Prop. 6 (aka Runner Initiative) Defeated!

These are historic times we live in. Many thought they'd never live to see the day that the United States would elect a Black man to its highest office. We're celebrating this sea change in American politics and we look forward to our goals and aspirations being reflected at the highest level of government.

Election Day delivered historic change here in California, too. For the first time, Californians overwhelming rejected a "tough on crime" initiative, Proposition 6. In the same mold as Prop 21 and Three Strikes, George Runner thought he could scare Californians into throwing billions more into failed prison policies. We proved him wrong: Prop 6 didn't win a single county -- and in most places lost by a wide margin.

We're seeing a gradual shift in public attitude about incarceration. People are waking up to the fact that not only does a "tough on crime" approach cost too much, it destroys communities and families and fails to make our communities more safe. This is a direct result of our dedication to telling the story of our communities and our commitment to speaking out for justice.

Of course, our work is far from over. Prop 9 -- the "throw away the key" initiative -- passed and will increase the prison population. And Prop 5 -- the only initiative that would have actually saved money by shifting resources to rehabilitation -- failed. But we will to continue to fight, and we will continue to win. Not only because we're fighting on the side of justice, but because we're working alongside such strong, committed people.

We worked with a lot of partners in the fight against Prop 6 -- far too many to name here. We would especially like to thank the California Teachers Association, the California Federation of Teachers, SEIU State Council, Kaufman Campaign Consultants, the California Professional Firefighters, the Labor Community Strategy Center, the W. Hayward Burns Institute, and the Youth Justice Coalition. Click here for the complete list of organizations that opposed Proposition 6 and worked to ensure its defeat. And huge thanks to everyone who volunteered their time, energy and money to turn back these attacks on our communities.