via Wikimedia
California has been working to undo tons of damage done to communities thanks to harsh policies that swept people up into jails and prisons. While it still has a long way to go, there are politicians like Jim Cooper working to undo the progress that’s been made, and this is bad news.
Cooper is a former law enforcement official who once stated, “I busted my butt to put as many people in jail as I could,” like that’s a good thing. California has implemented several reforms to confront its problems, like overcrowded and dangerous prisons, but Cooper is not a fan.
Despite evidence that incarceration doesn’t deter crime, Cooper wants to reverse reforms. He’s helped draft the “Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018,” and it’s not what it seems. This legislation would undo measures that reject heavy-handed policing and imprisonment.
Cooper has regularly opposed bills responding to police shootings, ignoring the Legislative Black Caucus. He’s also been opposed to police transparency and accountability measures. He represents a police agenda in California’s capitol, despite law enforcement’s racism problem.
Just because someone’s Black doesn’t mean they’re for us. The type of policing and imprisonment that Cooper is trying to defend has done immeasurable harm to Black communities in California. It’s important to make sure we don’t fall for any attempt to make things worse.