Press Release: Hundreds to Celebrate Prop. 36 (Treatment Instead of Incarceration) in Sacramento

[Courtesy of Drug Policy Alliance] For Immediate Release: April 7, 2008 Contact: Margaret Dooley-Sammuli (213) 291-4190 Hundreds to Celebrate Prop 36 at California Capitol Third Annual “Prop 36 Works!” Rally Counts Lives and Dollars Saved Wednesday, 11-1pm: Rally and March in Capitol Park Sacramento – Clients, graduates and supporters of Proposition 36, California’s treatment-instead-of-incarceration law, will gather at the Capitol on April 9 to celebrate seven years of the groundbreaking program’s success. Hundreds of rally participants will represent the over 84,000 people who have graduated from the program in the last seven years—and call attention to the over $1.5 billion saved by Prop 36 so far. Many participants at Wednesday’s rally are in recovery rather than jail thanks to Prop 36, and have come from around the state to show their support for the program and for treatment rather than incarceration. After the outdoor rally, the crowd will march and then enter the Capitol Building to leave that message with their legislators. WHAT: Prop 36 Works! rally WHEN: Wednesday, April 9, 11a.m. rally ; 1p.m. march. WHERE: North steps, California Capitol Building, Sacramento. WHO: Prop 36 graduates from across California, Parent advocates for Prop 36, Formerly incarcerated people & advocates, Legislators The Drug Policy Alliance, sponsor of the event, was instrumental in the campaign to pass Prop 36 in 2000 and continues to work to protect the program. Co-sponsors represent the wide support for the program: California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC), California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources (CAARR), California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives (CAADPE), California Society of Addiction Medicine, The Effort, & NCADD Sacramento. Other supporters include: A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing), All of Us or None, Alpha Project, Beacon House Association of San Pedro, California Church IMPACT, Coalition for Effective Public Safety (CEPS), County Alcohol and Drug Programs Administrators Association of California (CADPAAC) & Justice Now. For more information, visit: www.prop36.org.