Partnership for Safety and Justice

Tomorrow is the last day to register for Safety and Justice Advocacy Day 2025. This is our chance to sit down with lawmakers, share our stories, and advocate for policies that will?keep families together, strengthen community safety, and expand life-saving services. We will provide training, lunch, and schedule your meetings with your state senator and representative, alongside others from your district. ? Register at https://lnkd.in/g4kyXfYY.

Punishment often doesn't lead to accountability, growth, or transformation. Advocates like Eddie Bynum and Jeremy Ahrendt are redefining what it means to support youth at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility by fostering mentorship and a sense of belonging.?By prioritizing rehabilitation and providing young people with the tools they need, we can break cycles of harm and create lasting transformation. https://lnkd.in/gH4mv2R7

"People don’t realize how much good is coming from Measure 110, and the amount of funding that is going to treatment and recovery services," said Steve Sanden, executive director of Bay Area First Step, Inc. Bay Area First Step (BAFS) is a peer-run organization providing outpatient treatment, recovery housing, and support services. Thanks to Measure 110, they’ve expanded staff, strengthened recovery infrastructure including transitional housing, and enhanced coordination with substance use disorder and mental health providers in Coos County. "Being able to relate to the people we are supporting through treatment and recovery is a critical component of giving our clients hope," Sanden added. https://lnkd.in/gcbgdm4a

Investing in public defense is investing in community safety. In Oregon, 90% of people facing charges cannot afford a lawyer. Access to fair representation reduces wrongful convictions, prevents unnecessary incarceration, and helps build stronger, safer communities for all.?Read, "Public defenders: Invest in real solutions, not half-measures," by Stacey Lowe, Joel Wirtz and Clint Oborn. https://lnkd.in/gEWnMsnC

Talia Gad is embarking on a new adventure after eight and a half years at Partnership for Safety and Justice. Since joining as the Communications Director in 2016, Talia has played a pivotal role in shaping PSJ's strategic communications and policy advocacy efforts. She sharpened our messaging around criminal justice and public safety reforms, expanded our media and digital presence, and developed impactful resources that educate and mobilize diverse communities. ? She has also played a central role in fielding PSJ's annual advocacy days, bringing together hundreds of advocates to share their personal stories with legislators and push for meaningful policies that advance our mission. Talia has been a keen observer of PSJ’s work and a valued thought partner. We are deeply grateful for Talia’s many contributions and will miss her humor and energetic spirit.

"What I am proposing and what I am doing in my community is to give people the opportunity to gain the skills and the mindset, learned in an environment where they are understood and mentored while overcoming the barriers to make them truly successful.” - Paul Monteith, co-director of Taya Yawks. The Justice Reinvestment Equity Program (JREP) invests in local solutions that uplift communities, promote healing, and break cycles of incarceration. And, that’s exactly what Tayas Yawks is doing in Klamath County. Tayas Yawks is breaking cycles of incarceration and trauma in Klamath County by providing peer mentorship, job training, and culturally specifically services through a Native lens for people impacted by incarceration and addiction. Wanna learn more about Tayas Yawks? Read "Tayas Yawks Brings Good Medicine to the Klamath Community" by the Northwest Health Foundation. https://lnkd.in/g3sQ2ePE

What does the next decade of Oregon’s criminal justice system look like? At the Criminal Justice Commission Summit, Babak Zolfaghari-Azar, Senior Policy Manager at Partnership for Safety and Justice, led a breakout session on “What we have learned from Community Supervision: Self Advocacy and Success Workshop.” ?? His message was clear: For policies to create meaningful change, they must be shaped and implemented by those directly impacted by the system.

We showed our power and raised our voices for change. We won't stop until our communities thrive, families stay together, and caregivers have the resources to rebuild. Babak Zolfaghari-Azar, senior policy manager at Partnership for Safety and Justice, emphasized the urgent need to preserve and expand the Family Sentencing Alternative Program (FSAP). It's time for legislators to act and keep families connected. Take action at safetyandjustice.org/fsap/.

Investing in community-led, culturally specific programs like Red Lodge Transition Services is key to reducing incarceration and creating a safer Oregon. As Trish Jordan, Executive Director of Red Lodge Transition Services, says: "Communities most impacted by incarceration should be supported to create programs addressing their specific behavioral health issues." Native Americans are disproportionately incarcerated in Oregon. Since 2006, Red Lodge has been breaking this cycle with reentry services that reconnect individuals with their community, traditions, and families. With support from the Justice Reinvestment Equity Program (JREP), Red Lodge Transition Services is expanding its impact, helping more people heal and thrive. This is true community safety in action! Learn about Red Lodge Transition Services! ??https://lnkd.in/gFNGaVQX

Join Partnership for Safety and Justice's 2025 Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 16, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM in Salem, Oregon. ?? We are excited to advocate for policies that keep families together, reduce incarceration, and protect lifesaving services.?? Food, training, and materials will be provided. This is also a great opportunity to meet legislators and connect with fellow advocates! ??? RSVP at https://lnkd.in/g4kyXfYY.