A resident of VCBR wrote to me about the poor way the building is kept and the under-staffing of the facility. He said that somebody needs to investigate the fact that the roof leaks over much of the facility, there’s mold in several places, and dirt is all over the pipes and ceiling. The fact that there’s such under-staffing shows in many ways, especially in the lack of being able to give residents recreation time outside as well as inside. No recreation time has become a habit.
VCBR is supposed to be a non-punitive treatment center, but it is run like a prison camp. If a resident does something wrong, everyone is punished. They have cut back on copies we can make of documents. They have a rule that you can’t let anyone have what you don’t want on your food tray, even salt packets. It’s a no borrow, lend, or trade rule. Even bringing anything from your tray to your room is a write-up.
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.