Last Friday, we co-hosted a Los Angeles District Attorney candidate town hall inside California State Prison - Los Angeles County (CSP-LAC)

Rachel Rossi, George Gascón, and Alex Cohen on stage at a DA Candidate Town hall at CSP-LAC. (Photo: Ken Deemer)

Dear John xxxxxx,

Last Friday, ARC partnered with Healing Dialogue and Action (HDA) ([link removed]) to host a Los Angeles District Attorney candidate town hall inside California State Prison - Los Angeles County (CSP-LAC). CSP-LAC is the only state prison in California's largest county, housing 3,000 incarcerated people. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office is the largest local prosecutorial agency in the United States and the Los Angeles County jail system is the largest in the United States by incarcerated population. The event was the first ever DA candidate town hall in an American state prison.

We co-hosted this event because we believe that incarcerated people are valued members of our communities. We believe their voices should be heard by decision makers, both present and future. We also believe that survivors of crime should be centered because we know the immeasurable pain caused when lives are taken and communities are hurt.

As I write this letter to you, I still can't believe what I experienced this past Friday. I served 24 years in prison. I've been home eight years. Over these last 32 years, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would return to a maximum security prison to watch candidates for District Attorney in Los Angeles County exchange ideas with and take seriously questions from incarcerated individuals, as these individuals sat among other members of the wider community.

Most of the questions came from currently incarcerated men who have been serving long sentences since their youth. Other questions came from family members who have lost loved ones to violent crime. We shared a space where everyone was heard and validated. This was an example of what civic engagement looks like when we seek restorative justice as opposed to punitive justice. I witnessed civic engagement by citizens that are the most marginalized in our country.

The DA Candidate town hall was the first of its kind to be held in an American state prison. (Photo: Mara Tasker)

The questions asked by the men inside and the topics discussed by the candidates included:
* centering the humanity of people throughout the judicial process;
* programming that allows for increased positive interaction between LA DAs and currently incarcerated people;
* compassionate trauma-informed care from DA towards survivors of crime;
* DA approaches to individuals accused of crimes in their youth;
* the roles that DAs play in parole hearings;
* LA County jail conditions;
* prosecutorial practices that reduce racial inequality;
* and life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) sentences

Many thanks to Rachel Rossi and George Gascón for genuinely participating in the historic town hall. Their careful attention, thoughtful responses, and quality time spent with the men before and after were tremendously appreciated. Thanks also to Alex Cohen of Spectrum News 1 ([link removed]) for moderating the town hall, and for offering her powerful presence to guide the event. Thanks to HDA for co-presenting and for holding incredible healing circles with the men inside beforehand. Our immense gratitude goes out to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and CSP-LAC, especially Warden Raybon Johnson's office and Lt. Karla Graves, for helping us organize this special event.
The men inside CSP-LAC after the town hall. (Photo: Ken Deemer)
Most of all, many thanks to the men inside Lancaster for welcoming us into their space and for such thoughtful questions and remarks.

The event spoke to the deep humanity of incarcerated people and their right to civic engagement. It was a testament to the idea that justice should build community and bring people together, a testament to the idea that #JusticeShouldHeal.

Sincerely,

Sam Lewis
Executive Director
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