Who we are
Amidst the racial justice reckoning in summer 2020, a coalition of public safety advocates and community leaders in Oregon developed a legislative proposal that addresses the racial disparities in the criminal justice system and makes our communities safer and stronger.
Like Oregonians across the state, we were driven by a belief that true reinvestment means developing a new vision of community safety that builds alternatives to the existing corrections system while simultaneously dismantling the current system that over-incarcerates people who are Black, Indigenous, and of color.
We believe in meaningful accountability that gives survivors of harm the opportunities to heal and rebuild their lives. We also believe that people who have caused harm should be responsible for that harm, after which they should have an opportunity to rebuild their lives. We know that most people who have caused harm have also experienced harm themselves, and understanding this intersection of identity is necessary for truly reimagining our public safety systems.
Our Guiding Principles.
One.
We seek to dismantle institutional racism within the criminal justice system and are transparent about the influence of white supremacy that created and sustains the policies and the criminal justice system. In the short and long term for our work, this means advancing policy that reduces racial disparities.
Two.
The people impacted by these policies are centered and present in our development process.
Three.
We seek to shrink the correctional control system.
Four.
We seek to address and prioritize the needs of victims and survivors.
Five.
We seek to invest in services that are culturally specific, healing-centered, and trauma-informed.
Six.
We are inspired by the Breathe Act, which offers a “radical reimagining of public safety, community care, and how we spend money as a society.”
The Transforming Justice Coalition is
And its Flip the Script Program
