NEW YORK — The Vera Institute of Justice and Dream.org launched the new “Serious About Safety Majority” campaign Thursday in response to Republican-backed criminal justice legislation, unveiling a coalition aimed at advancing what organizers describe as evidence-based public safety policies and pushing back against punitive approaches to crime.
The coalition has partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus to promote a “proactive policy agenda” in public safety lawmaking, according to a press release.
“A clear majority of Americans—including Independents—prefer leaders who are ‘serious about safety,’ not ‘tough on crime’ by a 60-40 margin,” Vera Institute of Justice President and Director Insha Rahman said, according to the release. “This is why we are launching the ‘Serious About Safety Majority.’”
The group is a “broad coalition of advocates, policymakers, and criminal justice reform groups” working to educate voters on the benefits of preventive safety measures, the announcement stated.
“The campaign will focus on two core priorities through the end of the year,” the press release reports. “Defeating dangerous crime legislation in Congress and ensuring voters can clearly identify which candidates and elected leaders are truly ‘serious about safety.’”
Concerned by the direction President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are taking regarding public safety, the initiative urges Democratic leaders to push back with evidence-based alternatives, according to the statement.
Recently, the “Serious About Safety Majority” campaign moved to educate voters about the Trump administration’s Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, or CORCA, a bill that “funnels American’s data to the Department of Homeland Security,” the release stated.
“Public pressure resulted in 10 House Democratic co-sponsors shifting their support away from CORCA during roll call, including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Seth Moulton, as well as fierce backlash from several Democratic primary challengers such as Brad Lander in New York,” the announcement stated. “Now, with the bill heading to the Senate, the campaign is planning a six-figure ad spend across social media, digital, and streaming.”
The campaign also publicly opposes a “package of DC crime bills, opioid legislation, and an expected carjacking bill” that would result in more arrests for nonviolent crimes, according to the statement.
“Donald Trump and his lawless administration have shown they don’t care about public safety, they care about cruelty, division, and grandstanding,” Rep. Shontel Brown said, according to the statement. “And because of Trump’s cuts to health care, food assistance, and violence prevention programs, families across America are less safe and secure.”
Rep. Brown also emphasized the campaign’s focus on strengthening communities through local crime-prevention programs rather than using “‘tough talk’ and scare tactics” to encourage safety, the release stated.
Rep. Summer Lee shared Rep. Brown’s enthusiasm for the initiative, renouncing the use of fear in public safety legislation and encouraging community-based interventions, according to the statement.
“As a proud leader of the Community Safety Caucus, I’m committed to embracing approaches to safety that prevent violence and harm before it occurs, and to supporting culturally congruent care and equitable responses to behavioral and addiction crises,” Rep. Lee said, according to the announcement. “Congress’ current ‘tough on crime’ approach is failing families, our children, and communities across the country.”
The coalition aims to sway voters in the midterm elections against federal bills that expand mass incarceration and avoid directly addressing community violence, the release stated.
“It’s time to have an honest conversation about what strengthens our communities,” Rep. Brown said, according to the statement. “[N]ot ‘tough talk’ and scare tactics but more federal dollars going to local crime prevention programs, which we know deliver real safety.”
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