Defund the Police: What Does That Mean?
Hello Friends!
Welcome to Issue 2 of this newsletter! This week’ topic is Defending the Police: What Does That Mean? This Phrase has been permitting social media and news outlets over the last week or so, let’s take a closer look.
Also— Juneteenth is coming up this Friday. “What’s Juneteenth?” Honey, I am going to tell you. Keep scrolling on down and let’s get into it.
Key Terms
Qualified Immunity: Shields police from lawsuits
Defund: Prevent from continuing to receive funds
Abolish: Formally put an end to a system, practice or institution
Reform: Make changes in an institution in order to improve it
Let’s Get Into It
There are a million articles you can read on this, but let’s break down the main points. I‘ll also link my sources below if you want to delve a little deeper.
Defund The Police
Reducing police budgets and reallocating those fund to social services like education, healthcare, housing, youth services and resources to support the community.
Police departments are tasked with maintaining order in society; however, they are often calling in response to situations that social services (healthcare, housing, youth development, etc) are better equipped to handle. We could invest in social services and send specialists like social workers, violence interrupters and mental health practitioners to address non-criminal issues more effectively.
Facts And Figures
In a fiscal year, 2020 New York City’s expenses for the New York City Police Department will total $10.9 billion (CNBC)
LA’s proposed police budget fro 2021 is $1.8 billion, which is more than half of the city’s total spending for the year. (The Cut)
The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population, yet we have almost 25% of the world’s total prison population. (Washington Post)
According to the bureau of justice statistics, the annual cost of mass incarceration in the United States is $81 billion dollars. (EJI)
What Is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
Celebrate it with the color red which symbolizes perseverance. Strawberry soda, red velvet cake, strawberries, red beans and rice and watermelon.
Next week, we are focusing on how to support the Black LGBTQ+ community. Remember, ALL Black lives matter—trans*, disabled, queer, straight, cisgendered, able-bodied, all of them. Next week we delve a little deeper. See you there!
