FAMM, an advocacy organization which describes itself as promoting “fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together,” has launched today what is now an annual campaign that encourages local, state, and national policymakers to visit a prison or jail in their states or districts. The title of this post is the subject line of an email I just received from the FAMM folks, and here is more its text:
“Laws are written for prisons and jails across the country and voted on by people who’ve never set foot inside them,” Ring said. “This is such a simple step for policymakers to take, and anyone who visits will learn something by talking to the people who live and work in these facilities. Our message is simple: You don’t know if you don’t go.”
Our nation’s prisons and jails are in crisis. Staff shortages, poor healthcare, crumbling infrastructure, and other chronic problems have resulted in prisons that are unsafe to live and work in for prisoners and correctional officers alike.
To assist in the effort, FAMM has mobilized families, advocates, allies, and public figures to share their stories via video using the #VisitAPrison hashtag and to challenge policymakers to educate themselves about the conditions of confinement in federal and state prisons and jails.
For more information, including a tracker of lawmakers who have visited a prison, visit FAMM.org/visitaprison.
I robustly endorse this effort to encourage lawmakers and other public officials. Especially amid considerable political discourse about crime and punishment, I hope political candidates and voters will, in this significant election year, make efforts to advance and inform discussions regarding the goals and the realities of incarceration in America circa 2022.
UPDATE: The organization Fair and Just Prosecution today released this notable letter in support of the FAMM campaign which starts this way:
Today, 65 elected prosecutors pledged to personally visit the correctional facilities in which individuals prosecuted by their offices are placed and to require all prosecutors in their offices to do the same. The signatories — who represent over 50 million people across 28 states and territories and the District of Columbia — emphasize that “it is vital for prosecutors to understand the true impact of their decisions and to see firsthand the jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities in their jurisdiction.” The pledge is part of FAMM’s #VisitAPrison challenge, which encourages all state and federal policymakers to visit a prison or jail.