Dystopia Now: Corrections Corporation of America offers to buy state prisons

[sven thorkel]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/private-prisons-buying-state-prisons_n_1272143.html

As state governments wrestle with massive budget shortfalls, a Wall Street giant is offering a solution: cash in exchange for state property. Prisons, to be exact.

Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest operator of for-profit prisons, has sent letters recently to 48 states offering to buy up their prisons as a remedy for "challenging corrections budgets." In exchange, the company is asking for a 20-year management contract, plus an assurance that the prison would remain at least 90 percent full, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Huffington Post.

The move reflects a significant shift in strategy for the private prison industry, which until now has expanded by building prisons of its own or managing state-controlled prisons. It also represents an unprecedented bid for more control of state prison systems.

Corrections Corporation has been a swiftly growing business, with revenues expanding more than fivefold since the mid-1990s. The company capitalized on the expansion of state prison systems in the '80s and '90s at the height of the so-called 'war on drugs,' contracting with state governments to build or manage new prisons to house an influx of drug offenders. During the past 10 years, it has found new opportunity in the business of locking up undocumented immigrants, as the federal government has contracted with private companies in an aggressive immigrant-detention campaign.

if this is the way things are going, we're officially fucked. a for profit company offering to buy any state prison as long as they're assured a 90% occupancy rate for 20 years? what the fuck. that just means they'll throw you in prison for anything... just so corrections corp. makes more profit and has more potential for growth

[weed420]

i like the sound of this

[DaSk8D00D]

that's definitely fucked...

[weedpop]

As if privately managed, for-profit prisons don't create enough of a conflict of interest within the American "justice" system,  now we're going to have guaranteed occupancy rates? Incredible how none of this is apparently prohibited by the constitution (at least in current interpretations).

[FART BOY]

Goes hand in hand with the newest NDAA Bill.

[Brick]

reminds me of this bullshit

Family Law "Judge" Sells Kids for Cash, Goes To Prison!	Small | Large

dude would just send kids to this private detention center for just about anything for mutual benefit

[friendly dave]

DYSTOPIA "Hands That Mold (Live)"	Small | Large

Sorry, had to. Privatizing prisons is pretty fucked up though.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Goes hand in hand with the newest NDAA Bill.

Stories like this are way older than this year's NDAA. Its also the other end of the spectrum. NDAA revolves around the military budget and federal government, this revolves around corporatizing society.

The corporations are taking over in an irreversible way. Schools, prisons, who knows what's next, but soon all public institutions will be run for a profit for the benefit of shareholders over the population.

[FART BOY]

Goes hand in hand with the newest NDAA Bill.

Stories like this are way older than this year's NDAA. Its also the other end of the spectrum. NDAA revolves around the military budget and federal government, this revolves around corporatizing society.

The corporations are taking over in an irreversible way. Schools, prisons, who knows what's next, but soon all public institutions will be run for a profit for the benefit of shareholders over the population.

True that

It's pretty nuts that its getting to this point. Everyday something more ridiculous hits the airwaves, this is one of them.

[Lance Meowntain]

As someone who has spent time in prison, this is no surprise. It is however a shame, because as if it werent bad enough already, once the prisons are solely being run for profit, the meals will be even worse/cheaper (like that is possible) the commissary will be double the price, and the phone calls home to family will also be double the price. All of which are already completely asinine to begin with. And before you say "who cares, these fucks belong there" that may be true for some (or hell, even most)  but there are far more solid guys in there for bullshit drug charges than you would believe. If they are contracting and pushing the state to convict, convict, convict, which it does already, you will be seeing way more stupid drug charges resulting in large prison sentences. Not to mention the affect it'll have on the parole board.. "well, sir, in your time here youve been a model inmate, completed college, never been in a fight, and never been caught with any contraband, however, currently we are only operating at 84% capacity soooo sorry dingus, back to your cell."

[oldeath]

As someone who has spent time in prison, this is no surprise. It is however a shame, because as if it werent bad enough already, once the prisons are solely being run for profit, the meals will be even worse/cheaper (like that is possible) the commissary will be double the price, and the phone calls home to family will also be double the price. All of which are already completely asinine to begin with. And before you say "who cares, these fucks belong there" that may be true for some (or hell, even most)  but there are far more solid guys in there for bullshit drug charges than you would believe. If they are contracting and pushing the state to convict, convict, convict, which it does already, you will be seeing way more stupid drug charges resulting in large prison sentences. Not to mention the affect it'll have on the parole board.. "well, sir, in your time here youve been a model inmate, completed college, never been in a fight, and never been caught with any contraband, however, currently we are only operating at 84% capacity soooo sorry dingus, back to your cell."

As for someone who used to work as a correctionofficer i can see this happening, and its scary.
I worked in Sweden and prisons here are alot different from how they are in the US, inmates have rights here and are for the most part treated like human beings.
There are at least 5 officers on 20 inmates instead of 2 on 100 and we interacted all the time with the inmates and did stuff with them so the time would be easier, for everyone.

[KoRnholio8]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

[Wall of Nausea]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

time served = money ("debt to society") , it's not really about justice or morality. that's how it works currently. ask any lawyer.

this purposed model and the privatizing of everything to come is fucking scary, and as we bitch and sit by our rights keep getting smaller and smaller till eventually they disappear all together. it'll happen, and we'll just let it. society as a whole is emasculated and docile to the point of being a limp wrist eunuch who will passively take a big dick in the ass and thank them for it.

better start looking into dual citizenship, or becoming an ex-pat. been considering it for a while now, the ships sinking fast here in the states.

[chockfullofthat]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

I'm wondering the same.

[Wall of Nausea]

DYSTOPIA "Hands That Mold (Live)"
Sorry, had to. Privatizing prisons is pretty fucked up though.

Dystopia is fucking sick, I still have my Human = Garbage cassette somewhere around here.

[oldeath]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

The prisoners work and make stuff, sorting bolts and stuff for boltcompanys.
They make a few $ a day on that and the prison makes money out of it and from taxes.

[steve]

here's an interesting read from Salon concerning privatization of prisons and prisoners being contracted to work for outside companies.

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/19/21st_century_chain_gangs/

The sheriff of Bristol County, MA, Tom Hodgson, has been beating on the population to vote for a $5/day living fee to be paid by all prisoners or their families before they have access to the commissary. His argument runs along the lines of :students in state schools are paying X to live in a dorm, eat, etc.  prisoners get 3 squares and a bed, plus educational opportunities, so why should it be free? and either way, what they're paying is far less than said students.... As we've got upcoming elections legislators aren't supporting this, so he's looking for a state wide referendum and it's frightening to see where it might go.

[sprayTAN101]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

The prisoners work and make stuff, sorting bolts and stuff for boltcompanys.
They make a few $ a day on that and the prison makes money out of it and from taxes.

as with any privatized "civil service", they get your tax money to perform a service previously performed by your local government. in prisons, apparently, they can make extra money by getting inmates to work for other private corporations. the sole fact that they have to make money on a prison should make anyone think twice.

even public prisons are money drains. the only way they can even begin to break even is by rehabilitating prisoners so they come back as law abiding people, who work and pay taxes. i highly doubt that these private prisons have a 50 year horizon on them earning back their investments. 

[filter]

we need to rethink what the purpose of prisons is. the justice system and "tough on crime" policies have failed us if incarceration rates are an indication. unless the goal is a police state, then they're working great

[weedpop]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

The prisoners work and make stuff, sorting bolts and stuff for boltcompanys.
They make a few $ a day on that and the prison makes money out of it and from taxes.

as with any privatized "civil service", they get your tax money to perform a service previously performed by your local government. in prisons, apparently, they can make extra money by getting inmates to work for other private corporations. the sole fact that they have to make money on a prison should make anyone think twice.

Ya, I think that most of these companies make their money through government contracts which essentially outsource the management of prisons to these corrections corporations, meaning that all prison employees (guards, wardens etc.) are private employees.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

so how exactly does a prison make profit? putting prisoners to work? slavery much?

The prisoners work and make stuff, sorting bolts and stuff for boltcompanys.
They make a few $ a day on that and the prison makes money out of it and from taxes.

as with any privatized "civil service", they get your tax money to perform a service previously performed by your local government. in prisons, apparently, they can make extra money by getting inmates to work for other private corporations. the sole fact that they have to make money on a prison should make anyone think twice.

Ya, I think that most of these companies make their money through government contracts which essentially outsource the management of prisons to these corrections corporations, meaning that all prison employees (guards, wardens etc.) are private employees.

Its both. The government spends an ungodly amount on prisoners. Its really ineffective in terms of benefit to society/dollar. Check it in California:


In terms of prisons making more profit outside of the payments for the state? Slavery. That's why they want it 90% full. The factories should be working at 90% capacity. Otherwise they'd probably take a flat fee and actually hope that the prisons weren't very full. If you guys are disturbed or interested by this, I highly suggest you read some of Angela Davis's work. Particularly her book Are Prisons obsolete? She's a leading voice on prison reform and talks a lot about how slavery has been preserved through the prison system. She also was a Black Panther and at one point the most wanted fugitive in America...

[sven thorkel]

here's an interesting read from Salon concerning privatization of prisons and prisoners being contracted to work for outside companies.

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/19/21st_century_chain_gangs/

great link. is this the future of late-stage american capitalism? in order for companies to turn a profit, do they have to resort to prison labor? will the multinational corporations that high tailed it to asia to procure cheap labor (once they had the chance) set their sights back on america because they found a new source of cheap labor? shit, there needs to be some major restructuring in order to prevent this tragedy.
 

[Bitter]

Anonymous record exec claims that prison privatization was the reason behind the popularization of gangster rap in the early 90's -
http://www.thewordisbond.com/57854/the-secret-meeting-that-changed-hip-hop-music-and-destroyed-a-generation

[ciaran]

On a similar note, here in the UK, several regional police forces are putting various departments, such as criminal investigation, out to tender to private companies like Group 4/G4S (who are already involved in transporting prisoners about) and whatever international gang of bastards want a piece of the pie for profit...   

[DaSk8D00D]

Anonymous record exec claims that prison privatization was the reason behind the popularization of gangster rap in the early 90's -
http://www.thewordisbond.com/57854/the-secret-meeting-that-changed-hip-hop-music-and-destroyed-a-generation

"The meeting was held at a private residence on the outskirts of Los Angeles. I remember about 25 to 30 people being there, most of them familiar faces. Speaking to those I knew, we joked about the theme of the meeting as many of us did not care for rap music and failed to see the purpose of being invited to a private gathering to discuss its future. Among the attendees was a small group of unfamiliar faces who stayed to themselves and made no attempt to socialize beyond their circle. Based on their behavior and formal appearances, they didn't seem to be in our industry."

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

As much as I distrust the Prison Industrial Complex, I have a hard time believing that. I just don't think you can force music to exist. 91 was kind of the peak of the crack epidemic and the kids in the 90's in the hood grew up under a real explosion in gang violence. Gangsta Rap is fucked up shit, and it clearly was a conscious decision for executives to start signing gangsta rap artists, though I don't think they invented it. I think Ronald Reagan did.
The same dude who made the war on drugs what it is today is the dude who helped start the crack epidemic so he could funnel money to Central American dictators.  Fuck Ronald Reagan. Dude fucking makes the penalty for crack 100 times worse than powder and then fucking distributes it to the ghettos to fund the contras after defunding urban development. All of this shit is his fault. Dead serious. Huge part of why I hate him. I've always dreamed of spitting on that fuck's grave. You think you'd get in a lot of trouble for that? Or would it be like a ticket or like free speech or something.

[theycallmeishmael]

I heard Tensors are made in prison

[realitycontrol]

Anonymous record exec claims that prison privatization was the reason behind the popularization of gangster rap in the early 90's -
http://www.thewordisbond.com/57854/the-secret-meeting-that-changed-hip-hop-music-and-destroyed-a-generation

ohhhh, so that's why gangster rap was invented....

....hey, tell me again how soundgarden and alice in chains helped lead to the dot-com bubble of the late 90s...

[steve]

Anonymous record exec claims that prison privatization was the reason behind the popularization of gangster rap in the early 90's -
http://www.thewordisbond.com/57854/the-secret-meeting-that-changed-hip-hop-music-and-destroyed-a-generation

I've often thought that the culture surrounding and, in part, proliferated through gangsta rap institutes a Regan/Cheney top of the barrel fascist wet dream  of autogenocide.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Fuck rap music, and its connection, the one that is really fucked is the School to Prison pipeline. Check out this very recent report regarding LASPD (Los Angeles School Police Department) and the racial disparities between arrests. Oh, and what percentage of arrests relate to students with weapons (the only thing I could imagine traditional school staff having problems with)? 0.7%.
Again, fuck the police.
April 25, 2012
Superintendent John Deasy
Los Angeles Unified School District (?LAUSD?)
333 South Beaudry Avenue, 24th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Chief Steve Zipperman
Los Angeles School Police Department (?LASPD?)
1330 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Re: LASPD Citations A
Pattern of Discriminatory Impacts for Public School Students and
Students of Color
Dear Superintendent Deasy & Chief Zipperman:
The Labor/Community Strategy Center has been corresponding with LAUSD and Board Members for
several years now seeking to put an end to policies and practices that criminalize our students and
contribute to devastating graduation rates and educational outcomes especially for students of color. In
particular, the Community Rights Campaign, with allies from the Los Angeles Chapter of Dignity in
Schools, have sought to direct the attention of LAUSD and LASPD leadership to fully comprehend and
address the problems associated with the expansion of the role of school police and the need for
accountability and oversight.1
Your collaboration and leadership has been essential in the progress that has been made so far. Most
importantly, the support of Board Members and LAPSD to reform a practice of ticketing under the
daytime curfew, led to major amendments in the law to better protect the educational and civil rights of
students.
In furtherance of our ongoing effort, LASPD, in response to public records requests, provided data for all
citations issued between 20092011.2
Sharing this data with the community is an important step forward,
however, we write today with some troubling observations regarding the citations and what appears to be
a pattern of unnecessary and unjustified policing resulting in discriminatory impacts for public school
students and students of color.
In light of our observations on the data, the urgency of pending Juvenile Court closures on June
15th, and the irreparable harms faced by students and families unnecessarily sent through the
juvenile justice system, we believe an immediate response is called for that includes a moratorium
on citations until the data can be comprehensively reviewed and a plan is in place to decrease
discriminatory impacts and overall citations by at least 75%.
1 See, for example, Community Rights Campaign in collaboration with L.A. Dignity in Schools, Police in LAUSD
Schools, the Need for Accountability and Alternatives (October 2010); and Dignity in Schools, LAUSD Policies
Regarding Duties and Responsibilities of Los Angeles School Police (June 2010).
2 The data provided is for citations to the Informal Juvenile Traffic Court (?IJTC?) and does not include all LASPD
arrest.
LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy
LASPD Chief Steve Zipperman
April 25, 2012
Page 2 of 5
Almost five years have passed since LAUSD made one of its most important commitments to the
communities it serves when it resolved to support equal protection and civil rights for all students.3 The
Resolution directed ?the Superintendent, administrative officials, and every employee of the District to
take immediate action to identify and remedy any and all District practices that may result, or have
resulted, in the disparate treatment of students,? including ?the review and evaluation of current school
police policies, practices and training relating to the equitable treatment of students.?
To our knowledge, such a review has never taken place. As you know, recent data released by the
Department of Education Office of Civil Rights additionally reveals alarming rates of exclusionary
discipline, like outofschool
suspensions, for students of color. The educational climate is such that there
is an immediate need to address the disparate impacts faced by our public school students and students of
color to ensure protections are met under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its regulations; and
Government Code Section 11135 and its regulations.
We recognize that as Superintendent you have acknowledged the importance of addressing the issue of
exclusionary discipline and the impacts on students of color. We are grateful to participate in the Positive
Behavior Support Intervention (?PBIS?) Task Force and believe their efforts are an invaluable
contribution. We are hopeful that the District will take a strong stance against policies and practices that
result in discriminatory outcomes and include in your analysis the impacts of police citations and arrests,
in addition to your efforts to decrease suspensions and expulsions and implement PBIS Districtwide.
I. The Extent of the Problem
The presence and extent of policing of our public school students is not limited to Los Angeles? schools.
We are facing a crisis nationwide despite numerous accounts that the current practice of policing in our
schools is creating rather than preventing a problem that is having lasting impacts on educational
outcomes for public school students.4 In addition to the higher likelihood that students will enter the
juvenile justice system simply as a result of the presence and manner of policing on their campus, the
daily access of police to students compromises their educational and civil rights with the potential for
unchecked searches, handcuffing, interrogations and restraints. The alienation and trauma that students
can experience as a result of persistent policing may affect their attitudes toward school, their behavior
and their overall mental health and wellbeing.
The LAUSD school police department is the largest in the nation. While LASPD has been in existence
since 1948, their role has changed dramatically over the years from patrolling school property after hours
to regulating and penalizing student conduct through the juvenile court system. According to the LASPD
website, between 2002 ? 2007 (the last reporting period available online), more than 47, 000 citations
and/or arrests were reported for middle and high schools, an average of 9,400 per year.5 Middle School
arrests and citations represented close to 40% of the total and over 50% were in the category of ?Property
Crimes.?
3 LAUSD Resolution, Support Equal Protection and Civil Rights for all Students in the Los Angeles Unified School
District (November 13, 2007).
4 See, i.e., Justice Policy Institute, Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools (October 2011)
available at http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3177; and the Advancement Project, Zero Tolerance in
Philadelphia: Denying Educational opportunities and Creating a Pathway to Prison (January 2011) available at
http://www.advancementproject.org/digitallibrary/
publications/zerotoleranceinphiladelphiadenyingeducationalopportunitiesandcr.
5 The LASPD data online does not categorize or in any way identify incidents by arrest or citation.
LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy
LASPD Chief Steve Zipperman
April 25, 2012
Page 3 of 5
Since 2007, LASPD contact with students appears to have increased. According to their data for 20092011,
citations alone, for schoolage
youth up to age 19, totaled more than 33,500, an average of at least
11,000 citations per year that does not include arrests.
II. LASPD Citation Data 20092011
The following results are a preliminary and nonexhaustive
analysis of the LASPD citation data for 20092011.
We believe the initial patterns that are revealed are problematic and urge the District to complete a
more comprehensive review and evaluation.
Students are cited with frequency at very young ages
 Students as young as seven years old received a citation;
 Middle School students represented approximately 24% of all citations;
 745 citations were issued to students between the ages of 711;
 Citations increase dramatically for students at age 11, they make up 648 of the 745 citations for
ages 711;
 Citations increase significantly each year with 2259 issued to 12yearolds,
4061 issued to 13yearolds
and 6234 issued to 14yearolds;
and
 Between 42% 44%
of citations issued to 11 13
yearolds
were for Disturbing the Peace;
The majority of citations are for nonviolent
offenses and student conduct where effective alternatives
exist that are less discriminatory including the official District policy of schoolwide
positive behavior
support interventions
 Approximately 28% of the total citations are in a category of truancy regulation through a
daytime curfew or the Education Code;
 Approximately 23% of the total citations are for Disturbing the Peace;
 Approximately 25% of the total citations are for substance possession including tobacco, lighters
or other smoking paraphernalia, marijuana and alcohol;
 Approximately 12.3% of the total citations are for property related offenses including defacing or
damaging property, possessing markers, aerosol paint cans or graffiti implements, and trespass on
school grounds;
 Students additionally receive citations for littering, loitering and traffic violations in smaller
proportions; and
 Only about .7% of citations were for possession of a weapon by a minor, under LAMC 45.01,
that may include a slingshot, knife, razor blade, bb gun or gun, without specification in the data.
An overrepresentation of Black students6 is present for the majority of offense categories and is
particularly high for younger students and certain categories of offenses
 Approximately 18% of the total citations for schoolage
youth were issued to Black students;
 Approximately 29% of the Disturbing the Peace citations were issued to Black students;
 Approximately 31% of the Failure to Comply with a Peace Officer citations were issued to Black
students;
6 According to LAUSD documentation, Black students were 10.2% of student enrollment in 200910.
LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy
LASPD Chief Steve Zipperman
April 25, 2012
Page 4 of 5
 Approximately 31% of Habitual Truancy citations under the Ed. Code were issued to Black
students;
 Approximately 38% of citations for students ages 710
were issued to Black students;
 Between the ages of 11 ? 14, the percentage of Black students receiving citations ranged from
32% of 11yearolds
to 17% of 14yearolds;
 Black students represented at least 47% of the citations for Disturbing the Peace issued to 11yearolds,
35% issued to 12yearolds
and 28% issued to 13yearolds;
and
 Black students are slightly overrepresented in the category of substance possession, at least 12%
of those citations, and appear to be slightly underrepresented in the vandalism and graffiti
categories.
Males are significantly overrepresented in all categories
 Approximately 71% of the total citations were issued to males;
 In most categories, males represent more than 70% of the citations, often more than 80% and in
some cases 96%, for example, in the category of possession of a graffiti implement.
White students7 are significantly underrepresented in almost all categories
 Approximately 4% of the total citations for schoolage
youth were issued to White students
 Approximately 2% of Disturbing the Peace citations were issued to White students
 Approximately 4% of Daytime Curfew citations and 1% of Habitual Truancy citations under the
Ed. Code were issued to White students;
 Approximately 2% of Vandalism citations were issued to White students;
 White students are still underrepresented (while Black students continue to be overrepresented) in
schools where White enrollment is more than 25% for example:
At Taft SH, White students are 39.7% of enrollment and received 22% of the
school citations while Black students are 15.4% of enrollment and received 33%
of citations;
At Verdugo Hills SH, White students are 31.7% of enrollment and received 25%
of the school citations while Black students are 2.8% of enrollment and
received 14% of the citations;
At El Camino Real SH, White students are 53% of enrollment and received 46%
of the school citations, while Black students are 7% of enrollment and received
9% of citations; and
At Palisades SH, White students are 47% of enrollment and received 36% of the
citations, while Black students are 18% of enrollment and received 29% of
citations.
Latinos students8 receive the most citations and patterns of overrepresentation are present, at a minimum,
in property related categories of offenses
 Approximately 76% of the total citations for school age youth were issued to Latino students;
 Approximately 89% of Vandalism (damaging or defacing property) citations were issued to
Latino students;
7 According to LAUSD documentation, White students were 9.5% of student enrollment in 200910.
8 According to LAUSD documentation, Hispanic Students were 73.4% of student enrollment in 200910.
LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy
LASPD Chief Steve Zipperman
April 25, 2012
Page 5 of 5
 Approximately 90% of Vandalism citations for possession of graffiti implements were issued to
Latino students;
 Approximately 75% of LAMC 45.04 Daytime Curfew citations were issued to Latino students;
and
 100% of Daytime Curfew citations were issued to Latino students in outlying areas like Bell,
South Gate, and Huntington Park.
III. The Harm to Students in Public Education
There is a great urgency to the patterns and practices of policing our students in the manner presented by
this data. Students and families can be irreparably harmed by such significant police contact just by
nature of their reliance on a public system of education. They cannot choose to avoid or prevent the
presence of police in their lives because they are both required to attend school and limited in their
resources. It is also apparent that race is a factor in the perception of what is disruptive and what
necessitates law enforcement involvement. For many students, and particularly our Black students, the
criminalization process begins at enrollment and increases with intensity when they transition to Middle
School.
In addition to the scope of the problem and the implications for public school students and students of
color, there is great immediacy to our request because of the pending Juvenile Court closures. According
to the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Informal Juvenile Traffic Courts (?IJTC?) will no longer be in
existence to hear these citations. We have been informed that in lieu of the IJTC hearings, where students
had the opportunity to bring counsel and contest the citations, probation will oversee all citations.
As you can imagine, this raises serious questions and concerns regarding how these citations will be
handled as they abruptly transition from juvenile traffic court, where the most significant penalty was a
fine and a hold on the youth?s driver?s license, to probation and the delinquency court system where the
stakes are much higher. It is essential therefore that we truly evaluate the impact of these tickets and that
we work together to prevent the damaging and potentially unintended consequences of sending our
students even more directly into the juvenile justice system.
We are confident that your attention and leadership on this issue is of the utmost importance in reversing
these trends that are disruptive to our schools and communities. We look forward to meeting with you as
soon as possible given the urgency of this matter.
Sincerely,
Manuel Criollo Zoe Rawson
Director of Organizing Legal Advocate
Cc: LAUSD Board of Education
Chief of Operations Earl Perkins