Across the United States, jails are crumbling and overpopulated. Community groups have clear ideas about how to meet people's needs, but have to fight to be heard. To further complicate an already fraught question of what to do, if not build new jails to replace old ones, is the looming threat and reality of ICE detention centers quickly coming into communities.

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A coalition in Atlanta has made gains in its ongoing fight to stop the construction of a new mega-jail. Similar efforts are underway across the United States. October Krausch, Priscilla Grim and Micah Herskind just wrote an investigation for In These Times, No New Beds. In the story, the trio reported on the success of the Community Over Cages coalition, which included Robyn Hasan-Simpson, executive director of Women on the Rise, who will speak about the organizing that brought a real win. In addition, Kira Matthews from the Families for Justice as Healing group in Massachusetts will talk about the fight to stop an over-$300 million women's prison.

According to Robyn Hasan-Simpson, the shift in public opinion against the mega-jail came as organizers began focusing on other options—such as the alternatives-to-policing program that the Community Over Cages coalition has been pushing for years.

"A lot of times—when we are always screaming, 'Hey, close the jail or don't build a new jail!'—they're looking for, ‘OK, if we don't, then what?’” Hassan explains. “And I think once we filled that hole, it filled that gap and gives them solutions, instead of just giving them what they should be doing.

“That's when it opened up their eyes."

Moderator: J. Patrick Patterson, the news editor at In These Times.

Speakers:
October Krausch, journalist
Robyn Hasan-Simpson, executive director of Women on the Rise
Kira Matthews, Families for Justice as Healing
Monica Cosby, No New Prisons IL

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