More than 200 crime survivors are expected to attend a meeting at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium to discuss better ways to deal with crime, new safety priorities, and a criminal justice system that prioritizes treatment prevention, rather than more prisons and jails.

The March 30 event is hosted by the Stockton chapter of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, a project of Californians for Safety and Justice, which brings together crime survivors from across California in justice policy debates.

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, a co-sponsor of the event with the Office of Violence Prevention and the Stockton Police Department, will provide a welcome address.

“Communities who are the most harmed are the least helped,” says Tashante McCoy-Ham, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice Stockton chapter leader. “Only by building a justice system that reflects the needs of crime survivors can we truly keep our communities safe.”

The Stockton event will feature four breakout sessions focusing on defining community justice, acknowledging trauma, healing the most affected communities, and activating and organizing youth leadership.

The event is one in a series across California, culminating in a statewide “Survivors Speak” conference in Sacramento on April 4. More than 500 crime survivors are expected to attend Survivors Speak to share stories, honor loved ones and advocate for smart justice policies. The largest convening of crime survivors in the U.S., Survivors Speak will take place during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

Central Valley Business Times