PETITION: Restore Two More Days of Visiting in CA Prisons!

Please print this petition, collect signatures, and return it to: Laura Magnani, American Friends Service Committee, 65 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Text of Petition

To:     Scott Kernan, Secretary, CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
To:     Nancy Skinner, Chair, Senate Public Safety Committee

We, the undersigned, believe that giving prisoners access to visits from family and friends is an essential part of rehabilitation. Research shows that building relationships with the community is one of the surest ways to prevent recidivism, once people are released. It is a matter of public safety.  We therefore petition the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the California State Legislature to restore 2 more days of visiting time each week. By doing so, people will no longer experience the frustration of not being able to schedule appointments due to limited time slots. This will accommodate those who work weekends, and more visits can take place.

We recommend that visits be resumed from 3-8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, beginning with the following institutions: Solano, Lancaster, Kern Valley, Salinas Valley, Centinela, California State Prison (CSP)-Corcoran and Substance Abuse Training Facility (SATF)-Corcoran. Other institutions close to population centers, or experiencing high demand for visiting, should be added as soon as possible.