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Jazz 91.9 WCLK | Membership Matters

Day of Resolution Tuesday - Pre-Arrest Diversion Program

The Local Take with Kiplyn Primus on WCLK continues to cover the issue of criminal justice reform in the Atlanta community by drawing attention to Tuesday's Day of Resolution in support of 15-R-3920 being put before the Atlanta Public Safety Commission.

This week we are joined in the Studio by Marilyn Winn of Women on the Rise and B. T. from the Racial Justice Action Center. We speak with these advocates regarding The Day of Resolution taking place on Tuesday, September 29th at 3PM at Atlanta City Hall

The activity relates to a resolution 15-R-3920 which authorizes the City of Atlanta to design a team for a pilot pre-arrest diversion program in our city.

This initiative duplicates the LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) This program has successfully cut down on recidivism rates by solving the challenges of citizens in the community. Currently we have a recidivism rate of over 30% with even police officers saying they are arresting the same people over and over for many misdemeanors.

Marilyn and B. T. explain how we came to this place with the building of the downtown jail in 1996 to help clean the city of vagrants. Ordinances passed at that time allow police officers to arrest people for traffic violations, vagrancy, loitering and even homelessness.

It cost the city of Atlanta close to $1500 monthly to jail citizens who cannot pay a $100 fine.This no longer makes sense.

Resolution 15-R-3920 will allow law enforcement to come together to decide the best way to handle a citizen who is suffering with mental illness, drug addiction or homelessness.

The Racial Justice Action Center and Women on the Rise are asking for all community members who are interested in ending the mass incarceration in our neighborhoods to come to Atlanta City Hall on Tuesday, September 29th at 3PM to rally the Atlanta Public Safety Commission to adopt this resolution and end the punitive nature of our police force.

Click here for more information on the Racial Justice Action Center

Click here for information on their events and activities an for Women on the Rise
 
Click here for more information about the LEAD Program in Seattle