For Immediate Release: September 2, 2010

Contact: Rebecca Farmer, ACLU of Northern California, 415.621.2493, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Andria Blackmon, W. Haywood Burns Institute, 415.321.4100 x114, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SAN FRANCISCO—Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) and the W. Haywood Burns Institute released a report that explores how racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in access to education, employment, and housing impact the contact people will have with the criminal justice system. The report, “Balancing the Scales of Justice,” found that these factors relate to how likely it is someone will be incarcerated, and that lack of data collection hinders the ability to address this problem. The report focused on three California counties: Alameda, Fresno, and Los Angeles counties.

“The lack of meaningful data means that lawmakers are creating policies without fully understanding the racial, ethnic, and gender impact of their decisions,” said Diana Tate Vermeire, Racial Justice Project Director at ACLU-NC, and a co-author of the study. “Yet, those decisions will have a lasting impact on people who do not have access to the basic necessities of a quality education, a job, and adequate housing.”

“We know that children, youth and adults of color are more likely to wind up in jail, and our report indicates that disparities outside the criminal justice system create or reinforce those same disparities within it,” said James Bell, Executive Director of the Burns Institute.

The organizations also interviewed people on probation in the three counties to collect first-hand stories of people’s life experiences before and after contact with police, jails, or prison.

Among the findings:

o    Of the people interviewed, those who attended school where police officers regularly patrolled campus had a greater likelihood of being arrested at a young age, expelled, and suspended.

o    The number of women – both women of color and white women – in the criminal justice system is increasing at a much faster rate than that of men.

o    Nearly two-thirds of the people interviewed reported they had inadequate income at the time of their arrest, and around 20% indicated that they turned to crime to help make ends meet.

o    In Alameda County, people on probation were less likely to have graduated high school, compared to the county average.

o    In Fresno County, with a county unemployment rate of less than 10%, 29% of men interviewed and 59% of women interviewed were unemployed at the time of their most recent arrest. Nearly 21% of the Black labor force in Fresno County is unemployed, but 64% of Black interviewees were unemployed at the time of their most recent arrest.

Among the report’s recommendations:

o    A standardized collection method is needed for county data on education, employment, and housing to allow state and local officials to make data-driven decisions that could improve the effectiveness of policies, as well as reduce racial, ethnic, and gender disparities.

o    Additional and more extensive research is needed regarding the connection between access to the basic necessities of a quality education, employment, and housing and the increase in California’s prison population, and the correlating racial, ethnic, gender, and age disparities.

o    Social scientists should study the effects of police presence on public school campuses by collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, any future research should include an analysis of alternatives to policing in schools.

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The ACLU of Northern California works to preserve and guarantee the protections of the Constitution's Bill of Rights. http://www.aclunc.org

The W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) is a San Francisco-based national juvenile justice nonprofit that works to address racial and ethnic disparities in the United States juvenile justice system. http://www.burnsinstitute.org

Organizations across the U.S. are calling for a National Juvenile Justice Week of Action, Dec. 6 – 13, 2010!

During this National Week of Action, members of the Community Justice Network for Youth (CJNY) will host a collective action in Washington D.C. on Monday, Dec 6, 2010. That same day, Community Voices Heard will hold an action in NYC and Tunica Teens in Action will host an action in Tunica, MS. On Dec. 8, Families and Allies of Virginias Youth will host an action. We invite all allied individuals and organizations to participate by hosting an action in your local community. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

The Center for Media Justice will assist in this national effort, utilizing social media to share, coordinate and inspire during these actions.

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Community Justice Network for Youth

2010 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

& DAY OF ACTION

December 4-6, 2010

L’Enfant Plaza Hotel Washington, D.C.

480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, D.C. 20024
Phone 202.484.1000 | Hotel Fax 202.646.4456

Dear CJNY Members and Friends,

In the year 2000, community leaders working to “Stop the Rail to Jail” established the national network CJNY. Ten years later, our work and unity is more necessary than ever. CJNY is rooted in the power of our people and the relationships that sustain us. It is in this spirit that we invite you to join us for the “CJNY 2010 National Conference and Day of Action.” We are proud to be kicking off the “National Week of Action for Juvenile Justice” (December 6th - 12th 2010) called for at the 2010 United States Social Forum by hosting a National Conference and Day of Action.

The CJNY National Conference will be a space for families, youth and community members to creatively share our love for our communities, strengthen relationships, gain skills and impact federal and local juvenile justice reform efforts. On Saturday, Dec. 4 and on Sunday, Dec. 5, we will work to build the movement our people deserve through workshops, strategy sessions, cultural performances and a dance party. On December 6, conference participants will meet with local representatives to impact current legislation, such as the Youth Promise Act and the Dream Act, as well as impact localized reform efforts to “Stop the Rail to Jail.” Throughout the conference, all participants will be trained on the skill sets needed when meeting with representatives.

Conference registration forms are below in the "Read More" link or you can request it by email to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 15, 2010.