The Youth and Family Justice Team traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom (PCSF) Week of Action. Over 90 people from 29 grassroots organizations gathered for the three-day convening to lobby legislators to repeal the 1994 Federal Crime Bill and replace it with the People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom. 

September 14th marked the 30th anniversary of the passage of the 1994 Crime Bill. In that time, change has occurred but the detrimental foundational structures prevail. 

PCSF comprises base-building and member-led grassroots organizations and racial justice policy and advocacy institutions, most of which are Black and queer-led. These organizations represent a cross-section of communities impacted by systems of criminalization and incarceration who are committed to transforming the legal system and redefining public safety¹. 

The primary goal of the coalition is to repeal the 1994 Federal Crime Bill and replace and replace it with a new federal law that adopts The People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom, which was developed with the participation of the people most harmed by systems of policing, surveillance, criminalization, and incarceration². MomsRising is proud to have worked with the coalition for the past three years to conduct surveys and focus groups to gather data that helped construct The People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom. 

People may not be aware of the 1994 Federal Crime Bill, but the effects of the legislation have systematically reshaped the criminal justice system, policing, and schooling. The bill expanded the use of the death penalty for 60 new federal offenses, including certain drug offenses not related to homicide. In the first 5 years following the passage of the bill, 74% of defendants with the death penalty were people of color. The legislation also implemented new three-strike laws – laws that imposed automatic life sentences for people convicted of certain offenses if they have two convictions on their record. Finally, the bill expanded the school-to-prison pipeline, increasing racial disparities in juvenile justice involvement. New penalties disproportionally target low-income children of color, especially children of color. Currently, two-thirds of Americans who were sentenced to life in prison as juveniles are black⁴. 

The People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom consists of five titles:

• Enhancing Community Investments

  • A call for lawmakers to authorize and properly fund essential community services that are proven to address poverty, mental health conditions, substance use disorder, and inequities imposed on our communities and exacerbated by the 1994 Crime Bill. 

• Eliminating The School-To-Prison Pipeline

  • A call for lawmakers to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline by prohibiting funding of school resources officers or police and schools that implement zero-tolerance punishment programs. We want investments that fund support structures, including school-based counselors, social workers, psychologists, restorative and transformative justice programs, and other conflict resolution models.  

• Addressing Policing 

  • A call for ending law-and-order policies that prioritize and fund policing and reallocating such funds to community-driven, community-tailored, and community-focused resources that are proven to create harm reduction, safe havens, and violence intervention and prevention programs.

• Reframing The Criminal Legal System 

  • A call for lawmakers to repeal the 1994 Crime Bill and replace it with a law that transforms our legal system so it bends toward justice for our communities, too. This law must outline effective accountability measures, restorative practices, and other alternatives to incarceration for all individuals.

• Expanding Community and Reentry Programs 

  • A call for expanding community and reentry programs, with the expectation that reentry services start at the first point of contact with the criminal legal system and no later than when a person first becomes incarcerated.

On September 12th, 85 coalition members met with House Representatives and Senators to advocate for The People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom. It was an inspiring day with individuals sharing how their lives have been impacted by the 1994 Crime Bill and the need for reformative change. It was encouraging to see how receptive legislators were to the bill framework and in supporting future actions of the coalition. 

Campaign Associate, Youth and Family Justice, Kelsey Reyes, and Campaign Director, Reproductive Justice and Maternal Justice, Diarra Diouf collectively met with the offices of nine legislators, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). 

Day 2, September 13th was a motivating day with the coalition holding a press conference, protest and rally, and festival to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Federal Crime Bill. Several coalition members spoke about the direct impact the ‘94 Crime Bill has had on their lives and how it continues to impact them today. We rallied to demand President Biden to pardon or commute the sentences of at least 10% of the 15,000 pending clemency petitions before his term ends. 

To date, President Biden has only used his clemency power to pardon 11 individuals and commute the sentences of 5 individuals. This number is disturbing, especially when compared to previous administrations where presidents have pardoned or commuted the sentences of 200 people (George W. Bush), 1,927 people (Barack Obama), and 237 people (Donald Trump).

The final day, September 14th, stood as a testament to the passion and determination of the coalition. It was a day-long convening filled with plans for the next steps for The People’s Bill for Safety and Freedom.  This day was an amazing reminder of how far the coalition has come and a testament to the power of grassroots organizing efforts. For three years, organizations from all over the country have dedicated themselves to learning the legislative process, educating others, hosting in-person and virtual events, developing surveys, and writing a bill framework. The journey has not been smooth, but the determination and passion of the coalition make me believe that true change is possible. 

Resources

[1] [2] [3] https://safetyandfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Peoples-Bill-for-Safety-and-Freedom.pdf

[4]https://www.americanprogress.org/article/3-ways-1994-crime-bill-continues-hurt-communities-color/