Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities

We are a GRASSROOTS, DIRECT ACTION ORGANIZATION, united to demand justice and social change, for imprisoned people with disabilities.

Our membership is made up of people with psychiatric disabilities that have been in jail or prison, who have suffered in the system. Our membership also includes family members and friends of people with psychiatric disabilities who are, or who have been imprisoned.

We believe in humane treatment for all regardless of race, class, or sexual identity. We want to end the discrimination and dehumanization in the criminal justice system.

We fight the stigma against people with mental illness by demonstrating our courage and empowerment. We are outraged and disgusted by the deplorable treatment by the people controlling the current system.

We confront all those who have the responsibility to make changes by strategizing, protesting, negotiating, collaborating with other groups and by any creative means necessary.

RIPPD confronts a system set up to oppress people who have a mental illness and who have been in jail or prison. Despite the existing power structure, our organization has been able to gain respect from the powers that be and meet with judges, politicians, and other government officials and begin to achieve the policy changes that we seek. Through this work members develop leadership skills along with a greater understanding of the process involved in organizing for social change. Organizing is about more than the tasks at hand and the projected outcomes, it is also about the process that membership goes through as individuals unite and take action together. It is this process that empowers members and makes this work possible.

RIPPD is working towards the following:

Establishment of Alternatives to Incarceration

Establishment of Pre-Booking Jail Diversion in the NYPD (CITs)

Abolition of Prison/Jail Expansion

Accountability and Training for Correction and Police Officers

Better Mental Health Treatment in Jails and Prison