Spending two years in the Division of Juvenile Justice, California’s youth prison system, changed my life forever. I will never forget the violence and devastation I witnessed.
After being arrested for attempted burglary, I was eventually committed to Preston Youth Correctional Facility, then to O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility. Preston… Read more
Seven years ago, Books Not Bars started calling for closing California’s youth prisons. People laughed in our faces. Literally. Even reformers who agreed in private, thought we were foolish to call for shuttering the largest set of youth prisons in the Country.
Monday, Governor Jerry Brown presented a plan… Read more
1515 S Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Secretary Cate,
On behalf of Books Not Bars, I am writing in strong support for the closure of Preston youth prison. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights organizes people-powered campaigns to transform California. Our Books Not Bars campaign… Read more
When I joined the Ella Baker Center family in the spring of 2007, my biggest learning curve was related to our youth prison reform work. I certainly agreed academically with our Books Not Bars platform, but I had very limited knowledge of just how badly broken… Read more
In these dark times, a good Supreme Court decision gives us freedom lovers something to smile about. The justices today ruled that youth deserve a chance at parole in nonhomicide cases. It is cruel and unusual punishment to lock youth up for life, with no chance for parole.… Read more
