What is this bill about?
SB 337 works to ensure all incarcerated individuals within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) are serving their time in a safe environment conducive to rehabilitation. It seeks to expand the civil rights of incarcerated people and extends the window for individuals to file grievances, while also requiring higher standards for those entrusted with the protection of this population.
How does it align with yliās values?
Californiaās prisons have long faced substantiated claims of sexual misconduct and recent high-profile scandals demonstrate that current safeguards are woefully insufficient. These failures disproportionately harm LGBTQ+ people. A study of California state prisons designated for men found that the rate of sexual assault for transgender women in those prisons was 13 times higher than for men in the same prisons. A separate 2023 report found that 59% of transgender women incarcerated in menās prisons report being sexually assaulted.
SB 337 will help address systemic failures by requiring documentation of all searches and scans, expanding the grievance window to 120 days, strengthening body-worn camera policies, and allowing for anonymous reporting to the Office of the Inspector General. Additionally, the bill ensures accountability by preventing CDCR from hiring or retaining individuals who commit violent or sexual crimes, and by mandating transparency around conflicts of interest during investigations.
yli partners with thousands of youth across the state, many of whom identify as queer, low-income and youth of color. We witness first hand the brutal impacts of our stateās harmful ājusticeā system on their lives, and are in staunch support of policies that protect our trans and incarcerated loved ones.
This policy aligns with our Gender Justice Platform, which addresses the impacts of the carceral system on communities of color.
What is yli doing about it?
We have just submitted a letter endorsing this bill, and we are showing our support on Facebook and Instagram.
Who else supports this bill?
- Equality California