#CloseCAPrisons
Op-eds and earned media
Op-eds
8/9/25 Truthout: "I Survived a Deadly Disease in Prison. No One Else Should Have To Face It."
8/9/25 Truthout: "I Survived a Deadly Disease in Prison. No One Else Should Have To Face It."
Valley fever disproportionately impacts people targeted by mass incarceration. California can move to prevent this harm.
8/7/25 Governing: "The Good Things We Could Do With Our Closed Prisons"
8/7/25 Governing: "The Good Things We Could Do With Our Closed Prisons"
We could save billions by transforming these shuttered monuments to mass incarceration into something far more useful, humane and fiscally responsible. What the military did decades ago offers a proven blueprint.
7/27/25 Sacramento Bee: "California must protect dormant prisons from ICE use"
7/27/25 Sacramento Bee: "California must protect dormant prisons from ICE use"
“Chuckawalla Valley and California Correctional Center, both idle prisons, are liabilities. The state must act quickly.”
10/25/24 David Vanguard: "Time’s Up for Predatory Women’s Prisons – Is Closure Possible?"
10/25/24 David Vanguard: "Time’s Up for Predatory Women’s Prisons – Is Closure Possible?"
“Time’s up” is what we thought when the U.S. Department of Justice announced on September 4, 2024, that it was opening an investigation into sexual abuse by
9/26/24 Prism Reports: "The Nordic distraction: We need prison closures, abolition, and care"
9/26/24 Prism Reports: "The Nordic distraction: We need prison closures, abolition, and care"
5/21/24 The OC Register: "Invest in the systems that keep us healthy and divest from the systems that harm"
5/21/24 The OC Register: "Invest in the systems that keep us healthy and divest from the systems that harm"
4/30/24 LA Times: "California's budget deficit will force difficult cuts. This one should be the easiest"
4/30/24 LA Times: "California's budget deficit will force difficult cuts. This one should be the easiest"
While Gov. Gavin Newsom has closed corrections facilities, the state's shrinking incarcerated population could enable several more.
2/5/24 LA Times: "California has a $38-billion deficit. So why are we still paying for prisons we don't need?"
2/5/24 LA Times: "California has a $38-billion deficit. So why are we still paying for prisons we don't need?"
10/18/23 The Appeal: "Gavin Newsom’s Prison Reform Isn’t Progress—It’s a ‘Near Enemy’...
10/18/23 The Appeal: "Gavin Newsom’s Prison Reform Isn’t Progress—It’s a ‘Near Enemy’...
9/26/23 The Fresno Bee: "It's time to scale back the power of Californian's prisons-guards union...
9/26/23 The Fresno Bee: "It's time to scale back the power of Californian's prisons-guards union...
Op-ed on the influence and funding enjoyed by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
6/25/23 Marin Voice: "From inside San Quentin, Newsom’s plan doesn’t hold up"
6/25/23 Marin Voice: "From inside San Quentin, Newsom’s plan doesn’t hold up"
6/22/23 LA Times: Newsom should solve two problems at once: Close prisons and cut spending"
6/22/23 LA Times: Newsom should solve two problems at once: Close prisons and cut spending"
California's daunting $32-billion deficit presents the perfect opportunity to curb out-of-control spending on the state's sprawling prison system.
4/15/23 Truthout Op-ed: "New Report Reveals Systemic Medical Neglect and Violence...
4/15/23 Truthout Op-ed: "New Report Reveals Systemic Medical Neglect and Violence...
New public health research on women’s prisons exposes medical neglect, sexual violence and inhumane living conditions.
12/22/22 L.A. Times Op-ed: "What to do with California's recently closed prisons"
12/22/22 L.A. Times Op-ed: "What to do with California's recently closed prisons"
12/12/22 Truthout Op-ed: "California Organizers are creating momentum...
12/12/22 Truthout Op-ed: "California Organizers are creating momentum...
5/26/22 Truthout Op-ed: "In debates over prison closures..."
5/26/22 Truthout Op-ed: "In debates over prison closures..."
1/21/22 L.A. Times Op-ed: "When a prison closes..."
1/21/22 L.A. Times Op-ed: "When a prison closes..."
8/24/21 Truthout Op-ed: "Don't just close prisons..."
8/24/21 Truthout Op-ed: "Don't just close prisons..."
A “closure” sometimes means the use of prisons as training sites that perpetuate oppression elsewhere.
8/17/21 Blavity Op-ed: "The new Jim Crow..."
8/17/21 Blavity Op-ed: "The new Jim Crow..."
Earned Media
1/27/26 Calo News: "California Budget Reshapes Prisons, Advocates Want More | Los Angeles County"
1/27/26 Calo News: "California Budget Reshapes Prisons, Advocates Want More | Los Angeles County"
The 2026–27 California state budget, released earlier this month, proposes a major restructuring of California’s correctional system amid declining prison populations. The plan highlights substantial cost savings from prison and facility closures and increased investments in rehabilitation and reentry programs. However, anti-incarceration advocates argue that the proposed reforms and funding increases fall short of delivering meaningful systemic change
1/10/26 Davis Vanguard: "Progressives Praise Revenue Gains in Newsom Budget, Press for Deeper Investments"
1/10/26 Davis Vanguard: "Progressives Praise Revenue Gains in Newsom Budget, Press for Deeper Investments"
11/21/25 Fox 26 News: California faces $18 billion deficit as prison reform debate intensifies"
11/21/25 Fox 26 News: California faces $18 billion deficit as prison reform debate intensifies"
11/21/25 CalMatters: "Unplanned spending puts California prisons over budget despite cuts"
11/21/25 CalMatters: "Unplanned spending puts California prisons over budget despite cuts"
9/24/25 CalMatters Inland Empire Newsletter: "Incarcerated People in CRC Speak on Conditions at Norco Prison"
9/24/25 CalMatters Inland Empire Newsletter: "Incarcerated People in CRC Speak on Conditions at Norco Prison"
7/4/25 Davis Vanguard: "California Law Blocks Federal Use of Closed Prisons for Immigration Detention"
7/4/25 Davis Vanguard: "California Law Blocks Federal Use of Closed Prisons for Immigration Detention"
7/2/25 Sacramento Bee: "Bipartisan efforts focus on public safety in California"
7/2/25 Sacramento Bee: "Bipartisan efforts focus on public safety in California"
7/2/25 Politico: "California’s answer to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’"
7/2/25 Politico: "California’s answer to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’"
6/21/25 Spectrum 1 News: "ICE eyeing closed prisons as immigrant detention centers"
6/21/25 Spectrum 1 News: "ICE eyeing closed prisons as immigrant detention centers"
6/19/25 LA Times: "ICE wants to expand detention capacity in California. This new facility will be the largest in the state"
6/19/25 LA Times: "ICE wants to expand detention capacity in California. This new facility will be the largest in the state"
6/16/25 AP News: "Takeaways from AP's reporting on shuttered prisons, mass deportation push and no-bid contracts"
6/16/25 AP News: "Takeaways from AP's reporting on shuttered prisons, mass deportation push and no-bid contracts"
5/14/25 CalMatters: "Newsom moves to close another state prison. That makes 5 since he took office"
5/14/25 CalMatters: "Newsom moves to close another state prison. That makes 5 since he took office"
5/9/25 CalMatters: "California sent disaster prep experts to its prisons after near floods. Here's what they found"
5/9/25 CalMatters: "California sent disaster prep experts to its prisons after near floods. Here's what they found"
3/12/25 Truthout: "Prisons Are Anti-Labor Institutions. We Need an Anti-Carceral Labor Movement."
3/12/25 Truthout: "Prisons Are Anti-Labor Institutions. We Need an Anti-Carceral Labor Movement."
9/20/24 Press Telegram: "Long Beach decides against declaring official city stance on Proposition 36..."
9/20/24 Press Telegram: "Long Beach decides against declaring official city stance on Proposition 36..."
7/17/24 Sierra Magazine: "Prisoners Are Uniquely Vulnerable to Extreme Heat and Flooding
7/17/24 Sierra Magazine: "Prisoners Are Uniquely Vulnerable to Extreme Heat and Flooding
7/15/24 Cal Matters: "Why California's prison guard union is spending like never before on Gavin Newsom"
7/15/24 Cal Matters: "Why California's prison guard union is spending like never before on Gavin Newsom"
5/15/24 Sacramento Bee: "California Democrats want Gavin Newsom to close more prisons over...
5/15/24 Sacramento Bee: "California Democrats want Gavin Newsom to close more prisons over...
5/11/24 Cal Matters: "Why isn't Newsom closing more prisons?
5/11/24 Cal Matters: "Why isn't Newsom closing more prisons?
4/1/24 LA Times: "Newsom has approved three California prison closures but resists pressure to shutter more"
4/1/24 LA Times: "Newsom has approved three California prison closures but resists pressure to shutter more"
1/23/24 Cal Matters: "As California closes prisons, the cost of locking someone up hits new record at $132,860..."
1/23/24 Cal Matters: "As California closes prisons, the cost of locking someone up hits new record at $132,860..."
1/5/24 AP News: "San Quentin project's $360 million price tag should be slashed..."
1/5/24 AP News: "San Quentin project's $360 million price tag should be slashed..."
12/14/23 Prism: "California’s plan to rebrand prisons doesn’t consider climate change..."
12/14/23 Prism: "California’s plan to rebrand prisons doesn’t consider climate change..."
8/30/23 LA Times: California prison guards on track for $1 billion in perks and raises
8/30/23 LA Times: California prison guards on track for $1 billion in perks and raises
5/23/23 Sac Bee: "The plan for San Quentin is "insulting...unrealistic..."
5/23/23 Sac Bee: "The plan for San Quentin is "insulting...unrealistic..."
2/23/23 Cal Matters: "How many more can he shut?"
2/23/23 Cal Matters: "How many more can he shut?"
1/10/23 Sacramento Bee: "Proposed CDCR budget about the same despite prison closures..."
1/10/23 Sacramento Bee: "Proposed CDCR budget about the same despite prison closures..."
12/9/22 LA Times: "California to close one state prison and end its lease..."
12/9/22 LA Times: "California to close one state prison and end its lease..."
12/7/22 KTLA: "California to close Riverside County prison..."
12/7/22 KTLA: "California to close Riverside County prison..."
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