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OCTOBER 8 COMMUNITY PROTEST OF JAIL OVERCROWDING CRISIS AND INHUMANE CONDITIONS AT CUYAHOGA COUNTY JAIL
WHO: Coalition to Stop the Inhumanity at the Cuyahoga County Jail, Ohio Student Association, and Color of Change
WHAT: March from Public Square to the Justice Center, followed by rally and press conference, attendance and speaking during public comment at the Criminal Justice Council meeting.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 8th; 8AM rally at Public Square, march to Justice Center, 9AM press conference, 9:30AM Criminal Justice Council meeting.
WHERE: Public Square; Justice Center, 1300 Ontario St., 44113. Criminal Justice Council meeting will be in the Multi-Purpose Room on the first floor of the Justice Center.
WHY: Since we packed the last Criminal Justice Council meeting in July, there has been NO PROGRESS on decreasing the jail population, which remains well over capacity while jail conditions remain unacceptable. County Executive Armond Budish has been busy defending the county against inmate abuse lawsuits and is being investigated for illegal employee bonuses and overtime payments. All of our elected officials are accountable for the ongoing crisis at the jail and responsible for solving it. Today we call on County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley - who has the power to make prosecutorial reforms that will reduce the number of people who are unnecessarily locked up at the jail and make our county criminal injustice system more just - to take leadership and take action. The Coalition is demanding that the county and Prosecutor O’Malley:
Stop exploiting people with money bail. Money bail drives up mass incarceration and puts people in harm’s way for no reason. It punishes people who have not even been convicted of a crime just because they are poor. Prosecutor O’Malley should develop of non-jailable offenses similar to those outlined by District Attorney Rachael Rollins in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Treat children like children. Children don’t belong in adult jails and prisons, experiences that can damage them forever and have nothing to do with community safety. We all know that children are not adults - they need their own protected environment and should not be incarcerated at all.
Stop jailing people for mental illness and addiction. These are not crimes. People need care and access to services - not cages. Reform prosecutors across the country have pioneered strategies to keep these populations out of jail. Prosecutor O’Malley should implement these best practices.
We will pack the meeting of the Criminal Justice Council to remind all of our elected officials that the people of this county demand better for our neighbors and our communities. We will give testimonies during the public comment period, that will include voices of those unable to testify - those inside the walls suffering.
Coalition Members:
Black Lives Matter Cleveland
Black on Black Crime Inc.
Carl Stokes Brigade
Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing
Communist Party, USA Cleveland
Democratic Socialists of America Cleveland Chapter
Imperial Women Coalition
InterReligious Task Force on Central America
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition
Ohio Organizing Collaborative
Ohio Student Association
Puncture the Silence-Stop Mass Incarceration
Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus (CCPC)
Refuse Fascism Ohio
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ NEO) Northeast Ohio Chapter
Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, Inc.
Tamir E. Rice Foundation
Important Links:
Action Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/697246814021802/
Coalition Facebook Page: h
ttps://www.facebook.com/JailCoalition/
(Livestream of 10/8 action and Criminal Justice Council meeting will be available on our Facebook page)
Coalition Website: bit.ly/jailco
Action Hashtags:
#OMalleySaid
#StopTheInhumanity
#CuyahogaCountyJail
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