
COUNTDOWN TO ERASE HEARING
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
On July 18, 2022, in honor of Nelson Mandela’s birthday, an extraordinary bill was introduced in the DC Legislature.
DC Councilmember Mary Cheh, along with five co-sponsors introduced ERASE Solitary, in an effort to abolish torture in DC’s jails and prisons. The law uphold Mr. Mandela’s mission to ensure the humane treatment of our incarcerated brothers and sisters.
DC Corrections uses solitary confinement more than four times the national average- -making it a leader in the use the use of torture, as defined by the United Nations.
With the ERASE bill DC has the opportunity to become a different kind of leader- -a leader in transformative justice. The bill will end the use of solitary confinement in DC, with exceptions for public safety. Our next step? ERASE needs a hearing.
USE IT FOR JUSTICE
Join Councilmembers Mary Cheh, the ERASE Coalition and the United Nations in demanding a TORTURE FREE DC for all.
TRANSFORMING DC TOGETHER
Our Councilmembers have taken the first step. Now it’s our turn to make an impact. Our legislatures need to grant the bill a hearing- -and they need to hear why that’s important to you.
Fill out the form to send a one-click email and/or tweet to your legislators. Let them know that giving ERASE a hearing this fall is crucial to upholding Nelson Mandela’s vision of justice.
SOLITARY MYTHS
USED FOR
THE WORST
OF THE WORST
Solitary is primarily used for minor infractions like not following an order, or even having too many postage stamps or extra food.
INCARCERATION
THE WORST
MORE SAFE
People in solitary are deprived of meaningful human interaction and programs, causing additional drastic physical and psychological harm.
NO SAFE
ALTERNATIVES
TO SOLITARY
There are many safe and proven alternatives that could reduce violence, increase public safety, and cut incarceration costs.
Dear DC Legislators,
You entered the political arena to make a difference in DC, right? Here’s a chance to make a DC a leader in transformative justice and right a wrong. DC uses solitary confinement more than almost any other state in the US, making it a leader in torture- -and a human rights violator. Torture is not the answer.
Passing ERASE gives us the ability to look towards evidence-based alternatives to isolation, providing exceptions for safety and public health emergencies.
The United Nations has said that prolonged solitary confinement is torture.
DC jail lock downs have been among the longest in the US. Let’s get this right. There are other ways of applying consequences without destroying a person’s dignity, life. With this one bill, DC can go from being a leader in torture to a national leader in transformative justice.
Let’s rewrite DC’s narrative together.
In Community,
The Erasers

COUNTDOWN TO ERASE HEARING
THANK YOU ERASE CO-SPONSORS

Chairman Pro Tempore Kenyan R. McDuffie
Co-Sponsor/Ward Five

At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds
ERASE Co-Sponsor

Ward One Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau
ERASE Co-Sponsor

Ward Four Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
ERASE Co-Sponsor

Ward Eight Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.
Erase Co-Sponsor
Let your voice be heard! ERASE needs a hearing in the fall of 2022. Email and tweet at the Councilmembers above, letting them know how important it is that ERASE and its supporters are heard. We’ve made it easy to get in touch with these legislators- -just click on the email button and we do the rest.
ERASING MISTAKES FOR A BETTER DC
ERASE is a chance for DC to correct a mistake: solitary confinement should have never been an option in the first place. With one bill, DC can become a leader in transformative justice.
SUPPORT FOR ERASE

The Nelson Mandela Foundation welcomes initiatives designed to implement the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules. These Rules rightly regard solitary confinement as inhumane. Nelson Mandela believed that one of the most important measures of a society is the manner in which it treats those it has incarcerated.

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THE ERASERS
The ERASE Coalition is a group of transformative justice advocates working to make DC a safer, more free state. If you’re interesting in learning more about social justice causes in and around Washington, D.C., engaging with these partners is a wonderful place to start.