i’m not sure how common it is for a person to meet a civil commitment patient through someone else on the internet, then to start a relationship long distance, but this is what’s happened, and in six months of talking every day, i’ve come to adore james. he’s completed his prison sentence and parole as well, but the state of California just keeps on holding him for something he hasn’t even done —- and they have held him for over 20 years. it seems sincerely bizarre to hold a person in custody “just in case” they might commit a future crime. in the state of California’s eyes, james is apparently guilty of something they imagine he may do if released… however, if a person has committed no crime, they cannot be guilty. California has absolutely no proof of future crimes on james’s part —– yet “innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t apply here. i would love to see james happy and free. he paid the price for his past, and i believe he deserves a chance at a future outside a civil commitment facility.
Our vision for a just future
1. Abolish pre-crime preventative detention laws
2. Free our friends and loved ones from dehumanizing labels
3. Realign our justice system with the values of restoration and reintegration
Just Future Project is a new initiative focused on challenging pre-crime preventative detention laws. We are a people-driven grassroots advocacy campaign dedicated to building a movement of community members demanding an end to indefinite detention regimes.
Why Is This Important?
Pre-crime preventative detention systems are a dangerous departure from the traditional values of our legal system.
We believe in justice, that persons who have caused harm may be held accountable for their actions. But justice also demands proportionality and due process, elements essential to distinguish justice from mere vengeance. The goal of any true system of justice must be restoration and re-integration, not the perpetual containment and incapacitation that have come to define the U.S. criminal legal system.