WEBINAR: Fighting Jail Expansion: Lessons from the Front Lines
Learn how advocates are responding to shifting arguments for new jail construction.
by Emmett Sanders, May 14, 2025
For decades, calls for new jail construction were largely accompanied by “Tough on Crime” rhetoric that ignored the fact that jails often house the most precariously situated members of our society. While these dehumanizing narratives persist, in many places jail construction has taken a carceral humanist turn that depicts cages as places of care and compassion and the jail as a service provider for those with mental health or substance use support needs.
This is just one of the ways in which arguments for new jail construction have evolved over time, leading communities to spend millions and sometimes even billions of dollars on new jail construction, even as public safety initiatives are being viciously defunded. Fortunately, those on the frontlines who oppose new jail construction have evolved their own arguments and have developed new strategies to push back.
On June 11, 2025, Prison Policy Initiative brought together a panel of activists who have pushed back against jail expansion in communities from Atlanta, Georgia, to Sacramento, California, all the way to Oahu, Hawai’i. We discussed how arguments for new jail construction have shifted over time, went over some useful strategies and tools for responding to these arguments, and talked about how our advocacy department can help support efforts to challenge new jail construction in your area.
Panelists included:
- Carrie Ann Shirota: Policy Director, ACLU-HI with the Reimagining Public Safety in Hawai’i Coalition
- Liz Blum-Gutierrez: Co-founder Decarcerate Sacramento
- Michael Collins: Senior Director of Government Affairs, Color of Change with the Communities Over Cages Coalition
Watch the full webinar:
Webinar Resources
Additional Resources
- Does our county really need a bigger jail? – contains important questions to ask when jail construction is being discussed in your area
- Jail expansion toolkit – offers useful tips for opposing jail construction, including advice on reading jail needs assessments
- If They Build It: Organizing lessons and strategies against carceral infrastructure – lessons learned and recommendations for opposing carceral infrastructure from Community Justice Exchange
