Critical Resistance is a grassroots organization founded to help dismantle the prison industrial complex in the United States. Their mission is to challenge the publicly held belief that incarceration is an effective means of deterring crime and protecting communities. They believe that basic necessities like regular access to food, shelter and other freedoms ensure safe communities, while mass incarceration destabilizes them. Critical Resistance maintains local chapters in Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland and New York. Each of these chapters pursues the common goal of educating communities about the damaging impact of the prison industrial complex and advocating for the abolishment of prisons throughout the country. They work directly with community stakeholders, local and national leaders to develop sustainable alternatives to incarceration, advocate for defunding police departments and increasing support for the underlying factors that often lead to incarceration. For more information about Critical Resistance or to volunteer, contact the organization directly.