By AFSC Arizona Staff |

In previous years, ReFraming Justice Day at the Capitol was marked by huge crowds, national celebrities, and actual rock stars in the Capitol Rose Garden. On January 25, 2021, the event will be held virtually, but the message is the same: The people of Arizona want sentencing reform.

ReFraming Justice Day (RFJ Day) is an annual event organized by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) of Arizona. It’s an opportunity for people who have been personally impacted by Arizona’s criminal justice system—including incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and their families—to speak directly to the legislators who have the power to change Arizona’s outdated and unjust laws.

In place of previous years’ press conferences, speeches, and office visits, AFSC-Arizona has devised a new set of virtual actions to educate, engage and mobilize support for reform:

• Digital Stories
  AFSC reached out to people who are currently incarcerated in Arizona’s prisons and collected their stories demonstrating the need for criminal justice reform. These messages will be read by AFSC staff and edited into short videos that will be posted online in the lead-up to ReFraming Justice Day. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AFSCAZ and on Facebook #RFJDAY2021
  
• Postcard Campaign
  Anyone can fill out a postcard online with a custom message about why they support sentencing reform via AFSC-Arizona’s webpage. These postcards will be physically printed and sent to AFSC, to be delivered personally to legislators.
  
  Send your postcard to legislators today!
  
• Visits with Legislators
  On January 25, 2021, formerly incarcerated people and family members will conduct virtual visits with Arizona legislators via Zoom meetings to share their stories and help our leaders understand the need for change in our sentencing laws.

“Every year, we build RFJ Day around the leadership and expertise of directly-impacted people,” explains ReFraming Justice Coordinator Dr. Grace Gámez. “In the past, since it was an in-person event, people in prison have been unable to participate in the same way. This year we were able take advantage of the virtual format to center the stories of people currently incarcerated in our legislative advocacy day. These are voices that lawmakers almost never hear from, but it is critically important if they want to understand the impact of the policies they create and how they can be improved.”

Arizona has the fifth highest incarceration rate in the nation. One in 13 Arizonans has a felony conviction. While the majority of other states have made efforts to reduce excessive sentences, expand opportunities for release from prison, and invested in programs and services that address the root causes of crime, Arizona remains stubbornly mired in the failed policies of the past. Legislative proposals put forward in previous years have been stonewalled by opposition, despite overwhelming, bipartisan support from the public for reform.

Enrique Olivares-Pelayo, ReFraming Justice Organizer, insists that the group remains resolute. “These policies are hurting our families, and we will not give up until we have a system that truly works to make everyone whole and safe.”

To arrange pre-event interviews with issue area experts or any of our RFJ Leaders for preview coverage of #RFJDAY2021, contact Jason Martinez, jmartinez@afsc.org; 520-309-8761.