Reframing Public Safety

Safety is a basic human need. Everybody deserves to be and feel safe.

But what actually keeps people safe? And whose safety is being prioritized? For too long, approaches to public safety have been driven by anecdotal, fact-free notions about crime and punishment. Too often, these notions are fueled by fear, panic, racism, and misinformation. The result is a deeply flawed, overly punitive, racist, anti-evidence approach that is not closely tied to policies that actually keep people safe or protect all communities fairly.

At Southern Coalition for Social Justice, we reject the argument that efforts to interrupt and change our current system somehow threatens public safety. It is not safety versus justice; that is a false choice.

We also reject the premise that these massive problems, which are deeply embedded within our existing systems, are unbreakable and unsolvable. In fact, solutions exist for keeping communities safe while respecting the dignity and rights of everyone.