 There is a rise in fascist speak in relation to Black Americans online, in political spaces and casual social settings. White nationalist speech and Online incel culture push the incentive to reprimand the black existence under the guise of harmless comedy, while on a more federal level, political regression is highly encouraged. Daring to speak out against injustice and borderline racism warrants quick dismissal and social out casting, and those who bear witness to this event are silenced by fear of social isolation. To enable the social outcast of Black Americans is to be promised the rewards that are entailed in the American dream.
Due to this quick-happening phenomenon, it is becoming distasteful to be proud of Black American culture and all the varieties it arrives as. Socially, words are taken from AAVE and twisted into new meanings, woke now being a dog-whistle for the intolerant, the abbreviation of yn being spoken so casually by nonblack people, and the term Black fatigue on the rise, a phrase spoken in a joking matter to signify irritation due to being around black people. The long-term goal of what is deemed to be the American dream is the pursuit of a unilateral, concept that excludes our right to political freedom, with possibility of another silent generation, in vague hopes of still achieving the said American Dream. A uniform and frankly totalitarian approach to one, if not, of the most diverse countries in the world. The freedom to express one's identities, cultures and beliefs should not fall flat in the giant shadow of what's deemed to be the American Dream. Dismantling the American dream and addressing it for what it is, assimilation. Young Americans must refuse to adhere to the slow tide of totalitarianism, be unashamed of culture and identity, as well as standing tall against political repression. The only prompt for not being bold enough to stand in the face of adversity, is silent hopes that subtle inclination to the uniform approach of traditionalism will be a saving grace. Clinging onto a dream that is not truly yours results in appallment when you realize far too late you weren't pictured in America's everchanging rush to America's conjoined Conservative-Fascism. By Destiny Varnado
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 What is a diversion program? Diversion programs can happen at any point in a person’s life – and their singular goal is to keep folks out of the prison system. They come in many shapes, sizes, and forms (and exist for youth, too), and can happen before someone even encounters a situation with the police. Diversion programs can also happen before an arrest, before a charge is made, and before a trial has happened. They seek the underlying cause of behavior: ranging from substance (ab)use, to a lack of affordable, accessible housing, to food insecurity. Diversion programs work to address the underlying issues in the community: access to food, access to affordable, accessible housing, access to treatment: these can all keep someone out of prison. So then, what’s recidivism? Recidivism is the rate at which folks who are convicted of a crime re-offend. The three-year recidivism rate in Texas is 20.3% – which means that 3 years after release, over 20% of people who are convicted of crimes end up back in prison in Texas. The nationwide rate is even higher: “almost 44% of [convicted people] released return before the first year out of prison.” From an economic standpoint, each additional year of incarceration costs $56,200 – $66,800. The prison system is morally repugnant, and it’s just bad for the country as a whole – we are incentivized as taxpayers to use data and diversion programs to lower the rates at which folx are imprisoned: it’s better for our bottom line. Diversion is public safety. Jail, prosecution, and prison alone do little to defer future criminal behavior: because the underlying, root cause of the behavior has not been dealt with. Diversion programs, however, seek the underlying factors that led to an alleged offense – and then seek to rectify those factors so that a person can avoid prison time. A 2018 study of Harris County’s diversion programs revealed that “Diversion substantially decreased a person’s future convictions by 48 percent 10 years” – that means we’ve almost halved our community’s recidivism rate with these programs – if there is access to them. While the data holds that diversion programs are economically, as well as morally, beneficial, access to these programs is fraught. Sometimes the programs are “pay to play,” meaning that historically underpaid communities can lack access. Sometimes it falls to prosecutors to decide who is “worthy” of diversion because, “Even when an individual qualifies based on their charge, criminal record, or need for treatment, they must ultimately be offered diversion.” Equal access to diversion programs will produce a safer society by diverting someone’s potential to re-offend and resourcing them with organizations, relationships, and aid that can help them avoid more prison time. It is in all of our best interests to support diversion programs. By: Beck Havens  Yesterday, the City Council voted to approve the City of Houston’s budget which included over 832 million dollars for the Houston Police Department’s Union Contract. This will cause such an enormous portion of the city’s budget to go directly towards funding law enforcement and not programs proven to help reduce crime.
Budget departments, organizations, and concerned community members passionately addressed city council discussing the negative fiscal impacts of cuts to grants, federal funding, and resources by the current federal administration. City Departments and agencies will be hit pretty hard, yet cities always find the money to fund law enforcement. Billions are not going towards programs or services effectively proven to reduce crime. This magnitude of funding is not for housing, shelters, poverty prevention programs, substance abuse treatment programs, mental health services outside of the carceral system, summer programs, or proactive programming that keeps all of us safe. We are constantly funding reactive measures which don’t reduce crime and recidivism. It seems as if people want to believe the notion that arresting people will cause a reduction in crime. Data shows it doesn’t. https://www.vera.org/news/research-shows-that-long-prison-sentences-dont-actually-improve-saf ety#:~:text=A%202021%20meta%2Danalysis%20of,because%20incarceration%20destabilizes% 20people's%20lives. What are we going to do when the next disaster hits? We are now in hurricane season. I’m terrified about what will happen in the upcoming months and I am not the only one. We live in a city consistently plagued by disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Houstonians still haven’t fully recovered from disasters as recent as last year. Blue tarps are still visible on residents' homes. Folks whose homes were demolished were rebuilt with constructional flaws. Yet, we find 832 million to give to law enforcement. Make it make sense! Because of the laws passed by our Republican led Texas Legislature we can’t reduce the law enforcement budget without penalties or taking it directly to the voters. If emergency resources are needed right then and there, we are screwed. Will the city increase taxes to help pay for programs and services that actually keep us safe? The enthusiasm I saw as the vote was taking place on the police union contract and this budget was very eye-opening! Only three council members voted no on the budget. What about housing, flooding and drainage projects, healthcare, mental health treatments, substance abuse programming, shelters, and after school programs? Why can’t we proactively fund programs proven to reduce crime instead of being reactive? At the end of the day, you fund what you prioritize and HPD was clearly the big winner. The definition of safety varies by person and neighborhood. In River Oaks, it may be perceived to some that HPD may protect and serve them. In areas such as Northline and Sunnyside police officers are coming to overpolice and arrest people. Advocates from Pure Justice, NAC, West Street Recovery, Texas Civil Rights Project, 50 Fathers and others spoke to city council about what is at stake and offered alternatives. If you really want to solve crime, you have to look at why it’s happening in the first place. It takes a deeper dive instead of an expensive band-aid approach. HPD is the biggest contributor to the jail population in Harris County due to the number of their arrests. More police and more arrests will lead to more people getting sent out of the county and state to be incarcerated. That alone is costing us around 50 million dollars a year. Investments in restorative justice practices in a holistic way actually reduces crime and recidivism. Let’s fund those programs instead. https://restorativejustice101.com/title-breaking-the-cycle-the-impact-of-restorative-justice-in-reducing-recidivism/ |
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June 2025
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About UsPure Justice uses community organizing, and civic and electoral engagement as methods help reform institutions and systems that perpetuate social and criminal injustices, and to improve the lives of low-income and working-class families
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