Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Wednesday, January 10, 2007

So We Have a New Governor

Good Morning Wednesday!!

Bill Ritter was inaugurated yesterday as our 41st governor. For the first time in decades (since 1962) we have democratic control of the Governor's seat, the House and the Senate. If there was ever an opportunity for change in the system you would believe that it would be now. It is my hope that democrats would seize this opportunity and follow through on Gov. Ritter's Colorado promise.

"Let's fulfill the Colorado Promise together by giving our children opportunities and our employers the best-educated workforce in the nation.....Above all, he stressed his conviction that government involves "a social compact" to help those in need. "It's that covenant that says government exists . . . for all people . . . It exists so we take care of those who struggle mightily for whatever the reason."
In order to create better educated Coloradoans we need to stop pouring money into the prison system and put it back into education. Redirect our priorities. Find alternatives for people with addictions and fund those alternatives. Governor Ritter was a big proponent of drug court, however drug court has to be funded. You can't sentence people to treatment and not create the opportunity for them to be able to access it. Substance abuse and mental health treatment has to be available for people who cant' afford it.

We hope that this is an opportunity to create change that is viable for ALL Colorado citizens to become healthy and productive.

We shall see.

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