Montgomery, Ala. – “Not even a week ago we mourned 21 unnecessary deaths in Alabama’s prison system in 2019.
Now we hear of two more, at least one from excessive force --the death of Michael Smith.
While we are saddened and angry by the death of Michael, it is also unconscionable that corrections officers would be involved in the deaths of two incarcerated people within three months. This is at a time when the U.S. Department of Justice and a federal judge has already declared Alabama's prisons unconstitutionally unsafe.
There is no question that the culture of violence that has plagued Alabama's prisons for years is perpetuated by ADOC staff. ADOC’s leadership has been unwilling or unable to stop it.
ADOC's proposed solutions are too little, too late. Alabamians should not have to wait on implementation of a three-year strategic plan for people to stop being killed in state-run prisons.
Once again, the State of Alabama has proven itself grossly inadequate at operating safe, humane prisons.
Alabama runs the worst, most violent prisons in the country. The solution is not building more prisons. The solution is locking up fewer Alabamians in these deadly warehouses.
Alabamians for Fair Justice has provided the Governor's Study Group on Criminal Justice Reform evidence-based, data-driven policy recommendations that if implemented will drive down the numbers of incarcerated Alabamians and make our state safer. The Governor, the Legislature, and ADOC have the information they need to act. We are hopeful that the 2020 session will finally be the time for bold, holistic responses and not perpetuation of the outdated politics and policies that have gotten us to this place.”
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Alabamians for Fair Justice is a coalition made up of formerly incarcerated individuals and family members of those currently or recently serving time in Alabama’s prisons, advocates, and civil justice organizations.