Arkansas spends over $618 million a year on its prison system. Only a fraction goes toward healthcare, trauma recovery, reentry support, or fixing crumbling infrastructure.

Through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) investigations, we’ve uncovered disturbing truths: people are dying from untreated overdoses, prison buildings are deteriorating, and reentry programs that could stop the cycle of incarceration are underfunded and neglected. In some facilities, there’s no air conditioning, no drug treatment, and no working toilets  but millions are spent adding more beds.

We’re calling on Arkansas lawmakers to rebalance the prison budget and start investing in healing over harm. That means funding:

•Quality medical and mental healthcare
• Evidence-based trauma recovery and addiction programs
• Facility infrastructure that meets basic human standards
• Reentry and second-chance programs that actually reduce recidivism

We believe public safety starts with public accountability and we have the documents to prove this system is failing.

We need your voice. Sign and share this petition to demand change in how Arkansas allocates its prison dollars. It’s time to stop funding cages and start funding change.