California Prison Reform and the Progressive challenge for 2008

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

by Sharon Kyle

Last month, in a piece I wrote on the unprecedented growth of the U.S. prison population, I asked, Are California Progressives Blind to the Prison-Industrial Complex?

We received a reponse from Marcy Winograd, President of Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles and Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party, 41st AD.

Marcy highlighted several initiatives taken by Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, including making prison reform and criminal justice a focus for their organization.

In addition, The Progressive Democrats of America has issued a challenge to public officials and presidential candidates, asking them to support reform of the prison-industrial complex, capital punishment, and other issues of concern to progressives.

We applaud these efforts and encourage the PDA and progressives everywhere to devote even more energy to these pressing issues.

To read the PDA 2008 Challenge, Marcy Winograd's letter, and our response click here.

Sharon Kyle is the corresponding secretary for the Northeast Democratic Club of Los Angeles and edits the Club's "Northeast Democrat" newsletter, and maintains its web page. In her spare time, Sharon does financial analysis for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.