Community-powered criminal justice reform | Raj Jayadev

Translator: Ivana Korom Reviewer: Krystian Aparta

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: SF Huang

This is my favorite protest shirt.

這是我最愛的抗議上衣。

It says, "Protect your people."

上面寫著「保護你的同胞」。

We made it in the basement of our community center.

我們在社區中心的地下室做的。

I've worn it at rallies,

我會穿著它參加集會、

at protests and marches,

抗議、遊行、

at candlelight vigils

燭光守夜，

with families who have lost loved ones to police violence.

和因為警方暴力而失去 摯愛的家屬們站在一起。

I've seen how this ethic of community organizing

我見過這種社區組織的倫理

has been able to change arresting practices,

能夠改變逮捕慣例、

hold individual officers accountable

讓每位警官自負其責，

and allow families to feel strong and supported

讓家屬在人生中最黑暗的時刻，

in the darkest moments of their lives.

仍能堅強、感受到支持的力量。

But when a family would come to our center

但，當家屬到我們的中心

and say, "My loved one got arrested, what can we do?"

並說：「我所愛的人被逮捕了， 我們能怎麼做？」

we didn't know how to translate

我們不知道要如何將我們

the power of community organizing that we saw on the streets

在街頭上看到的社區組織力量

into the courts.

轉移到法庭上。

We figured we're not lawyers,

我們並不是律師，

and so that's not our arena to make change.

所以那不是我們要進行改變的地方。

And so despite our belief in collective action,

所以，儘管我們相信集體行動，

we would allow people that we cared about

但我們還是讓我們在乎的人

to go to court alone.

獨自上法庭。

Nine out of ten times -- and this is true nationally --

十次有九次 —— 全國皆如此 ——

they couldn't afford their own attorney,

他們負擔不起律師費，

and so they'd have a public defender, who is doing heroic work,

所以他們會用公設辯護律師， 他們在做很英勇的事，

but was often under-resourced

但通常都資源不足，

and stretched bare with too many cases.

且承擔太多案件。

They would face prosecutors aiming for high conviction rates,

他們所面對的檢察官， 是把目標放在高定罪率、

mandatory minimum sentences

強制最低刑期，

and racial bias baked into every stage of the process.

以及過程中每個階段 都少不了的種族偏見。

And so, facing those odds,

所以，面對那麼低的勝算，

stripped away from the power of community,

社區的力量又被奪去，

unsure how to navigate the courts,

不確定在法庭上要怎麼辦，

over 90 percent of people that face a criminal charge in this country

在美國面對刑事控告的人 當中有超過九成

will take a plea deal.

會選擇認罪協商。

Meaning, they'll never have their fabled day in court

意思就是，他們永遠無法在 法庭上解釋而得到逆轉勝的機會，

that we talk about in television shows and in movies.

就像我們在電視節目 和電影上看到的那樣。

And this is the untold part of the story of mass incarceration in America --

這是美國大規模監禁的故事中 不為人知的部分——

how we became the largest jailer in the world.

我們如何變成世界上最大的監獄。

Over two million people currently incarcerated in this country.

目前，在這個國家， 有超過兩百萬人被監禁。

And projections that say

據推測，

one out of three black men will see the inside of a prison cell

三個黑人中就有一個，

在人生的某個時點會進到牢房內。

at some point in their life on this trajectory.

But we have a solution.

但，我們有解決方案。

We decided to be irreverent to this idea

我們決定推翻

「只有律師才能影響法庭」這想法。

that only lawyers can impact the courts.

And to penetrate the judicial system

將社區組織的力量、才智

with the power, intellect and ingenuity of community organizing.

和足智多謀，滲透到司法系統中。

We call the approach "participatory defense."

我們把這個方法稱為 「參與式辯護」。

It's a methodology for families and communities

這個方法是提供給所愛的人 正面臨控訴的家屬和社區，

whose loved ones are facing charges,

and how they could impact the outcome of those cases

讓他們知道要如何去影響 那些案件的結果，

and transform the landscape of power in the courts.

並轉變法庭上的權力樣貌。

How it works is,

它的運作方式是， 面臨刑事指控者的家人

families whose loved ones are facing criminal charges

will come to a weekly meeting,

會來參加每週的會議，

and it's half support group,

它算是半個支持團體，

half strategic planning session.

半個策略計畫集會。

And they'll build a community

他們會形成一個社區團體，

out of what otherwise would be an isolating and lonely experience.

否則這些人就得孤單地獨自面對。

And they'll sit in a circle,

他們會圍成一圈坐下，

and write the names of their loved ones on a board,

把他們想要支持的、 摯愛人的名字寫在白板上。

who they're there to support.

And collectively,

同心協力，這個團體

the group will find out ways to tangibly and tactfully

會找出確實、得體的方法

impact the outcome of that case.

來影響案件的結果。

They'll review police reports to find out inconsistencies;

他們會重新檢視警方的報告， 找出不一致之處；

they'll find areas that require

他們會找出需要辯護律師

more investigation by the defense attorney;

進一步調查的部分；

and they'll go to court with each other,

他們也會陪彼此上法庭，

for the emotional support

給與精神上的支持，

but also so that the judge knows that the person standing before them

同時也是讓法官知道， 站在他們面前的這個人

is part of a larger community

隸屬一個大型社群團體，

that is invested in their well-being and success.

這個團體會為了他們的 福祉和成功而努力。

And the results have been remarkable.

結果成效非常顯著。

We've seen charges get dismissed,

我們已經看到控訴被駁回，

sentences significantly reduced,

刑期被明顯縮減，

acquittals won at trial

判決是無罪開釋，

and, sometimes, it has been literally lifesaving.

有時，真的是救了人命。

Like in the case of Ramon Vasquez.

就像拉蒙‧瓦茲奎茲的案子，

Father of two, family man, truck driver

他有兩個孩子，是個愛家的男人，

開卡車維生，

and someone who was wrongfully charged with a gang-related murder

被誤以為犯下了 與幫派相關的謀殺案而被起訴，

he was totally innocent of,

他完全是無辜的，

but was facing a life sentence.

卻要面臨無期徒刑。

Ramon's family came to those meetings

在拉蒙被逮捕和拘留之後沒多久，

shortly after his arrest and his detention,

他的家人出席了那些會議，

and they worked the model.

他們運用了這個模式。

And through their hard work,

透過他們的努力，

they found major contradictions in the case,

在這個案件中，他們找到了 一個重大的矛盾之處，

gaping holes in the investigation.

在調查過程的漏洞。

And were able to disprove dangerous assumptions by the detectives.

他們得以反駁警探所做的危險假設。

Like that the red hat that they found when they raided his home

比如他們把在突襲他家時 所找到的那頂紅色帽子

somehow affiliated him to a gang lifestyle.

將他和幫派生活連結起來。

Through their photos and their records,

透過他們的照片和記錄，

they were able to prove that the red hat was from his son's Little League team

他們得以證明那頂帽子是來自 他兒子的小聯盟球隊，

that Ramon coached on the weekends.

拉蒙在週末會當那支球隊的教練。

And they produced independent information

他們也找到了客觀的資訊，

that proved that Ramon was on the other side of town

證明在事件發生當時

拉蒙人在小鎮的另一邊，

at the time of the alleged incident,

through their phone records

用的是他們的通話記錄 及他們造訪過商店的收據。

and receipts from the stores that they attended.

After seven long months of hard work from the family,

經過家屬漫長七個月的努力之後，

Ramon staying strong inside jail,

拉蒙在監獄中保持堅強，

they were able to get the charge dismissed.

他們終於讓控訴被駁回。

And they brought Ramon home

他們把拉蒙帶回家，

to live the life that he should have been living all along.

讓他過著本該擁有的生活。

And with each new case,

隨著每個新案件，

the families identified new ways to flex the knowledge of the community

家屬們就會找到一些新方式 來增強社區的知識，

to have impact on the court system.

對法庭系統產生影響。

We would go to a lot of sentencing hearings.

我們會去很多量刑聽證會。

And when we would leave the sentencing hearing,

當我們要離開量刑聽證會時，

on the walk back to the parking lot

在某人的摯愛被送入監獄之後，

after someone's loved one just got sent to prison,

我們走回到停車場，

the most common refrain we would hear

我們最常聽到大家會重覆說的話，

wasn't so much, "I hate that judge,"

並不是「我討厭那個法官」，

or "I wish we had a new lawyer."

或「我真希望我們有個新律師。」

What they would say was,

他們會說的是：

"I wish they knew him like we know him."

「我真希望他們能 像我們這麼了解他。」

And so we developed tools and vehicles

所以，我們開發工具和方法，

for families to tell the fuller story of their loved one

讓家屬能描述出其摯愛的 更完整豐富的故事，

so they would be understood as more than just a case file.

他們才不會只被視為一個案件檔案。

They started making what we call social biography packets,

他們開始做我們所謂的 社區人士傳記資料包，

which is families making a compilation of photos and certificates and letters

也就是家屬匯整出 照片、證書、信件，

that show past challenges and hardships and accomplishments,

來呈現出過去所經歷的 困難挑戰與成就，

and future prospects and opportunities.

以及對未來的展望和機會。

And the social biography [packets] were working so well in the courts,

社區人士傳記包 在法庭上的效果相當好，

that we evolved it into social biography videos.

因此我們將它再改造 成為社區人士傳記影片。

Ten-minute mini documentaries,

十分鐘的迷你紀錄片，

which were interviews of people in their homes,

內容是訪談他們的家人、

and at their churches and at their workplace,

教友、同事，

explaining who the person was in the backdrop of their lives.

解釋當事人在他們的 生活中是怎樣的人。

And it was a way for us to dissolve the walls of the court temporarily.

我們用這種方式來暫時 化解法庭的高牆。

And through the power of video,

透過影片的力量，

bring the judge out of the court and into the community,

把法官從法庭帶到社區中，

so that they would be able to understand the fuller context of someone's life

讓他們能夠更完整地了解 當事人的生活全貌，

that they're deciding the fate of.

再來決定當事人的命運。

One of the first social biography projects that came out of our camp

我們最早期執行的 社區人士傳記計畫之一

was by Carnell.

是卡奈爾做的。

He had come to the meetings

他來參加會議是因為 他曾少量吸毒而被判刑。

because he had pled to a low-level drug charge.

And after years of sobriety,

數年不染毒之後，

got arrested for this one drug possession charge.

他因這個持有毒品的控訴而被逮捕。

But he was facing a five-year prison sentence

但，因為加州的量刑設計，

because of the sentencing schemes in California.

讓他面臨的是五年徒刑。

We knew him primarily as a dad.

我們對他的認識就是他是位父親。

He'd bring his daughters to the meetings

他會帶女兒們一起參加會議，

and then play with them at the park across the street.

接著和她們在對街的公園玩。

And he said, "Look, I could do the time,

他說：「聽著，我可以服刑，

but if I go in, they're going to take my girls."

但如果我入獄，他們就會 帶走我的女孩們。」

And so we gave him a camera

所以我們給了他一台相機，

and said, "Just take pictures of what's like being a father."

說：「拍一些照片來呈現 當父親是怎樣的狀況。」

And so he took pictures of making breakfast for his daughters

所以他拍的照片包括 為他的女兒們準備早餐，

and taking them to school,

帶她們上學，

taking them to after-school programs and doing homework.

帶她們去課後輔導，做家庭作業。

And it became this photo essay

做成了照片簡集，

that he turned in to his lawyer who used it at the sentencing hearing.

他把這簡集給他的律師， 律師把它用在量刑聽證會上。

And that judge, who originally indicated a five-year prison sentence,

本來打算要判他五年徒刑的法官

understood Carnell in a whole new way.

以全新的方式瞭解了卡奈爾。

And he converted that five-year prison sentence

他把五年徒刑轉換成了

into a six-month outpatient program,

六個月的門診治療計畫，

so that Carnell could be with his daughters.

讓卡奈爾能繼續陪著他的女兒們。

His girls would have a father in their life.

他的女孩們不會 在生活中失去父親。

And Carnell could get the treatment that he was actually seeking.

卡奈爾也能取得他需要的治療。

We have one ceremony of sorts

在參與式辯護中，

that we use in participatory defense.

我們有一種儀式。

And I told you earlier that when families come to the meetings,

我說過，當家屬來參加會議時，

they write the names of their loved ones on the board.

他們會把摯愛的名字寫在白板上。

隨著一週一週過去， 透過家屬的故事，

Those are names that we all get to know, week in, week out,

through the stories of the family,

我們都會漸漸認識那些名字，

and we're rooting for and praying for and hoping for.

我們聲援他們，為他們禱告， 並為他們抱持希望。

And when we win a case,

當我們贏了一個案件時，

when we get a sentence reduced, or a charge dropped,

當我們讓刑期縮減 或讓案件變成不起訴時，

or we win an acquittal,

或者我們贏得無罪開釋時，

that person, who's been a name on the board,

那個本來只是白板上名字的人，

comes to the meeting.

會出席會議。

And when their name comes up,

提到這些人的名字時，

they're given an eraser,

會給他們一塊板擦，

and they walk over to the board

他們會走向白板，

and they erase their name.

把自己的名字擦掉。

And it sounds simple, but it is a spiritual experience.

聽起來很簡單， 但這是個精神層面的體驗。

And people are applauding, and they're crying.

大家會鼓掌，會哭泣。

And for the families that are just starting that journey

對於坐在房間後方那些

and are sitting in the back of the room,

才剛要開始這段旅程的家屬，

for them to know that there's a finish line,

讓他們知道終點線是存在的，

that one day, they too might be able to bring their loved one home,

有一天，他們也有可能 把他們所愛的人帶回家，

that they could erase the name,

把名字擦掉，

is profoundly inspiring.

這個儀式能深深鼓舞人心。

We're training organizations all over the country now

現在我們在為全國各地的組織 做參與式辯護的訓練，

in participatory defense.

And we have a national network of over 20 cities.

我們的全國網路包括 超過二十個城市。

And it's a church in Pennsylvania,

包括在賓州的一間教堂，

it's a parents' association in Tennessee,

在田納西州的一個父母協會，

it's a youth center in Los Angeles.

在洛杉磯的一所青年中心。

And the latest city that we just added to the national network

最近才加入我們全國網路，

to grow and deepen this practice

讓這種方法更壯大更深入的城市

is Philadelphia.

是費城。

They literally just started their first weekly participatory defense meeting

他們上週才剛開始第一次的

參與式辯護週會議，

last week.

And the person that we brought from California to Philadelphia

我們從加州帶了一個人到費城

to share their testimony, to inspire them to know what's possible,

去分享見證，鼓舞他們 去了解有什麼可能性。

was Ramon Vasquez,

他就是拉蒙‧瓦茲奎茲，

who went from sitting in a jail in Santa Clara County, California,

他從一個坐在加州 聖塔克拉拉郡監獄中的人，

to inspiring a community about what's possible

變成去鼓舞社區的人， 他讓大家了解到

through the perseverance of community across the country.

透過全國社區的堅持不懈 能帶來什麼樣的可能性。

And with all the hubs, we still use one metric that we invented.

即使有這麼多中心，我們仍然 採用我們發明的一個度量方式。

It's called time saved.

叫做：挽救的時間。

It's a saying that we actually still say at weekly meetings.

我們在週會議中仍會用這個說法。

And what we say when a family comes in a meeting for the first time is:

當有家屬初次出席會議時， 我們會說的是：

if you do nothing,

如果你什麼都不做，

the system is designed to give your loved one time served.

系統就是設計成會給予 你所愛的人服刑的時間。

That's the language the system uses to quantify time of incarceration.

那是系統用來量化監禁時間的用語。

But if you engage, if you participate,

但如果你投入，如果你參與，

you can turn time served into time saved.

你可以把服刑的時間 變成挽救的時間。

That's them home with you, living the life they should be living.

也就是他們和你在家 過著他們應過的生活。

So, Carnell, for example, would represent five years of time saved.

所以，以卡奈爾為例， 挽救下來的時間就是五年。

So when we totaled our time saved numbers

當我們把各個參與式辯護中心

from all the different participatory defense hubs,

挽救下來的時間通通加總，

through the work in the meetings and at court

這些時間是他們透過 在會議上、法庭上的努力，

and making social biography videos and packets,

及製作社會傳記影片 和社區人士傳記包所挽救下來的時間，

we had 4,218 years of time saved from incarceration.

加總起來共挽救了 4218 年的監禁時間。

That is parents' and children's lives.

那是父母和孩子的歲月。

Young people going to college instead of prison.

年輕人能夠上大學而不是進監獄。

We're ending generational cycles of suffering.

我們要終結這世代循環的苦難。

And when you consider in my home state of California,

想想看我所居住的州，加州，

it costs 60,000 dollars to house someone in the California prison system,

在加州監獄系統中，將一個人 監禁的成本是六萬美金，

that means that these families are saving their states

那就表示，這些家庭 為他們的州省下了

a ton of money.

一大筆錢。

I'm not a mathematician, I haven't done the numbers,

我不是數學家，我沒有去計算，

but that is money and resources that could be reallocated

但這些金錢和資源可以被重新分配

to mental health services,

給心理健康服務，

to drug treatment programs, to education.

給毒品治療計畫，給教育。

And we're now wearing this shirt in courts

現在，在全國各地的法庭上，

all across the country.

我們都會穿上這件上衣。

And people are wearing this shirt

大家會穿上這件上衣，

because they want the immediacy of protecting their people

是因為他們想要在法庭上

即時地保護他們的同胞。

in the courtroom.

But what we're telling them is,

但，身為實踐者， 我們是在告訴他們，

as practitioners, they're building a new field,

他們是在打造一個 新的領域，一個新的運動，

a new movement

that is going to forever change the way justice is understood in this country.

將會永遠改變大家對美國司法的看法。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）