I am happy to report that our years of advocacy on behalf of California SB 9, The Fair Sentencing for Youth Act, are very close to paying off! Last week California made historic strides toward justice for children in approving SB 9. This legislation creates the possibility for a reconsideration of the sentence of Life Without Parole (LWOP) for juvenile offenders who meet exceptional standards for good behavior and rehabilitation while incarcerated. Under stringent criteria, SB 9 provides a process by which certain juvenile offenders might one day be rehabilitated, resentenced, and perhaps eligible for parole.
Every Abrahamic faith tradition professes preferential love for all children. As people of faith who believe in a God of forgiveness, redemption, and transformation, we have an opportunity to live out our faith and assert that no child is disposable.
Please participate with us in this final push on behalf of SB 9. Reach out to the Governor's office in one of three ways, each of which is described in the boxes below. (You can even do each, if so inclined!) We understand that letters/faxes carry more weight than phone calls and e-mails, and have provided instructions for each to make the process as quick and painless as possible for you.
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Contact Governor Brown by Letter/Fax
Below, please find text that you can cut/paste/edit on your own letterhead before sending off to Governor Brown via hard copy and/or fax. Don't forget to sign it and provide your own address so that the Governor's office can properly record your input.
The Governor's Fax number is (916) 558-3160
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The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Governor of the State of California
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
August 28, 2012
RE: Support for SB 9 - The Fair Sentencing for Youth Act
Dear Governor Brown,
I am writing to urge you to sign SB 9, the Fair Sentencing for Youth Act, into law.
Senate Bill 9 recognizes that all young people, even those serving life without parole sentences, have the capacity to change for the better and should have access to the rehabilitative tools to do so. This Act provides an opportunity for review and re-sentencing after many years of incarceration for youth sentenced to life without parole. Recognizing that teenagers are still maturing, this Act creates specific criteria and an intense, three-part review process that would result in the possibility of a lesser sentence for those offenders who have matured and proven themselves to have changed. Under this Act, youth sentenced to life without parole could petition a court to review his or her case after serving between 10 and 25 years in prison. If the offender meets certain criteria, the court would review the case and decide, after listening to all sides, if a lower sentence should be imposed. Not all youth would get a new sentencing hearing, and those who did would have no guarantee of getting a lesser sentence. Even if re-sentenced, offenders must still face a parole board and must prove they merit parole. Otherwise, they will remain in prison. There would be no guarantee of parole, only the opportunity to earn it.
No child is disposable - even those convicted of serious offenses. As people of faith and as members of civil society, we have a responsibility to promote a culture of rehabilitation and restoration whenever possible. SB 9 is a positive step toward these ends.
I would appreciate a response from your office regarding your decision in this matter.
Thank you for your consideration.
Signature,
Name
Address
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Contact Governor Brown by Web (E-mail)
The governor's office solicits input via a form on its website, which can be accessed by clicking here.
The form asks you to indicate that you "Have a Comment" for the Governor, and then solicits you to input your Name and E-mail address, and to choose from a list of topics, which in this case is "Prison Issues/Concerns." I would also recommend clicking the box to indicate you'd like a reply from the Governor on this issue.
On the next page of the form, you will be prompted to indicate your position, which is "Pro." And then to provide text in support of SB 9.
We suggest the following, which can be cut and pasted directly into the text box on the form for the Governor.
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As a person of faith, I am writing to urge you to sign SB 9, the Fair Sentencing for Youth Act, into law.
Senate Bill 9 recognizes that all young people, even those serving life without parole sentences, have the capacity to change for the better and should have access to the rehabilitative tools to do so. This Act provides an opportunity for review and re-sentencing after many years of incarceration for youth sentenced to life without parole. Recognizing that teenagers are still maturing, this Act creates specific criteria and an intense, three-part review process that would result in the possibility of a lesser sentence for those offenders who have matured and proven themselves to have changed. Under this Act, youth sentenced to life without parole could petition a court to review his or her case after serving between 10 and 25 years in prison. If the offender meets certain criteria, the court would review the case and decide, after listening to all sides, if a lower sentence should be imposed. Not all youth would get a new sentencing hearing, and those who did would have no guarantee of getting a lesser sentence. Even if re-sentenced, offenders must still face a parole board and must prove they merit parole. Otherwise, they will remain in prison. There would be no guarantee of parole, only the opportunity to earn it.
No child is disposable - even those convicted of serious offenses. As people of faith and as members of civil society, we have a responsibility to promote a culture of rehabilitation and restoration whenever possible. SB 9 is a positive step toward these ends.
I would appreciate a response from your office regarding your decision in this matter.
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Contact Governor Brown by Telephone
The governor can be reached by telephone at (916) 445-2841.
We offer the following suggestion as a telephone script.
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My name is [INSERT], and I am calling from [CITY, STATE] to urge Governor Brown to sign SB 9 into law.
SB 9 is the Fair Sentencing for Youth Act that creates a possibility for reconsidering the sentence of Life Without Parole for juvenile offenders who meet exceptional standards for good behavior and rehabilitation while incarcerated.
Has the Governor provided any indication as to whether he is going to sign SB 9 into law?
Under stringent criteria, SB 9 provides a process by which certain juvenile offenders might one day be rehabilitated, resentenced, and perhaps eligible for parole.
As a person of faith this legislation is very important to me. No child is disposable - even those convicted of serious offenses. As people of faith and as members of civil society, we have a responsibility to promote a culture of rehabilitation and restoration whenever possible. SB 9 is a positive step toward these ends.
I certainly hope the governor will keep my concerns in mind and sign SB 9 into law.
