International Human Rights Day – Call to Action for Our Children's Lives!

International Human Rights DayCall to Action!

Yesterday, December 10th, was International Human Rights Day. Now that we have celebrated and honored this tremendously important day. Please welcome this CALL 2 ACTION to ensure we advance the well-being of each and everyone of us and work together to make the world a safer and more joyful place to thrive in.

Children of Incarcerated Parents

Over two million children in the U.S. are lost in a sea of draconian laws that have led to mass incarceration. Approximately 50 percent of incarcerated individuals in U.S. prisons are parents. The racial disparity within the prison system is reflected among the children of incarcerated parents, where Black children are eight times more likely than White children to experience parental incarceration. For those born in 1990, White children have a 1:25 rate of experiencing parental incarceration by age 14; for Black children, the rate is 1:4. Indigenous and Latino children also experience alarming rates of parental incarceration that far exceeds their White counterparts.

Mass incarceration of parents has had devastating effects on their vulnerable children, increasing mental health and behavioral problems, contributing to child homelessness, and intensifying intergenerational inequalities. Recent research documenting the harmful impact that parental incarceration visits on children, as well as a growing interest from policymakers and practitioners to mitigate the long-term harms to children and their communities, suggests that the time is ripe for policy reform to offer appropriate alternatives to incarceration for parents of young children, and/or early release from prison for parents of young children.

CALL 2 ACTION select one of the  four ACTIONS  below or do any combination:

CONCERN: 

  1. The United Nations calls on Local, state and federal governments of the United States of America to consider diverting into the community parents of children who could face a prison sentence:

The CERD (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) Committee is also concerned at the negative impact of parental incarceration on children from racial and ethnic minorities (arts. 2, 5 and 6).

The Committee calls upon the State party to take concrete and effective steps to eliminate racial disparities at all stages of the criminal justice system, taking into account the Committee’s general recommendation No.31 (2005) on the prevention of racial discrimination in the administration and functioning of the criminal justice system, including by:

(a) Amending laws and policies leading to racially disparate impact in the criminal justice system at the federal, state and local levels, and implementing effective national strategies or plans of action aimed at eliminating structural discrimination;

(c) Ensuring that the impact of incarceration on children and/or other dependents is taken into account when sentencing an individual convicted of a non-violent offence and promoting the use of alternatives to imprisonment.

CONCERN:

  1. United States of America has NOT ratified Convention on the Rights of the Child:

The United States of America is the only country that has refused to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which could urge the consideration of the impact on children’s human rights when sentencing a parent.

ACTIONS:

  1. Share the above information with at least two people – forward this post or tell people about what you read.

 

  1. Invite others to share the above information. - Facebook, Tweet, 

 

  1. Get involved in a public education project in your jurisdiction about the above information you read.

 

  1. Support Justice Strategies, so we can continue advancing the well-being of each and everyone of us and work together to make the world a safer and more joyful place to thrive in. Please donate, and share this opportunity to support our work. https://www.givegab.com/nonprofits/justice-strategies/about
Patricia Allard

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Monthly Feature

Formerly Incarcerated & Convicted People's Movement Western Regional Conference

Convened by All of Us or None & Legal Services for Prisoners with Children

Sunday, September 20th & Monday, September 21st

Formerly incarcerated and convicted people, family members, community and spiritual leaders, elected officials and government employees will all come together to strengthen our relationships and work towards making change through community empowerment. We invite you to Voice your opinion, learn your rights and learn what changes we can make together. All of Us or None Contact: (415)-255-7036 ext. 337 www.prisonerswithchildren.org

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