Build Programs Not Jails (BPNJ)

While not a part of County Government, BPNJ is an invaluable resource for many liberals and progressives who may already be interested in criminal and social justice issues as it relates to county government which oversees jails, mental health programs, and many other issues directly related to criminal and social justice.

A brief history from their website: https://programsnotjails.com/

History

Since early 2012, Champaign County law enforcement has been arguing for expanding the satellite jail. Champaign-Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice (CUCPJ) spearheaded opposition to this plan and advocated for community-based alternatives through its “No More Jails” campaign. In December 2013, the Champaign County Board voted against funding the proposed expansion and allocated a small sum of money to a re-entry program.

In February 2015, however, a new master plan was presented to the county board for the construction of a more extensive addition to the satellite jail. This plan will cost the county residents $32 million. Expanding the work of No More Jails, Build Programs Not Jails (BPNJ) has been working in opposition to this project. The group members have instead been advocating for our county to devote our resources to decrease incarceration.

We have been campaigning against this new building proposal by speaking at county board meetings, holding public forums, lobbying county board members, conducing door-to-door surveys, forming petitions, and reaching people through social media.


Where to find them: https://programsnotjails.com/meetings-and-actions/

Map link to Google Maps:

MEEETINGS

Build Programs, Not Jails meets regularly at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center located at 202 S. Broadway in Urbana.

Upcoming meeting dates:

The first meeting of 2018 will be on 17 January with the next meeting on 31 January.

It was announced at the January 17th meeting that meetings will be every two weeks and begin corresponding with the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month - no conflict w/ Holidays.

Children, families, and nursing parents are always welcome at meetings. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about meeting accessibility.

ACTIONS

We are also actively attending county board meetings, hosting forums, and sponsoring public events. If you would like to be involved but cannot attend regular meetings, please email us at info@programsnotjails.com and we will add you to our email list so you can receive updates and action calls.


Additional Contact Information:

Website: https://programsnotjails.com/

E-mail: info@programsnotjails.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildprogramsnotjails/

Twitter: @BuildPrograms


Their Resource Page:

https://programsnotjails.com/resources-and-links/