Increase community resources to build a future without jails
The Issue
I know firsthand how a lack of community support can lead families to fracture and individuals to lose hope. I was once a child in foster care, separated from my family, caught in a system that often chooses removal over reconciliation. My journey did not end with childhood as I, too, ended up in jail as an adult. I relinquished my rights to four of my daughters, not because I did not love them, but because I had lost hope, thinking I had no support to lean on. In truth, what I needed, and what so many need, was more help from the community.
The cycle of removing individuals—especially children and parents—from their homes and placing them in systems like foster care or prison does not solve underlying issues. Instead, it perpetuates them. Many families are torn apart not because parents have no desire to care for their children, but because they lack access to essential community resources like mental health services, substance abuse programs, financial assistance, and reliable childcare. These services empower families to stay together and thrive.
Consider these facts: According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States on any given day. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the prison population comprises individuals struggling with mental illness or substance abuse. Rather than punishment and separation, we should focus on prevention and support to break the cycles of poverty and incarceration.
I propose that we significantly increase community resources. By investing in services that address mental health, provide addiction support, and offer economic assistance, we can safeguard families, reduce the need for foster care and prisons, and nurture a society that values restoration over retribution.
By signing this petition, you are advocating for a shift from punitive to preventive measures. You're standing with those—like myself—who see the transformative power in community support. Together, we can close the gap between desperation and hope, ensuring that eventually, the need for jails becomes obsolete. Please sign and lend your voice to a movement for positive, lasting change.
This includes children in juvi
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The Issue
I know firsthand how a lack of community support can lead families to fracture and individuals to lose hope. I was once a child in foster care, separated from my family, caught in a system that often chooses removal over reconciliation. My journey did not end with childhood as I, too, ended up in jail as an adult. I relinquished my rights to four of my daughters, not because I did not love them, but because I had lost hope, thinking I had no support to lean on. In truth, what I needed, and what so many need, was more help from the community.
The cycle of removing individuals—especially children and parents—from their homes and placing them in systems like foster care or prison does not solve underlying issues. Instead, it perpetuates them. Many families are torn apart not because parents have no desire to care for their children, but because they lack access to essential community resources like mental health services, substance abuse programs, financial assistance, and reliable childcare. These services empower families to stay together and thrive.
Consider these facts: According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States on any given day. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the prison population comprises individuals struggling with mental illness or substance abuse. Rather than punishment and separation, we should focus on prevention and support to break the cycles of poverty and incarceration.
I propose that we significantly increase community resources. By investing in services that address mental health, provide addiction support, and offer economic assistance, we can safeguard families, reduce the need for foster care and prisons, and nurture a society that values restoration over retribution.
By signing this petition, you are advocating for a shift from punitive to preventive measures. You're standing with those—like myself—who see the transformative power in community support. Together, we can close the gap between desperation and hope, ensuring that eventually, the need for jails becomes obsolete. Please sign and lend your voice to a movement for positive, lasting change.
This includes children in juvi
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Petition created on July 20, 2026