Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI) rallied in front of San Jose City Hall on Thursday morning to urge city council members to redistribute the $747 million new jail budget towards mental health services.
SAMI is a student-run activist organization opposing the criminal legal system and advocating for individuals with mental health disorders, people in poverty and people of color who are disproportionately impacted by the legal system.
The county decided against proceeding with the new jail, according to the County of Santa Clara Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Recommended Budget.
Sociology senior Kat Adamson, a lead organizer of SAMI, said people with mental health issues often don't receive fair treatment in jail as they are often harassed by guards, correctional officers or other inmates and are overall deprived of proper support.
“I got the help I needed going to a mental health facility. I want that for everyone. I want everyone to get the chances and the privileges that I have received, and I recognize that my life would be vastly different,” Adamson said.
She said though Santa Clara County will not build the jail from 2023-24, SAMI is focused on utilizing the funds in 2025 to complete the original project.
“So we want to make sure that something's done with that money and it just doesn't disappear into the zeitgeist,” Adamson said.
She said the Board of Supervisors is not interested in renovating the current jail because it's cheaper in the short run to build a new jail.
The Board of Supervisors address the concerns of their represented communities from the five districts of Santa Clara County, according to their site.
“Frankly, people don't need to be in jail for mental health problems,” Adamson said. “People are often arrested for causing a disturbance or being in crisis and doing something that could be considered a crime, but they're in crisis.”
Justice studies senior Alina Sandoval, SAMI team member and rally speaker, said the group is demanding the budget be used for mental health services, such as mental health institutions and substance abuse treatment facilities.
“There are so many injustices in America,” Sandoval said. “SAMI was an organization that really spoke to me personally in my own family life and in my circle of friends, including myself. I have mental health issues.”
She said approximately half of people in United States’ jails and over 1/3 of the population of U.S. prisons have been diagnosed with a mental health illness, according to the Community Policing Dispatch.
“Mental health care facilities will make a world of difference instead of just simply throwing people behind bars,” Sandoval said.
Political science junior Dora Gurrola, SAMI team member and rally speaker, said law enforcement isn’t always equipped to handle an individual suffering from a crisis regarding mental health and substance abuse.
She said there are alternatives for the incarcerated, such as nonprofit organizations like TRUST Field Response Program and crisis lifelines.
TRUST Field Response Program is a nonprofit organization that operates in Santa Clara County to help individuals who are suffering from mental health disorders and substance abuse problems, according to Gurrola.
She said SAMI demands TRUST Field Response Program be assigned a 10-digit phone line in place of 911 to prevent law enforcement from trying to handle crises they have received little to no training on.
The group also demands an increase in funding toward the nonprofit to ensure a well equipped mobile response team to properly handle mental health and substance abuse situations.
History sophomore and SAMI team member Aidan Rauh said people need resources in order to avoid becoming criminals.
“They need housing, they need shelter, they need food, they need safety,” Rauh said. “That's the reason that people commit crimes, that they have a need that isn't being addressed by the community.”
He said building a prison won’t address these needs and are instead places where violence can thrive.
“By being persistent and visible, visible with our needs, we are influencing the local government to do what it needs to,” Rauh said.
Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI) rallied in front of San Jose City Hall on Thursday morning to urge city council members to redistribute the $747 million new jail budget towards mental health services.
SAMI is a student-run activist organization opposing the criminal legal system and advocating for individuals with mental health disorders, people in poverty and people of color who are disproportionately impacted by the legal system.
The county decided against proceeding with the new jail, according to the County of Santa Clara Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Recommended Budget.
Sociology senior Kat Adamson, a lead organizer of SAMI, said people with mental health issues often don't receive fair treatment in jail as they are often harassed by guards, correctional officers or other inmates and are overall deprived of proper support.
“I got the help I needed going to a mental health facility. I want that for everyone. I want everyone to get the chances and the privileges that I have received, and I recognize that my life would be vastly different,” Adamson said.
She said though Santa Clara County will not build the jail from 2023-24, SAMI is focused on utilizing the funds in 2025 to complete the original project.
“So we want to make sure that something's done with that money and it just doesn't disappear into the zeitgeist,” Adamson said.
She said the Board of Supervisors is not interested in renovating the current jail because it's cheaper in the short run to build a new jail.
The Board of Supervisors address the concerns of their represented communities from the five districts of Santa Clara County, according to their site.
“Frankly, people don't need to be in jail for mental health problems,” Adamson said. “People are often arrested for causing a disturbance or being in crisis and doing something that could be considered a crime, but they're in crisis.”
Justice studies senior Alina Sandoval, SAMI team member and rally speaker, said the group is demanding the budget be used for mental health services, such as mental health institutions and substance abuse treatment facilities.
“There are so many injustices in America,” Sandoval said. “SAMI was an organization that really spoke to me personally in my own family life and in my circle of friends, including myself. I have mental health issues.”
She said approximately half of people in United States’ jails and over 1/3 of the population of U.S. prisons have been diagnosed with a mental health illness, according to the Community Policing Dispatch.
“Mental health care facilities will make a world of difference instead of just simply throwing people behind bars,” Sandoval said.
Political science junior Dora Gurrola, SAMI team member and rally speaker, said law enforcement isn’t always equipped to handle an individual suffering from a crisis regarding mental health and substance abuse.
She said there are alternatives for the incarcerated, such as nonprofit organizations like TRUST Field Response Program and crisis lifelines.
The TRUST Field Response Program is a nonprofit organization that operates in Santa Clara County to help individuals who are suffering from mental health disorders and substance abuse problems, according to Gurrola.
She said SAMI demands the TRUST Field Response Program be assigned a 10-digit phone line in place of 911 to prevent law enforcement from trying to handle crises they have received little to no training on.
The group also demands an increase in funding toward the nonprofit to ensure a well equipped mobile response team to properly handle mental health and substance abuse situations.
History sophomore and SAMI team member Aidan Rauh said people need resources in order to avoid becoming criminals.
“They need housing, they need shelter, they need food, they need safety,” Rauh said. “That's the reason that people commit crimes, that they have a need that isn't being addressed by the community.”
He said building a prison won’t address these needs and are instead places where violence can thrive.
“By being persistent and visible, visible with our needs, we are influencing the local government to do what it needs to,” Rauh said.
