Prison and jail personnel’s use of militarized equipment is primarily and disproportionately carried out against people with mental illness. It is hidden from public view and faces little or no accountability, as procedural and legal avenues for incarcerated people who are subject to such violence are extremely limited.

Steps to end this state violence  

No one deserves to experience this violence. California’s prisons and jails must address the overwhelming use of violence and militarized weaponry against people held in their custody, especially those with mental health diagnoses, and stop the pervasive deployment of military equipment in prisons and jails. The American Friends Service Committee urges the following: 

• California Department of Justice: Instruct the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and county sheriffs to fully implement AB 481’s requirements to publish policies for each type of military equipment the agencies possess, including disclosure of quantities of these weapons.  

• Journalists, advocates, researchers, and local and state government officials in California: Investigate the widespread use of violence against people in prison, especially those with mental health diagnoses, in California prisons and jails.  

• The California State Auditor: Perform an audit on the extent, causes, and consequences of the use of violence against people in California prisons and jails.  
• California and its county governments: Adopt and fund measures that provide adequate upstream and crisis care and access to supportive housing for people who experience mental illness or substance use disorders.  
• California lawmakers and governor: Significantly reduce the agency’s spending on this equipment in the 2024-2025 $19 billion budget proposed for the CDCR. 
• State lawmakers and county governments: Ban the use of the indiscriminate Stingball weapons in county jails and state prisons