2/27 in Fresno: (CURB) Shadow Commission to Ask: “What Have Prisons Done to the Valley?”

For Immediate Release

PEOPLE’S HEARING IN FRESNO ON PRISON CLOSURES
IGNORED QUESTIONS ABOUT PRISONS’ IMPACT

Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB)
Shadow Commission to Ask: “What Have Prisons Done to the Valley?”

CONTACT: Ari Wohlfeiler (646) 522-4886 (cell)

Debbie Reyes (559) 916-4370 (cell)

WHO: Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB)

California Prison Moratorium Project (CA-PMP)


WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 27th, 2005

1pm – 4 pm

WHERE: Fresno City College

1101 E. University Ave.

Fresno, CA 93741

After over 20 years of continuous prison construction across the State, concerned Central Valley residents, organizers, educators, prison experts, prisoner advocates and family members are asking: what have prisons done to our communities?

Dismayed that the Governor’s promise to reform the out-of-control Department of Corrections has yielded an increase in state funding, Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) and the California Prison Moratorium Project (CA-PMP) will hold a People’s Hearing on the real impact of prisons in the Central Valley

All are welcome!! Please Join Us!!

The hearing will include testimony from over 15 local organizers, service providers, scholars, and prisoner and public safety advocates.
Among the questions CURB hopes to answer:
· What has happened in towns where prisons were built over the last twenty years?
· What are the impacts of runaway prison spending on social services and education in the Valley?
· What steps are Central Valley residents taking to reverse the damage of this massive prison build up?

Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), a broad based coalition of over 40 organizations, seeks to CURB prison spending by reducing the number of people in prison and the number of prisons in the state. For more information, visit: http://www.curbprisonspending.org