UPDATE
2/22/10
WEBSITE
Our website is slowly (very slowly) coming together. We are going to extend our news section and are looking for people who want to get involved in media. So if you want to be a reporter, like doing graphics, cartoons, or we stuff, contact us by e-mail or by phone.
The site is being updated regularly, so check back often for updates.
Members Only Section
Our members only section will be active soon. It is for members to get the nuts and bolts of our campaigns and to communicate with each other. This update will remain on the member's page, as well as all our meeting reminders.
JRC GENERAL MEETING
New Meeting Place
JRC general meetings are on the fourth Saturday of the month at 10am, at the Olufunmi Commuunity House 3200 42nd ST, in Sacramento.
DONATE TO THE JRC
The work we do takes man power and money. We have been able to exist until now on out of pocket contributions by our founder, but the case and project load now require some more substantial funds to keep our work building. Our fiscal agent, the Order of Olufunmi is ready to receive any and all donations for the cause from those who want a tax write-off. Any amount is welcome. Whatever you can do. donations@justicereformcoalition.org
JRC COMMUNITY INVESTIGATORS WANTED
Do you love those CSI programs? Do you follow news events in the community and feel frustrated at the lack of info, and the way things are handled and presented to the community. Do you like getting to the crux of things. Does the way law enforcement handle itself in the community frustrate you? Would you like working with community advocates, and community members to investigate incidents of law enforcement, judicial, political, and social abuse? Then you might really like becoming a community investigator for the JRC. Join and become a part of our Community Service Investigations We will be sponsoring three styles of investigators; incident investigators, forensic investigators, and event monitors. Our Chief of Investigations is Ernie Carter, who is a member of the Racial Profiling Commission, and a board member of the Chicano Consortium. He will be heading up this project.
Join us. Learn a new skill. Make a difference. Call 916 760-7106 or e-mail csi@justicereformcoalition.org for information about this project.
COURT WATCH
Our Court Watch program is growing. Our coordinator is Richard Russel, who is also the chair of the Trinity Social Justice Advocacy Ministry (SoJust), a project of Trinity Cathedral, in Sacramento. He is joined by Robert Saunders, who is also a Board member of Fathers 4 Justice.
ELK GROVE
JRC Elk Grove Community Council
The situation in Elk Grove is out of control. The police profiling, harassment, arrest, and violation of the rights of minority youth in Elk Grove is epidemic and must be stopped. The random stops and searches, the arrests at work and school, the unnecessary and unwarranted prosecutions by the DA only to be dismissed is common place in this City in trouble. Add to this the rush to validate youth as gang members when their not, identify problems as "gang related" when their not, and police officers that have no respect or oversight, you have a volatile mix for abuse and civil rights violations.
Too many frustrated parents are dealing with the negative effects of this mix on their children, families and communities. The school system is adding to this mix helping law enforcement validate youth as gang members and affiliates, and allowing arrests and detentions at school. The collusion between the Elk Grove PD. and the Elk Grove School District and Board has alienated parents. Locking them out of meetings and from school campuses when they question and object to the violations their rights and those of their children. Several of these parents have come to the JRC for our help to organize. So, we have formed the Elk Grove Community Council, which will consist of Elk Grove residents organizing to help each other to stop this abuse of the Elk Grove community of color, as well as be an oversight body for Elk Grove its officials and government.
Future meetings will be listed on the meetings page in the members section. The local contact person is Sabrina Johnson. She can be reached at 916 585-2504 or at sabrinaj@justicereformcoalition.org. If you've had a problem with Elk Grove PD, or school officials contact the JRC and let us know 916 760-7106.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY
Sacramento County - Property Tax Caper - UPDATE
For years Sacramento County has been engaged in a policy that the JRC believes is illegal and unconstitutional. It is most definitely unethical. We begin our legislative phase on this issue. We are working with Assembly Member Dave Jones and others to prepare a brief with our suggestions for changes to the property tax law. Once it is prepared we will post it in the issues section of our website, for people to see and make comments and additions to, before we submit it to the legislature and the media. MORE TO COME!!!
PLACER COUNTY
JRC Chapter Forming There
Because of the many cases of judicial and law enforcement abuse we are receiving from Placer County, we are forming a JRC chapter there. We will be holding meetings in Placer County soon. Check the Meetings page for contact info, date, time, and place.
YOLO COUNTY
Our work in Yolo County continues.