Less than 24 hours ago, we achieved our first major victory in bringing fair sentencing to California: Senate Bill 1437, sponsored by Re:store Justice, passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee! As a result of your commitment to stand with us in addressing the gravest injustices of our system, we successfully brought together dozens of coalition partners, impacted individuals, and law professionals to advocate for the overdue reform…
59 posts by Alexandra Mallick
Teen turns down plea deal for 25 years in prison, gets 65 years instead for his role in a robbery
We are heartbroken that this kind of injustice exists anywhere in the United States of America. It's time to end Felony Murder Rule use in cases like this one. Let's do this California Advocates! Support Senate Bill 1437. Read article here.…
Kate Chatfield, Re:store Justice Policy Director wins a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of San Francisco for man who was wrongfully sentenced to 50 yrs to life in prison due to prosecutorial misconduct
“It’s about time,” said Kate Chatfield, a lawyer for Trulove. “Justice is not (merely) being acquitted for a crime you did not do. This was finally justice.”…
Join CARES Call for Youth with our policy director Kate Chatfield & executive director Alex Mallick on April 3rd at 8pm
Call to learn about Senate Bill 1437 pin Call: (515) 604-9384 Code: 313882#…
What If Prosecutors Wanted to Keep People Out of Prison?
This nationwide conversation is bringing about local results. Necessary read before the election this year.…
Listen to Ear Hustle's episode on restorative justice
Sex trafficking crimes are hard to talk about. In this episode, Sara and LA share their different experiences of being “in the life,” at the same time demonstrating the difficult, yet important work of restorative justice. Please listen to the latest Ear Hustle featuring our friend Sara Kruzan here. and support Sara's work here…
TAKE ACTION: We want to hear from you & support you!
TAKE ACTION: We want to hear from you & support you! Please connect with us & add your loved one's to our mailing list by sending us an email at info@restorecal.org with their name, CDCR #, facility, housing unit, & if comfortable, your loved ones sentence, so that we can share what legislation might apply to him/her! Please share widely - those on our list will have news…
Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner Promised a Criminal Justice Revolution. He’s Exceeding Expectations.
Philadelphia's DA, #LarryKrasner, just issued a revolutionary guiding document that will likely go down in history as the single largest policy shift for #CJReform. The first sentence cuts through decades of systemic failure: “These policies are an effort to end mass incarcerations & bring balance back to sentencing.” To summarize the five-page, MUST READ document, points of change mostly involve instructing prosecutors to use critical thinking skills, data, & alternative…
Sign this Petition: SEEKING REDEMPTION
The enormity and complexity of California’s laws has inadvertently created an environment where a person who has committed a crime for the first time, even though their conduct may be attributable to youth, addiction, or any similar circumstance, could be sentenced to die in prison with no possibility of redemption or opportunity to make amends. Add your voice to this cause here.…
Report: Plan to Expand California Youth Prisons Needs Tinkering
A report by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office raised some doubts about Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to see more older youth and young adults served in the state youth prison system administered by the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).Read the article here.…
Progressive groups investing in district attorney races as path to criminal justice reform
Read the SacBee article here.…
Listen to Ear Hustle Season 2!
“Firsts” in prison can be especially memorable: the first time you meet your cellie, or leave the prison for medical treatment, or run your first marathon. Alongside these tales, Adnan Khan shares the story of his first visit from his mom, 13 years after he was incarcerated. Listen here.…
Care Call for Youth: Join us on March 20th at 8pm!
Cares for Youth, Cares Call Tuesday with Laura Sheppard, Criminal Defense Attorney Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at 8 PM Call: (515) 604-9384 Code: 313882# Ms. Sheppard will join CARES for Youth host, Dennis P. Flynn, on a CARES Call that employs an interview format to learn her perspective on the impact of changes in California law for youth serving extreme sentences. We will cover topics ranging parole hearing preparation and…
News Analysis: Jeff Sessions comes to California bearing gifts
Most out-of-state politicians come to California to raise money. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions flew into Sacramento bearing a gift, in the form a lawsuit targeting this so-called sanctuary state. Read the CalMatters artice here.…
How Far Should ‘Raise-the-Age’ Reforms Go?
While the US imposes an age of majority on youthful offenders at the age of 18, many other nations rely on higher ages such as 20 or 21 to demarcate the separation of juvenile offenders and juvenile correctional systems from their adult counterparts. Read the article from The Crime Report here.…
SESSIONS' TOUGH-ON-CRIME TACTICS HAVE A HISTORY OF FAILURE, SCHOLARS SAY
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to reduce crime by federalizing prosecutions for gun and other violent crimes—an old tactic some law professors believe is outdated. Read the story from Newsweek here.…
Curious about the legislative process in California? Read this handy guide
The process of government by which bills are considered and laws enacted is commonly referred to as the Legislative Process. The California State Legislature is made up of two houses: the Senate and the Assembly. There are 40 Senators and 80 Assembly Members representing the people of the State of California. The Legislature has a legislative calendar containing important dates of activities during its two-year session. Idea All legislation begins…
Why Philly DA Krasner could let 180+ juvenile lifers out of prison early
Philadelphia has sentenced more teens to life in prison with no chance of parole than any other jurisdiction in the world — and that meant it had the largest number to resentence after the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago ruled that its 2012 ban on mandatory life-without-parole sentences for minors must be applied retroactively. Read the story from The Inquirer here.…
Don’t fall for this trick that would gut criminal justice reform
A letter to the editor published the Sacramento Bee from Governor Jerry Brown who is responding to the ballot initiative that aims to gut the widely popular Proposition 57. Just a scare tactic Re “Keep violent sex offenders locked up” (sacbee.com, Feb. 22): Don’t be fooled by Assemblymember Jim Cooper’s latest ploy to scare Californians into supporting his cynical and deeply flawed ballot initiative, which would gut…
For Henry Montgomery, a Catch-22
Henry Montgomery's case changed the course for so many people who were sentenced to life without parole as children. However, his “meaningful opportunity for release” came with impossible conditions. Read the article from the Marshall Project here.…