Jonathan Adams

Organizing to Abolish the Prison-Industrial Complex

An interview with Rose Braz of the CR10 Media Committee, about
Critical Resistance’s 10 year anniversary conference on Sept. 26-28 in
Oakland, CA.

By Hans Bennett

Hans Bennett: What does “prison abolitionist” mean?

Rose Braz: CR seeks to abolish the prison industrial complex: the
use of prisons, policing and the larger system of the prison
industrial complex as an “answer” to what are social, political and
economic problems, not just prisons.

Abolition defines both the goal we seek and the way we do our work
today. Abolition means a world where we do not use prisons, policing
and the larger system of the prison industrial complex as an “answer”
to what are social, political and economic problems. Abolition means
that instead we put in place the things that would reduce incidents of
harm at the front end and address harm in a non-punitive manner when
harm does occur. Abolition means that harm will occur far less often
and, that when harm does occur, we address the causes of that harm
rather than rely on the failed solutions of punishment. Thus,
abolition is taking a harm reductionist approach to our society’s
problems.

Abolition means creating sustainable, healthy communities empowered to
create safety and rooted in accountability, instead of relying on
policing, courts, and imprisonment which are not creating safe
communities.

For the entire interview in Journalists for Mumia newspaper (PDF)

Posted at 9:33 AM, Jul 11, 2008 in Prisons | Permalink | View Comments