TO, REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
AND GOT CAUGHT CARDS AND WAS
DIVERTED FROM INCARCERATION. I
COULDN'T UNDERSTAND FOR THE LIFE
OF ME WHY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN
SOUTH LA, WHERE SUBSTANCE USE
WAS SO RAPID AND, HARM AND STUFF
WAS HAPPENING AT THE RATES AND
LEVELS THAT IT WAS, BUT
NONETHELESS, I RECEIVED THOSE
SERVICES. I BEGAN TO HEAL, AND I
CAME BACK TO MY COMMUNITY. SO 60
TO 70% OF WOMEN INCARCERATED, IN,
STATE PRISON WERE VICTIMS OF
VIOLENCE PRIOR TO INCARCERATION,
AND NOW WE CALL THEM
PERPETRATORS AND OFFENDERS. WHAT
A FLIP. SO HOW DO WE ACTUALLY
GIVE SERVICES? GIVE SUPPORTS,
GIVE A OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE
WOMEN TO BEGIN TO HEAL, TO BEGIN
TO COME BACK, TO OUR COMMUNITY
BETTER. I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW,
EVERY TIME I WAS RELEASED FROM
PRISON, I WAS RELEASED A LITTLE
WORSE OFF THAN I WAS WHEN I
ENTERED. SO AT THE END OF THOSE
SIX PRISON TERMS, I WAS A MESS.
THANKFULLY, I FOUND SANTA
MONICA, BUT THEN I TRIED TO
CREATE OR I AM CREATING WHAT I
EXPERIENCED IN SANTA MONICA IN
SOUTH LA. FOR WOMEN COMING BACK.
BEFORE I LEAVE HERE. SO I WANT
TO SAY. I BROUGHT AN ARTICLE FOR
YOU AND ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS
WHO AIN'T HERE. THEY MISSED
THEIR ARTICLE. SO I'M KIND OF
DIVERTING FROM THE, RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME
JUSTICE THAT NEED TO BE
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, FOR THOSE
FOLKS THAT ARE LOCKED UP NOT
ONLY IN WOMEN'S PRISONS, BUT
ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND ALL THE
PRISONS. SO RECENTLY THERE WAS,
A CALIFORNIA WORKERS, CALIFORNIA
FINALLY APPROVED INDOOR HEAT
RULES FOR ALL WORKERS AND PEOPLE
EXCEPT THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING
IN PRISONS AND THAT ARE HELD IN
PRISONS. AND WE HAVE PEOPLE
DYING FROM HEAT IN CALIFORNIA
PRISONS AND FALLEN OUT FROM HEAT
IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS. AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO
ADMINISTRATIVELY OR RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS ARTICLE. SO YOU'RE GOING
TO TAKE IT BACK TO HIM. TÍNH
YEAH. NO, I MEAN, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MCKENNA, I MEAN, YOU'RE
GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO HIM.
YOU KNOW I AM. SO IT SAYS HELP
US. HELP US. WE CAN'T BREATHE,
AND AGAIN, A WOMAN DIED
RECENTLY. AND WHEN THIS HIT, I
WAS LIKE, REALLY? THE OTHER
THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN
REGARDS TO WOMEN IS WOMEN WHO
ARE GOING THROUGH MENOPAUSE
INSIDE OF PRISONS. PRISONS WERE
CREATED FOR MEN. WOMEN ARE HELD
THERE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT.
AND THERE'S NO RECOGNITION
ACCOMMODATION OR MEDICAL
SERVICES FOR WOMEN WHO ARE GOING
THROUGH MENOPAUSE. IF I'M IN
PRISON AND I GO TO WORK AND I
CAN'T GO TO WORK. I GET ANOTHER
DAY ADDED ON TO MY SENTENCE. AND
I KNOW WHEN I EXPERIENCE
MENOPAUSE, THERE WERE DAYS THAT
I JUST COULD NOT GO TO WORK. SO
FOR I KNOW WE GOT THE EXCEPTION
PROPOSITION SIX ON THE BALLOT TO
REMOVE SLAVERY FROM OUR
CONSTITUTION. BUT RIGHT NOW,
THESE ARE MEDICAL AND
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS THAT CAN
BE TAKEN. 33% OF WOMEN
INCARCERATED ARE IN THE
MENOPAUSE EXPERIENCE. THERE ARE
175 WOMEN INCARCERATED. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MCKINNON WHO ARE SERVING
LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
PAROLE. I WOULD LOVE TO GO UP TO
THE PRISON AND SIT AND VISIT AND
HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THESE
WOMEN TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM PRIOR TO
THEM COMMITTING THEIR OFFENSE,
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY. I
KNOW THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FOLKS DON'T MEAN NO HARM, BUT
WHEN WE ARE REPEATEDLY CALLED
OFFENDERS, IT DOES CAUSE HARM.
SO IF THERE IS LANGUAGE THAT WE
CAN IDENTIFY THAT MORE HUMANIZES
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED AND
THEN THEIR HARM NOT EVEN
RECOGNIZED, AND THEY GO ON TO
CAUSE HARM, THAT WOULD BE
REALLY, REALLY PROBABLY HELPFUL
TO THAT PERSON AND TO THEIR WORK.
I THINK I'M DONE. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS BURTON.
PASTOR EDDIE, THANK YOU. MEMBER
MCKENNA, FOR, ALLOWING US TO BE
HERE, MY NAME IS REVEREND EDDIE
ANDERSON. I'M THE SENIOR PASTOR
OF MCCARTY MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN
CHURCH, AND I WORK FOR LÀ VOIGTS
FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS, BEFORE I
TALK ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE,
I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CONTEXT,
BECAUSE I'VE. WE'VE HEARD A LOT
OF STORIES TODAY, I GREW UP IN
THE SOUTH SIDE OF ATLANTA, AND
MY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS MUCH LIKE A
LOT OF BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS. IT
DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF HEALTHY
FOOD, EVERYONE IN MY SCHOOL WAS
PART OF A GANG BECAUSE YOU
PROTECT YOURSELF, A LOT OF MY
FRIENDS GOT KILLED OR LOCKED UP.
AND SO THAT TRAUMA IS WHAT WE
KNOW AS THE BREAKS. IF WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE BLACK, IT MEANS TO
BE BROWN. AND I THINK THE STATE
HAS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. IS. YES,
IT'S ABOUT THE CONVERSATION, BUT
IT'S ALSO ABOUT A COMMUNITY. AND
FOR ME, THE REASON WHY I GOT
INTO THIS WORK IS BECAUSE I
DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER
GENERATION. I GREW UP DURING THE
THREE STRIKES RULE. SO THAT
MEANT THAT IF ME AND MY FRIENDS
WENT TO THE STORE TOGETHER AND
THE COPS DON'T LIKE US, THAT DAY
WE WENT TO JAIL, THAT MEANT THAT
IF WE GOT IN A FIGHT BECAUSE
FIGHTING WITH OUR FISTS INSTEAD
OF WITH GUNS, THEN MY FRIENDS
SAID, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD YOU
GET GUNS? RIGHT, AND THEN I
BECAME A PASTOR, I SERVED AS ON
THE BOARD OF A ORGANIZATION
CALLED CROSSROADS FOR WOMEN,
WHICH HELPED WOMEN WHO WERE
DOING LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. AND
SOME OF THEM GOT OUT, AND, THE
MAIN DEFINITION FOR US,
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. LÀ VOIGTS
IS, HOW DO WE BRING DIGNITY AND
ABUNDANCE FOR EVERYONE IF WE'RE
ALL CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD,
NO MATTER IF YOU CREATED A
COMMITTED A CRIME OR HAVE YOU
BEEN HURT BY A CRIME, HOW DO YOU
BRING RESTORATION TO THAT
PERSON, TO THAT COMMUNITY, I'VE
BEEN ABLE TO DO FUNERALS FOR
PEOPLE WHO WERE, KILLED BY
VIOLENCE AND HAVE ALSO BEEN
DOING FUNERALS FOR PEOPLE OR MET
WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD
VIOLENCE, HARM TO THEM. THE SAME
SCENARIOS EXIST. EVERYONE WANTS
TO BE WHOLE. AND SO THE ADVOCACY
WORK I'VE DONE IS AROUND, SAVING
A GENERATION. PEOPLE WHO COME
AFTER ME, AND THAT'S WHAT LÀ
WOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON AS
WELL. SO WE DID A TÊ I TURNED TO
INCARCERATION, WE CAME WITH 114
WITH A BUNCH OF, COMMUNITY
ADVOCATES, 114 INTERSECTIONS
THAT WE COULD DO, AT THE LA
COUNTY LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE A PART
OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM, WE
WORKED WITH FOLKS TO CREATE
MEASURE J, MEASURE J CARE FIRST
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, WAS ABOUT
HOW DO WE FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE MONEY TO HAVE THOSE HARD
CONVERSATIONS TO DO THE
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLES, THE
HEALING CIRCLES. BUT ALSO HOW DO
WE CREATE TRAUMA CENTERS? IN OUR
COMMUNITY AS WELL, AND THEN,
AFTER BEING ORGANIZER AND
ADVOCATING SHIFTING WORK AND I
BROUGHT TWO REPORTS FOR YOU. ONE
IS 100 PAGES, ONE OF 20 PAGES
FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT WITH ALL
THE DATA. SO YOU CAN MAKE SURE
WE DON'T LOSE IT, ANOTHER
GENERATION, I WENT AND CREATED A,
PARTNERSHIP FOR GROWTH. LOS
ANGELES, AND WE CREATE A PROGRAM
CALLED PROJECT JUBILEE BECAUSE
WE NOTICED, IN OUR COMMUNITY,
YOUNG PEOPLE, AS, A PREVIOUS
SPEAKER, TIM, SAID, HAD INJURY
OF HARM, THRIVING AS YOUNG AS
FIVE, SIX YEARS OLD. AND THERE
WAS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO HAVE THE
OUTLET. SO WHAT DID PEOPLE DO TO
CREATE MORE HARM? AND SO THEN I
GOT TIRED OF SITTING IN
COURTROOMS. AND IF YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT STATE, JUST THE
COURTROOMS ARE MORE LIKE A
CATTLE SYSTEM. THEY JUST BRING
PEOPLE IN. YOU GET FIVE MINUTES
AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO JAIL OR
GET A SENTENCE. IT'S KIND OF
LIKE PLANTATION CAPITALISM ON A
HIGH SCALE. AND I GOT TIRED OF
SITTING IN THOSE COURTROOMS AND
WRITING LETTERS TO JUDGES SAYING,
DON'T SEND THAT PERSON TO JAIL.
LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION. LET'S
GIVE THEM A PROGRAM. LET'S GIVE
THEM DIVERSION, AND SO WE
CREATED ONE CALLED PROJECT
PROJECT JUBILEE. AND WE JUST HAD
A COHORT, WE WE'VE DONE OVER 70
YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THE STATE,
THAT PARTNERSHIP. AND WE HAD A
MOMENT WHERE, WE DRAW A LINE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE, OF THE, OF
THE CLASSROOM. WE ASKED EVERYONE
WHO'S BEEN IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE
TO COME TO THE LINE. DOESN'T
MATTER, BLACK OR BROWN. EVERYONE
COMES TO THE LINE. WE ASK THEM,
EVERYONE WHO'S LOST A FAMILY
MEMBER TO VIOLENCE COME TO THE
LINE. EVERYONE COMES TO THE
LINE. AND NOW THIS IS THE ROOM
WHERE PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN IN JUVIE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE
NOT. SOME PEOPLE, HAVE COMMITTED
CRIMES. SOME PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS
OF CRIMES. BUT WE ALL GOT THE
SAME EXPERIENCE AROUND VIOLENCE.
SO RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF US
DESERVE DIGNITY. ALL OF US ARE
BETTER THAN OUR WORST DAY. AND
THAT HEALING IS NOT, SOMETHING
THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MAKE A LOT
OF MONEY. OR IF YOU'RE WHITE,
IT'S A GUARANTEED HUMAN RIGHT
THAT GOD GIVES ALL OF US, THAT
WE SERVE A GOD THAT CARES ABOUT
REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION AND
THAT IF WE'RE NOT SEEKING THAT
IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY DOING ARE CREATING
APPROPRIATE VICTIMS IN OUR
COMMUNITY, AND NOBODY DESERVES
TO BE AN APPROPRIATE VICTIM, AND
THAT HARM HAS TO BE REMEDIATED
SOMEHOW, SO THOSE ARE SOME
THINGS THAT I WANT TO JUST,
BRING UP. WHAT LÀ VOIGTS BEEN
WORKING ON AND WHAT A WHOLE
GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS, NEW WAY
OF LIFE, CITIZENS, YOUTH
SERVICES, ALL OF US HAVE BEEN
ADVOCATING BECAUSE WE NEED
FUNDING AND FUNDING IS WHY. WHY
DO YOU NEED FUNDING? LET'S TALK
ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, WE NEED
FUNDING BECAUSE, IF YOU'RE GOING
TO DO COMPLETE SERVICES, WHAT
YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IS, AS YOU
UNPACK PEOPLE'S HARM AND TRAUMA,
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT NEED
TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. PEOPLE
STILL NEED FOOD. PEOPLE STILL
NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A
LIVING, THAT THE CONVERSATION
MAY BEGIN THE HEALING PROCESS.
BUT THERAPY COSTS MONEY ON THE
BACK END, CHURCHES IN MOSQUES
AND SYNAGOGUES. WE DO WHAT WE
CAN, BUT WE NEED FUNDING TO HELP
PEOPLE GET AND CONTINUE MOVING
FORWARD. AND NOT HAVE TO DO
CRIMES OF POVERTY. IN OUR
COMMUNITY, AND THEN YOU ALSO
NEED, CARE, WRAPAROUND CARE LIKE
THIS. THE STATE CAN PROVIDE MORE
SERVICES, BUT IT ALSO CAN MAKE
SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
PROVIDING SERVICES CAN PROVIDE
AT A SCALE, TO MANY TIMES,
PEOPLE ARE DOING THE WORK FOR
HALF THE COST, TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ARE COMING HOME. AND
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE MODEL.
RIGHT? WE KNOW THE MODEL WORKS.
WE KNOW YOU'RE SAVING MONEY ON
THE STATE PRISON INCARCERATION
SYSTEM, WE CAN CLOSE ON THE
JAILS, BUT IF PEOPLE ARE DOING
IT FOR HALF THE COST, IT'S NOT
AN ATTRACTIVE, CAREER. AND QUITE
FRANKLY, IT'S THE BURNOUT. AND
SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS. WE TALK ABOUT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND HOW DO
WE MAKE SURE WE BRING TO SCALE,
ON A STATE LEVEL. AND I'LL STOP
THERE. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
YOU ARE RIGHT. BECAUSE I KEEP
HEARING ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, AND
PEOPLE ARE SERVING, SERVICING
100 AND SOME ODD PEOPLE. WE KNOW
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE KNOW IT
NEEDS TO BE AT SCALE. AND SINCE
WE'RE SAVING MONEY ON THESE
BEDS, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT
THIS MONEY IS GOING BACK INTO
THE COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S NEEDED,
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTORS IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM
IS ACCESS TO HOUSING. MISS
BURTON CAN YOU ELABORATE ON YOUR
WORK TO PROVIDE HOUSING TO
FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN?
YES. SO WE HAVE 12 SAFE HOMES
ACROSS LA COUNTY, AND, WE HAVE
TO KEEP BUYING MORE AND MORE
HOMES. THE NUMBERS OF WOMEN WHO
ARE RETURNING TO OUR COMMUNITY,
AND THE NUMBER OF SENIOR WOMEN
WHO ARE RETURNING TO OUR
COMMUNITY, THERE'S A NEED THERE
TO REALLY EXPAND THOSE SENIOR
SERVICES, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF
RESOURCES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
WOMEN HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED 30,
40, 47 YEARS AND THEY'VE BEEN IN
THOSE CONCRETE, HARD, I DON'T
WANT TO BE HARSH, BUT IT'S
REALLY HARSH WHERE THEY'VE BEEN
IN THOSE CONCRETE, ALMOST LIKE
TOMBS. AND THEY'RE COMING HOME
ON WALKERS. THEY'RE COMING HOME
IN WHEELCHAIRS. THEY'RE COMING
HOME WITH CANES, WITH HIGH
MEDICAL NEEDS WHERE IT MIGHT
TAKE 300, UPWARDS OF 350,000 TO
HOUSE THEM IN A PRISON. THEY'RE
LEAVING PRISON. THEY WORKED FOR
30, 35 YEARS. THEY HAVE NO,
MEDICARE. THEY HAVE NO QUARTERS
IN THEIR, MEDICARE SYSTEM,
THERE'S HIGH NEEDS AND THERE'S
NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO. AND THE
BOARD OF PRISON TERMS CALLS US,
AND WE WANT THEM OUT. SO WE SAY
SEND THEM HOME. BUT WE ARE
OVERWHELMED WITH THE AMOUNT OF,
RESOURCES WE HAVE TO PUT TOWARDS
THAT WOMAN, WE NEED RESOURCES
FOR SENIORS COMING HOME OUT OF
PRISON. AND I SEE THIS ON THE
MALE SIDE ALSO, WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THOSE PEOPLE WORKING IN
PRISONS FOR 11 CENT AN HOUR GETS
QUARTERS IN OUR SOCIAL SECURITY,
MEDICARE AND UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM
BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE
STATE. COME ON NOW. YOU KNOW.
SO, WE KEEP EXPANDING. YOU KNOW,
WE HOUSE WOMEN, WE HAVE A MODEL
THAT HAS, PRIMARY REENTRY
SERVICES. AND THEN WE HAVE IF
THEY GO ON TO INDEPENDENT LIVING
IN THE HOMES. SO WE NEED
DESIGNATED HOUSING, PERMANENT
HOUSING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE
COMING OUT OF PRISON. WE JUST
BOUGHT SOME LAND. WE WANT TO
BUILD ON THAT LAND, AND WE'RE
GOING TO I'M GOING TO ENSURE
THAT THAT THAT IS FOR FORMERLY
INCARCERATED WOMEN AND THEIR
CHILDREN. NOT MANY RESOURCES GO
TO WOMEN, WE GOT TO CHANGE THAT.
SO, WE NEED MORE HOUSING. WE
NEED MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR
EXPANDING OUR SERVICES. WE
ACTUALLY HAVE TAKEN OUR MODEL,
AND WE HAVE TAKEN IT ACROSS THE
WORLD. WE'RE IN, 26 DIFFERENT
STATES, WE HAVE ABOUT 50 PEOPLE,
50 HOMES THAT ARE REPLICATING A
NEW WAY OF LIFE'S MODEL. THREE
OF THEM ARE IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES
NIGERIA, KENYA, AND UGANDA. AND
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP MAY ENSURING
THAT WOMEN HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
WE NEED RESOURCES TO SCALE OUR
MODEL ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND CLOSE DOWN THOSE
PRISONS. SO, THAT'S ABOUT THE
HOUSING. AND WE AND THE OTHER
THING YOU TALKED ABOUT, CAN THE
STATE DO COUNSELING? NO THE
STATE CANNOT DO COUNSELING. NO,
I WANT THEM TO PAY FOR IT. NOT
THEY CAN GIVE US THE RESOURCES
AND NOT MAKE THE REPORTING TOO
HEAVY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE
DO. WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND WE DO
REPORT. BUT SOMETIMES THOSE
STATE AGENCIES ARE REALLY
RIDICULOUS IN THE LEVEL OF, I'S
AND T'S THAT THEY WANT DOTTED
AND CROSSED AND THE WAY. OH, NO,
DON'T DON'T SLANT THE TÊ THIS
WAY. SLANT THE TÊ THAT WAY, YOU
KNOW, SO TO SPEAK. SO ANYWAY,
YEAH. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT I
MEAN? I DO. TELL THEM ABOUT IT.
SO, PASTOR EDDIE, I WANT TO GO
BACK TO THE A LITTLE BIT OF,
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE YOUTH.
HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION
GATHER AND, RESPOND TO FEEDBACK
FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, ABOUT YOUR
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM?
WELL, SO, OUR PROGRAM HAS A 92%
RETENTION RATE, WE GET THAT
THROUGH COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
SO WE RESPOND WON THROUGH
LISTENING, CALLING TOGETHER
COMMUNITY LIKE GROUPS AND FOCUS
GROUPS, BUT ALSO THROUGH OTHER
REFERRALS AND AGENCIES. SO WE
WORK WITH THE YOUTH, BUILD, USA,
WE WORK WITH, JANET KELLY'S
ORGANIZATION, SANCTUARY OF HOPE,
AS WELL, AND THEN WE WORK WITH
OTHER CONGREGATIONS AND SCHOOLS
TO SEE WHO THEY REFER. AND WE
ALSO WE ALSO GET, YOUNG PEOPLE
FROM PROBATION. WE, WE
INTERVENE. WE, WE STEP IN AND
HELP PEOPLE GET FREE. AND SO
BECAUSE THE GENTLEMAN SAID THAT
HIS PROBATION OFFICER SAID, GO
TALK TO YOUR PASTOR AT SOME
POINT, HE SAID, GO, GO TALK TO
YOUR PASTOR. SO OUR, OUR, OUR
FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS ABLE
TO ACCESS GRANTS FROM THE STATE.
SO NOT REALLY, BECAUSE THE STATE
HAS SUCH A HIGH BAR AS, SUSAN
SAID AROUND REPORTING AND A LOT
OF THE STATE GRANTS ARE
REIMBURSABLE. SO IF YOU DON'T
HAVE LIQUID CAPITAL TO PUT
FORWARD, YOU REALLY CAN'T GET A
STATE GRANT EVEN FOR AGENCIES
LIKE MINE, ONCE YOU GET THE
GRIT, YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO
FRONT THE FRONT. THE COST. SO
ONE THING THE STATE COULD DO IS
LOWER THE BAR FOR PROVEN
MESSENGERS AND PROVEN PROGRAMS
TO SCALE WITHOUT HAVING TO,
REIMBURSE THE FUNDS. IF YOU GAVE
US THE FUNDS AT THE FRONT END
AND CARE, YOU KNOW, A CARE FIRST
BUDGET TYPE OF MODEL. THEN I
BELIEVE WITH THE THROUGH
REPORTING, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO
SEE THE RESULTS THAT YOU WANT TO
SEE. A LOT OF FAITH INSTITUTIONS
DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT,
ALTHOUGH WE ARE ON THE FRONT
LINE. IF SOMEONE GETS HARMED OR
SHOT, THEY DO CALL THE PASTOR AT
ALL TIMES 24 HOUR JOB. BUT THE
SERVICES THAT LIMIT BECAUSE THEN
WE CALL OTHER FOLKS AND TRY TO
OUTSOURCE THE SERVICES AND
PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE CAPACITY.
THANK YOU. MISS BURTON, WHAT HAS
BEEN THE OUTCOMES FOR THE WOMEN
THAT YOU'VE THAT'S BEEN IN YOUR
HOMES? ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKINNEY,
WE JUST CHECKED. WE HAVE A 2%
RECIDIVISM RATE. COME ON NOW.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. AND YOU
KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
EVERYONE YOU KNOW HASN'T
RELAPSED ON ALCOHOL OR
SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE HAVE WE
ARE NOT, A HOUSING FIRST OR A,
MODEL OF, HARM REDUCTION. WE
HAVE A DRUG AND FREE ALCOHOL,
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ENVIRONMENT
BECAUSE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF
PRISONS CAN BE VIOLATED, NOT
ALTHOUGH, I MEAN, I'M, I DON'T
HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST HARM
REDUCTION. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
AGAINST HOUSING FIRST. BUT WE
NEED AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE
ARE STRIVING TO DEVELOP. THE
NEXT LEVEL OF THEIR, THEIR,
THEIR LIVES. SO WE HAVE A 2%
RECIDIVISM RATE, YOU KNOW, WE
MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT
THIS MORNING, I WAS SITTING WITH
THE WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN REALLY,
REALLY RESISTANT AND HARSH ON
STAFF, AND I SIT DOWN WITH HER
AND ASKED HER, DID SHE WANT TO
KNOW JOY, THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE
TO BE MAD AND ANGRY? ALL THE
TIME, IT BROKE HER OPEN. SHE
STARTED CRYING. BUT THIS IS THE
TYPE OF STUFF. AND THEN I'M
LIKE, DO YOU WANT TO MEET WITH
OUR THERAPIST? YOU KNOW, IT'S
YOUR CHOICE. WE GOT IT FOR YOU
IF YOU WANT TO GO, IF YOU WANT
TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US
HAS COMMUNITY. WE KNOW. WE KNOW
OUR PEOPLE. WE KNOW WHAT OUR
PEOPLE NEED. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, HIGH BAR
FROM THE STATE AND STATE GRANTS.
YOU KNOW, THEY COULD FRONTLOAD
THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD TRUST
US, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK
TRUST FAITH, PHILANTHROPY AND
TRUST BASED DOLLARS ALLOW US THE
FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY TO DO
WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO DO. BUT MY
QUESTION SOMETIMES IS, DO YOU
REALLY WANT TO SEE ME BE MY BEST.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY, WE CAN BE OUR BEST
AND WE CAN SHOW OUR COMMUNITY,
LEAD THEM TO BE THEIR BEST, TOO.
SO SOMETIMES I DON'T EVEN NEED
TO ASK THE QUESTION. I JUST HAVE
TO GO ON, ON AND BE MY BEST, BUT
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I
THINK I WENT OFF ON A RANT
THERE. NO, NO, NO, YOU AIN'T.
WELL, BEFORE I WE'LL END THIS
SESSION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS
FROM THE AUDIENCE BEFORE WE MOVE
ON? THANK YOU TIM FIRST AND THEN
MICHELLE. YOU MEAN I DO? OKAY. I
WANT ALL OF THAT THAT YOU GUYS
GAVE ME SO I COULD SHARE IT WITH
THE ABSENTEE. I GOT A QUESTION
FROM MISS BURTON. SHE SAID
SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF SCARY,
AND THAT'S THE FASTEST GROWING
PRISON POPULATION. IS WOMEN. I'D
LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT THE AGE RANGE
IS FOR THOSE WOMEN THAT ARE
ENTERING PRISON NOWADAYS. 18 TO
19, 3%. 20 TO 24. 6%. 25 TO 29.
14%. 30 TO 34. 19%. 35 TO 3918%
40 TO 44. 14% 45 TO 49 9% 50 TO
54, 7% 55 TO 59, 5%, 60 TO 64,
2.9%, 65 PLUS 2.2%. THERE WERE
SOME POINTERS POINTS. THERE TOO,
BUT I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE
POINTS. BUT, THOSE ARE THE WHOLE
PERCENTAGES OF THE FOLKS THAT
THE WOMEN WHO ARE INCARCERATED.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING
AMAZING. AND THANK YOU FOR
COMING PREPARED WITH THOSE
STATS. MY OTHER QUESTION IS HOW
MANY OF THOSE WOMEN ARE MOTHERS?
LET'S SEE HERE. GOT IT HERE.
54%. 54.3% OF WOMEN ARE
INCARCERATED IN THE CALIFORNIA
STATE PRISON SYSTEM, ARE MOTHERS
OF MINOR CHILDREN. AND WE DO
PROVIDE HOUSING FOR WOMEN WITH
CHILDREN, THERE IS A NEED TO
INCREASE TO INCREASE OUR
CAPACITY. THERE ALSO ARE WOMEN
AND CHILDREN HOMES STAY FULL.
AND IN OUR OTHER HOMES THERE'S
WOMEN WHO ARE WAITING TO REUNITE
WITH THEIR CHILD AND GET INTO
THAT HOME, SO THERE'S A NEED TO
REPAIR THE SEPARATION OF OUR
FAMILIES, YOU KNOW? AND SO WE
HAVE A FAMILY REUNIFICATION
LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS IN
ALL THREE COURTS. YOU NEED A
WHOLE HEARING ON FAMILY
SEPARATION AND FAMILY
REUNIFICATION, BECAUSE WHEN YOU
DIG INTO THAT, IT IS HORRIFYING
WHAT COUNTIES, CITIES, STATES
AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ARE
DOING. YOU KNOW, IN SEPARATING,
CHILDREN. AND MICHELLE, REALLY
LIKE, COINED IT. SHE WELL, SHE
OPENED IT UP. IT'S LIKE IF A
FIVE YEAR OLD GOES AND SAID,
THIS HAPPENED, THEN THEY RUN TO
THE HOUSE AND SNATCH THE BABY
AND SOMETIMES CHARGE THE MOTHER
INSTEAD OF HAVING A WAY TO, HELP
MITIGATE WHAT'S HAPPENED. AND
REPAIR TO GO FORWARD. AND THEN
IT JUST CASCADES INTO SO MUCH
HARM AND DISTRESS FOR THAT
FAMILY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, I'M A BOARD MEMBER
WITH ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE, AND WE ARE WORKING TO
CREATE TRAUMA CENTERS, NOT
CONNECTED WITH POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, WHERE A FIVE YEAR
OLD, THEIR MOTHER, CAN WALK INTO
THAT TRAUMA CENTER AND BEGIN TO
GET ATTENTION TO REPAIR,
WHATEVER'S HAPPENED, IN THAT
COMMUNITY, IN THAT FAMILY, FOR
THAT CHILD, FOR THAT MOTHER, YOU
KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU,
AND YOU GOT TO GO TO THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. POOR SONYA MASSY.
POOR SONYA MASSY. AND THAT'S
WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR IN OUR
COMMUNITY. BUT HAD THERE BEEN A
TRAUMA CENTER OR OR A PLACE THAT
WE CAN GO AND RESOLVE WITH OUR
COMMUNITY, WITH OUR THERAPISTS,
WITH OUR SPECIALISTS, WITH OUR,
CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, SO ANOTHER
RANT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING
A CHAMPION FOR THOSE WHO ARE
OFTEN FORGOTTEN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TIM. THANK YOU SUSAN
MICHELLE. I BELIEVE I JUST WOULD
LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION FOR
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCKINNON. AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOSTING THIS
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. WE ARE
AWARE THAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS
RELEASED A PORTION OF THE
PROPOSITION ONE MONIES IN THE
3.3 BILLION. WOULD THERE EVER
CAN THERE ALSO BE INCLUDED, AS
WE KNOW, THOSE WHO ARE COMING
HOME, RETURNING HOME FROM
INCARCERATED FACILITIES ARE
ALLOWED HOMELESS. A LOT OF THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH HAS EXACERBATED
BEING INCARCERATED. WE KNOW
THESE FUNDS ARE DEDICATED TO
HOMELESSNESS. ADDRESSING OUR
UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
MENTALLY, MENTALLY, THOSE WHO
ARE MENTALLY CHALLENGED,
MENTALLY CHALLENGED. IS THERE A
SPACE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD
THE CONVERSATION FOR THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS MISS
BURTON, WHO IS DOING THE WORK TO
HELP RECEIVE SOME OF THOSE
FUNDINGS, TO CONTINUE TO GIVE
CARE TO THOSE WHO ARE COMING
HOME FROM INCARCERATED
FACILITIES AND ALSO ADDRESSING
THE NEEDS OF THOSE SUFFERING
WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE ISSUES, SO THAT THAT WE
CAN LOWER RECIDIVISM. AND BUT I
JUST HAVEN'T HEARD THE RETURNING
THOSE INCARCERATED FACILITIES
NOT BEING PART OF THIS
CONVERSATION ON A BROADER SCALE.
AND I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE
VERY HELPFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY,
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE DOING
THE WORK. YES, THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES, TO ACCESS THESE
FUNDS AND CONTACT MY OFFICE AND
CONTACT MY CHIEF OF STAFF HERE,
TERRY JONES. AND WE WILL HELP
WITH THAT. BUT I DON'T KNOW,
MISS BURTON SOMETIME. DOESN'T
WANT TO MESS WITH US IN THE
THESE FUNDS. I HAVE TO I GOT
LAND, IT'S VACANT AND I FEEL
LIKE AT SOME POINT I HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO. TO THE PEOPLE
I SERVE TO GO BEYOND SOMETIMES
WHAT I MIGHT THINK, I TELL THEM
TO GO BEYOND. BUT. SO I GOT TO
GO BEYOND Tê. THAT'S GOOD. SO
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH. WE'RE GOING
TO PUSH YOU TO GO A LITTLE
BEYOND AND SEE IF WE CAN ACCESS
SOME OF THESE. I NEED YOUR
CARDS. YEAH. SOME OF THESE FUNDS
TO GET TO HELP YOU HELP US,
YEAH. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR
COMING. YOU KNOW, I TRIED TO DO
THE PARENT REUNIFICATION THIS
YEAR TO, THE POLITICAL CLIMATE
AT HOME HAS NOT OR AT HOME IN
SACRAMENTO HAS NOT BEEN
WELCOMING TO THESE TWO. BUT
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING IT.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND TRY
THEM AGAIN AND TRY THESE BILLS
AGAIN, AS WE PUT AS WE CONTINUE
TO PUSH. BUT I THANK YOU GUYS SO
MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR
PARTICIPATING. YEAH. I HEAR
THERE'S SOME NEW EXCITEMENT IN
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SO MAYBE
THEY'LL YOU KNOW, LIKE, MOVE
SOME STUFF. I CAN'T TALK ABOUT
THAT. BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
IT UP AND CAN ALL THE PANELISTS
PLEASE WAIT, STAY FOR A MINUTE
IF YOU'RE STILL HERE. SO WE CAN
GET A PICTURE IN. THIS HEARING
IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.