In “Policing is a Threat to Public Health and Human Rights”, abolitionist public health practitioners put forth the following definition: “We define abolitionist public health as work directed towards at the dissolution of the PIC, recognition of its discriminatory roots, and the implementation of interventions that tackle the social, economic and political determinants of health at the root of societal problems, thus making policing obsolete.”
It may seem difficult for public health practitioners, students, researchers, and government employees to advocate demands like defunding the police or abolishing prisons. However, as you have explored through this guide, there are many ways that we can challenge the prison industrial complex by working against harmful collaborations between public health and law enforcement, offering public health strategies that legitimize or expand police and prisons, and advocating against ineffective reforms. Just as much as it is about about tearing down harmful systems, abolition is about building health and life affirming networks of care that we know create public health: accessible and safe housing, a living wage, a healthy environment, a strong public education system, well-funded and ongoing national, state and local pandemic preparedness programs. It is crucial that what we are building works against and repairs how previous systems have caused harm, particularly towards Black, Indigenous, people of color and other marginalized communities. The following selected resources provide insight into health equity, reparations, and eliminating policing from public health institutions.
Selected Resources
Discussion Questions
Who To Follow
Read the End Police Violence Collective’s Pledge of Non-Collaboration for Public Health and decide if you would be able to take those steps in your work. Engage colleagues in this discussion. Is this a pledge you can take?
Start conversations at your workplace about the ways in which you can eliminate policing of marginalized identities. Work with already existing coalitions (or consider starting your own) to prioritize conversations of abolition within your institution.
In what ways can public health professionals help abolitionists meet their goals? Based on 8 to Abolition’s defined criteria of: accessibility, broad regional application, city and municipal implementation, shrinking the policing and prison industrial complex, creating the conditions for a world without prisons or police, where does Public Health fit in? How can you and your colleagues use the public health platform to advocate for local and national abolitionist policy?
Find ways to incorporate abolitionist perspectives and goals into strategic plans to ensure your organization meaningfully invests in abolition in the long term.
Learn about cities working on alternative responses to policing like Mental Health First Oakland, CAHOOTS in Portland, and STAR in Denver and imagine models that might be possible where you practice public health.
Take a look at “9 Solidarity Commitments to/with Incarcerated People for 2021” What steps can you take immediately? What steps can you commit to taking throughout this year?
About TowardsAbolition.com
TowardsAbolition.com is a learning and action guide developed for people
involved in the public health field including students, researchers, and practitioners.
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Last updated May 2021