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It's Time to Take Action

You can make a big difference in just 5 minutes.  With FCLCA’s Legislative Action Center, that’s all it takes to learn about the issues and send an email to your elected officials.

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For just $60 a year ($35 low income) you can celebrate FCLCA’s 60 years of advocacy and support a voice of conscience at the Capitol.  Contributions include 4 issues of the FCLCA Newsletter.

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Send an email to your elected officials.  Follow the bills we are working on in this legislative session.

Criminal Justice

Quakers have a long tradition of prison reform both in England and in the United States.  For centuries, they have opposed capital punishment and worked for its abolition. They have championed restorative justice instead of retribution.

Following in this tradition, FCLCA has developed a strong reputation at the Capitol for our expertise in criminal justice legislation.

  • We believe that California’s criminal justice and prison systems are broken and need to be fixed, and we work with our allies and with legislators and their staffs to promote responsible reform.
  • We are a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 649 (Leno, D-San Francisco), which reforms California's drug sentencing laws for simple possession. READ MORE.
  • We closely monitor the bills introduced to the Senate and Assembly Public Safety Committees and frequently testify at their hearings.
  • We helped pass Senate Bill 9 to address the issues of juveniles sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

See more bills on criminal justice we have taken action on.

Read our Policy Statement on Criminal Justice.

More resources on Criminal Justice Reform.

Our goals

  • Strengthening, enforcing, and publicizing victims’ rights.
  • Protection of the rights of the accused.
  • Abolition of the death penalty.
  • Strong gun control legislation.
  • Programs that stress alternatives to incarceration for individuals whose illegal acts will not harm the community.
  • Opposition to expansion of prisons and jails.
  • Assurance that prisoners civil rights are protected.
  • Presumption of innocence that prohibits incarceration before conviction unless the accused, if released, is a public threat or will not appear for trial.
  • Bail that reflects the financial circumstances of the accused and the seriousness of the crime.
  • Affirmation of the principle that the criminal justice system be rehabilitative rather than punitive.
  • Support and counseling from parole staff to minimize chances of recidivism.
  • Community involvement by police to prevent crime.
  • Civilian review boards to oversee accusations of police misconduct.
  • Opposition to trying juveniles as adults.
  • Strengthening preventive programs for juveniles.
  • Prompt decisions in juvenile cases.