CLUE Santa BarbaraCLergy & Laity United for Economic & Social Justice

CLUE Santa Barbara Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice

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Sign on to improve criminal justice for our County

We are building momentum to transform Santa Barbara County’s criminal justice system: to improve humane treatment, fairness and racial/ethnic justice and free hundreds of non-violent people from being arrested and locked up in our county jail.

Subject

Improve racial justice and prioritize humane treatment for justice-involved people in our County.

Your Message

Dear County Supervisor, I write to express my strong support to improve racial justice and prioritize humane treatment for justice-involved people in our County. I respectfully but firmly call on you to reallocate our criminal justice budget to advance transformational changes:

  • Permanently reduce Sheriff’s Department funding to support a long term average jail population of approximately 550.
  • Reduce general funding for our Sheriff’s Department by up to $26.7 million and 165 FTEs to bring our Sheriff Department budget in line with comparable counties.
  • Reduce Sheriff’s Department funding for traditional policing that doesn’t reduce recidivism. Reallocate funds to community-based diversion and alternatives to jail, including more funds for the Behavioral Wellness Department to provide non-jail alternatives for mental health and addiction needs. Reallocate funds to support transition planning for jail residents returning to our community.
  • Increase funding for the Public Defender Department to expand holistic advocacy and culturally competent staff to improve advocacy across the racial/ethnic spectrum.
  • Reallocate funds to County CEO to expand and centralize data collection and analytics. Require Departments to provide evidence-based data for programs to reduce recidivism.
  • Offer a grant to the Sheriff’s Department to expand jail internet and volunteer access – – including the award winning Freedom to Choose program that reduces recidivism.
  • Rethink plans for $28M to refurbish the South County Jail. Reduce footprint to about 200 jail beds. Repurpose funds to build transitional housing to help stabilize eligible jail residents’ re-entry into our community. Build a separate assessment center to screen and divert those who are appropriate for community-based alternatives.
  • Fund seed money to study a possible Civilian Oversight Commission to help assure Sheriff Department transparency and accountability, and deter police misconduct.
Transformational change requires courage. I will watch for you to vote for big change now. The commissioned KPMG studies and we, the people, will support you in this.

Your Information

How to watch/speak at Monday's Sheriff's budget workshop

Click here

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