Incarceration

[Courtesy of Prisons Foundation] It's time to get out of the house (if you're a member of congress), or the office (if you're a justice advocate), or the street (if you're a justice activist), and start networking with like-minded movers and shakers. 1. Concert for Prison Musicians featuring Lamont Carey of "The Wire," Friday, February 22, 7pm Come to the always-jumping Potter's House,1658 Columbia Rd, NW, Washington, DC, on Friday, February 22nd, 7:30pm to 10:30pm for a benefit concert to raise funds to purchase musical instruments for prisoners. Lamont Carey of "The Wire," ex-con jazz guitarist Dennis Sobin, Jim Dugan, Joe Shade and others will perform. There is a suggested donation of $5 to $15. Prison art will also be on view and available for purchase to help raise funds. Lamont Carey is a spoken word artist and actor who spent 11 years behind bars. He has made appearances in several stage plays, films and most recently the HBO hit series "The Wire." He has appeared three times on HBO's Def Poetry show and has published a collection of his poetry entitled "Why I Keep U A Secret." Dennis Sobin spent 10 years in state and federal prisons where he learned jazz and classical guitar. After being released in 2003, he cofounded the Prisons Foundation, which promotes the arts and education in prison. An accomplished guitarist with ten CDs to his credit, Dennis recently performed at the Kennedy Center. Jim Dugan's music has been used in various soundtracks for film and television. MusicMonthly.com in a review of Jim's CD "Marigold" said it was "Great music, great songs." Joe Shade is a performing singer and songwriter whose style and proficiency have been widely acclaimed. For further information, please call 202-393-1511 2. Free Justice Sunday reception featuring Prison Legal News experts, Sunday, March 30, 2pm You are cordially invited to attend a free reception at the Prison Art Gallery, 1600 K St NW, Washington, DC (three blocks from the White House) on Sunday, March 30, 2pm, for a talk by Paul Wright, Editor of Prison Legal News, and Alex Friedmann, Associate Editor. Both are accomplished legal writers, researchers and justice advocates who are recognized experts in the fields of prisoner rights, sentencing reform, and related justice topics. There will be a question and answer period following their presentation. This is a rare opportunity to get your legal questions answered by knowledgeable professionals who closely follow the latest trends and court decisions. Paul spent more than a decade in prison, where he began publishing Prisons Legal News. A monthly news journal, it is now the pre-eminent source of information about criminal justice and prison litigation. It is circulated and used by litigants in virtually every jail and prison in America. Paul will be bringing and signing copies of his new book, Prison Profiteers, a critical look at over-incarceration in America. Don't miss this rare opportunity to gain important knowledge and understanding from two professionals in the know. Refreshments will be served. For further information, please call 202-393-1511. 3. Free Workshop to become a mentor to imprisoned artists, Saturday, May 24, 10am to 4pm Attend a Free workshop on Saturday, May 24, 10am to 4pm at the Prison Art Gallery, 1600 K Street. NW, Washington, DC to become a mentor to imprisoned artists. Learn what it takes to work in a jail or prison to foster artistic development among inmates. You'll receive information and insights from experienced correctional officials as well as accomplished ex-prisoner artists. There will be a 15-minute break at 1pm for lunch, which will be provided. This is the approximate time that many inmates get to consume their meal (though you can continue to eat your meal as the workshop continues). The free lunch provided will be typical jail fare, nourishing and balanced though not necessarily gourmet. We believe that you will find the workshop enjoyable and beneficial. Whether you're looking for a one afternoon per month volunteer opportunity in a jail or prison, or a full-time paid career position, we believe that you will find this workshop a great door opener and a way to gain important skills and understanding. For further information, please email [email protected] or call 202-393-1511.

[Courtesy of Prison Art Gallery] Thanks to a grant we received from the DC Government, you can become a mentor to imprisoned artists. Work either as a volunteer or paid staff member in a jail or prison. Attend one of our upcoming one-day workshops to learn what it takes to work in a jail or prison to foster artistic development among inmates. You'll receive valuable training from experienced and effective correctional officials while also benefiting from the insights and knowledge of ex-prisoner artists who will be additional workshop leaders. They will all share their experiences with you in a relaxed and fun setting at the Prison Art Gallery in downtown Washington, DC. Everything you need for a productive and nourishing day will be provided. This is a rare opportunity to make contacts and obtain important information. And it's absolutely free! Whether you're looking for a one afternoon per month volunteer opportunity or a full-time paid career position, you will find these workshops a great door opener. Meet the people who make hiring decisions while finding out what it takes to be effective in the challenging setting of a jail or prison. Please call us at 202-393-1511 or email us at [email protected] for more information. We are now setting up a schedule of workshops to accommodate everyone who may be interested. We would like to what days and times would work best for you. Thank you.

[Courtesy of Second Chance Day on the Hill] Greetings, On February 13, 2008 in the Rotunda of the Minnesota State Capitol between the hours of 11:00 and 12:00, large numbers of people will converge for the first ever "Second Chance Day on the Hill." In Minnesota, our prison population has increased by over 45% in the past five years. 6,000 people per year leave corrections and return to their communities. They cannot find jobs at a living wage. They have great difficulties finding affordable and adequate housing. They are ineligibile for Financial Aid to go to school and for many other basic services. Representative Michael Paymar, Senator Julianne Ortman, Anoka County Attorney Bob Johnson (Former Chair, ABA Commission on Effective Criminal Sanctions), Dan Cain (RS Eden, former MN Sentencing Guidelines Commissioner), Les Green (SCSU, former Parole Board Commissioner), and our good friend, Sue Watlov-Phillips (Co-founder of the National Coalition for the Homeless, ED of Project Elim) will be amongst those speaking--full slate attached. We have one of the best corrections systems in the United States, yet I submit that if we continue to increase the number of incarcerated at the current levels, the system will break...as it has in 5 other States where, according to a recent study by the Justice Policy Centers, the budget for Corrections exceeded the budget for Education. Whether you are driven to the table via work on; Racial justice: (3.5% of our citizens are Black, yet they form 35% of our prison population; Natives 1%, with over 7% of the incarcerated); Homelessness: Wilder's last survey noted a 30%+ increase in the number of those without housing (of our 20,000+ homeless) who cited criminal records as a barrier to sustainabilty. Mental Health: We have become the "New Bedlam" after the infamous hospital in 19th century England where the mentally ill were indiscriminately housed with predatory offenders. In a city (Minneapolis) where a schizophrenic panhandler who was homeless was arrested 47 times...how was his behavior corrected? Answer: It wasn't. Veterans: In 1998 there were over 221,000 veterans in prison and Jail in the USA, and now we have over 200,000 on the streets, homeless. As our young women and men fight and die in Iraq and Afghanistan they fight for Democracy and Freedom in the name of a nation that imprisons more of its own citizens than any nation on the face of the earth. No matter who you are, surely you see the problem in that set of statistics. The Chemically Dependant: Since 1980, the number of those in prison for non-violent offenses in the US has increased 600%. Our corrections budgets exceed the costs of the current conflicts in the Middle East. In the words of Justice Kennedy (paraphrased) in his 2002 to the ABA Hall of delegates, "I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, that an 18 year old sentenced to 10 years in prison cannot conceive of what 10 years means." How does a jail cell "fix" an addiction? Members of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession: Surely, you must see this series of problems more clearly than all of us...the endless chain of men and women in their 20s who mull through the dockets day after day, year after year...in time, perhaps, they (we) become just numbers. Surely, what you see each day must strike you as an impossible equation to carry out for another 25 years. This day is a day for all of us. It is the chance to turn back the tide and NOT end up like Illinois, with 47 prisons and 30,000 inmates in re-entry each year. Or, Wisconsin, with 32 prisons. My grandfather was a physician at the Mayo Clinic. My Dad a College professor for 37 years. I, like so many of us in the 70s, strayed. I've been a soldier, a homeless veteran, a teacher and a social worker. I've come to see and understand the need for Second Chances. Once, we believed in and took pride in being the State that treated those who were ill...now we lock them up. Surely, this situation is not tenable for much longer and I think we all sense that. Join us for this event. It is one last chance for us to pause and ask, "Is this really what we want for our children, for the next generation?" Surely, we were meant to be so much more. Guy Gambill Community Organizer Second Chance Day on the Hill (612)-208-1815 (612)-644-4817

[Courtesy of Prison Art Gallery] Our new Prison Art wall clocks are now on sale for the introductory price of just $16.99. Choose from among ten images created by imprisoned artists from across America. You won't fine a more beautiful, socially-conscious, or TIMELY holiday gift anywhere, even if you spend three times as much. Order yours today before TIME runs out! To view and order these gorgeous and practical works of art, please visit http://www.cafepress.com/jail/4246550. If you have any questions, please call 202-393-1511 anytime.

[Courtesy of JPI] WASHINGTON, DC - The attorney, who drafted, advocated for and helped pass sweeping juvenile de-incarceration legislation in Mississippi has been selected by the Justice Policy Institute's Board of Directors to lead the organization into its next decade. The Justice Policy Institute (JPI), a national public policy institute dedicated to ending society's reliance on incarceration and promoting effective solutions to social problems, announced today that co-founder and Executive Director Jason Ziedenberg will step down and be replaced by Sheila A. Bedi. The transition will take place on January 14, 2008. "We are incredibly excited to have found someone as dynamic, talented and dedicated to JPI's mission as Sheila is," said JPI Board Treasurer, Peter Leone. "Under Sheila's leadership, JPI will continue its work in highlighting the negative consequences associated with society's reliance on incarceration." Bedi is currently the co-director and founder of the Mississippi Youth Justice Project (MYJP), a non-profit public policy and legal advocacy organization dedicated to the reform of Mississippi's juvenile justice system. At MYJP, Bedi drafted and helped win passage of the Mississippi Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2005, a measure which prohibits the incarceration of first-time non-violent offenders and establishes community-based alternatives to incarceration. Bedi drafted The Mississippi Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Act of 2006 which requires training for juvenile defenders, re-entry planning for formerly incarcerated youth, set standards for juvenile detention centers and helped secure over $7 million for previously unfunded programs and services that will reduce the number of incarcerated children in Mississippi-including wrap-around services and other community-based alternatives. "After years of advocating for children locked-up in our nation's most brutal and notorious prisons, I know that just building 'better' prisons will only perpetuate the cycle of incarceration, compounding our communities' public safety challenges," said Bedi. "JPI's cutting-edge research and advocacy confirms that our nation's over-reliance on incarceration is the greatest civil rights and political crisis of our time. As Executive Director, I look forward to building on JPI's success and contributing to the de-incarceration movement nationwide." Since 1997, the Justice Policy Institute has worked to enhance the public dialog on incarceration through accessible research, public education and communications advocacy. Lawmakers, media, advocates, systems reformers, and the general public rely on JPI's timely analyses. Over the last decade, JPI's research and communication strategies have helped prevent federal laws that would prosecute more youth as adults, and the organization has collaborated with national and state-based campaigns to repeal these laws. JPI has worked to prevent initiatives for longer prison sentences or tougher juvenile justice measures from being enacted at the local, state and federal level. JPI has pursued legislation to divert drug-involved individuals from prison to drug treatment programs in Maryland and California, and has helped reshape public opinion around California's "Three Strikes Laws" and reforms to Maryland's drug sentencing statutes. JPI has elevated the importance of and promoted effective strategies to reduce the number of young people in pre-trial juvenile detention and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. JPI has published more than four dozen policy reports which constitute a "cannon" of work that support reducing the use of incarceration. After a decade of serving in a number of positions at JPI, including three years as Executive Director, Ziedenberg is returning to the West Coast in 2008. "We thank Jason for his tireless work in helping JPI transition into a potent vehicle for de-incarceration work, and for managing the challenging shift of the organization to a new generation of leaders in this field," said Leone.

[Courtesy of Prison Art Gallery] See the 2-minute segment now at http://prisonsfoundation.org/Prison.wmv. And, don't forget our Pre-Christmas Sale -- PRISON ART PRINTS ONLY $10 each. They are in stock and available for immediate shipment anywhere. The Prison Art Gallery in downtown Washington, DC (three blocks from the White House) has sold hundreds of paintings, drawings and crafts made by prison inmates from across America, and sent thousands of dollars to their commissary accounts and their families. At the same time we've supported victim assistance and justice advocacy groups with our share of the proceeds from these sales. Thank you for helping to make this success possible. To celebrate during this joyous season, we are placing ALL our numbered limited edition Prison Art prints (48 of them, each one 11" by 17" inches) on sale for the low price of only $10 each. Or for just a little more, we will frame them for you. You can purchase by phone, email, or at the Prison Art Gallery or our outdoor exhibit. They can be shipped anywhere in the world. To see these beautiful works of art, please see our November Art for Justice prison art catalog at http://prisonsfoundation.org/novafj.pdf . If you have any questions, please call 202-393-1511 anytime.

[Courtesy of In Arms Reach] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (917) 939-5349; [email protected] Hip Hop Superstar Fat Joe, Former Giants Linebacker Carl Banks, NY State Supreme Court Justice Jerome Marks among those Honored at In Arms Reach Award Gala on Thursday, November 29 In Arms Reach, Founded by Rockefeller Drug Law Survivor Terrance Stevens, Provides Mentoring, After-school Activities, Builds Community and Esteem for Children with Incarcerated Parents Bronx Assemblyman Rueben Diaz Jr, Hip Hop Summit Action Network President Dr. Ben Chavis and R & B Vocalist Trey Songz to Join More than 100 Others at Inspiring Event NEW YORK – Hip hop superstar Fat Joe, former Giants linebacker Carl Banks, NY State Supreme Court Justice Jerome Marks, and Dean of City College of of New York’s Sophie School of Biomedical Education, Dr. Standform A. Roman Jr., are being honored at an award Gala supporting the New York non-profit organization, In Arms Reach. For five years, In Arms Reach (IAR) has successfully functioned as a non-profit, community-based organization for art, counseling, prison visitation and academic mentoring. IAR exclusively serves urban, New York children and youth of incarcerated or formerly incarcerated parents. The event will be held Thursday, November 29th, 2007, at The Great Hall of CUNY's City College, at West 138th Street and Convent Avenue. Capitol Music Group U.S. Chairman and CEO Jason Flom is an honorary chairman of the In Arms Reach Charity Gala. Terrence Stevens serves as the program's executive director, founding In Arms Reach in 2002, while confined to a wheelchair and virtually paralyzed from the neck down due to muscular dystrophy. Since its inception, IAR staff has provided over 3,450 hours of tutoring services, hundreds of after-school mentoring sessions, and dozens of free trips to prison facilities for children to reunite with their incarcerated parents. Terrence Stevens is a survivor of, and activist against, the draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws. In addition to his work with hundreds of young people with loved ones behind bars, Mr. Stevens is a leading voice in New York and Albany to change the inhumane and ineffective laws. "Children of incarcerated people face some of life's harshest challenges, including poverty, violence, limited opportunities for a good education, and a future that seems to hold little promise. The incarceration of a parent often places children at an increased risk of substance abuse, truancy, and other anti-social behaviors," explains Stevens. There are at least 2.5 million children in the United States that are denied access to their parent(s) because they parent is in prison. Terror Squad/Imperial/Capitol Music Group hip-hop veteran FAT JOE is one of those being honored for his support of children who lost their parents to incarceration. Born Joseph Cartegena, the Bronx's own Fat Joe has earned five RIAA gold certifications and two platinum certifications in the last decade, including a platinum master ringtone certification in 2007 for the smash single and video "Make It Rain." Leading the Terror Squad, Fat Joe earned an additional two gold RIAA awards for the master ringtone and digital singles of the blockbusting No. 1 pop (three weeks) and R&B/Hip Hip-Hop (seven weeks) landmark, "Lean Back." Joe's crossover smash "What's Luv," which introduced Ashanti to the pop chart, was a seven-week No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Fat Joe first charted in 1993 with his first solo single and video, "Flow Joe." "My community has been the foundation of everything I've ever accomplished in music and my business ventures," Fat Joe observes. "It's the role of hip-hop to give voice to the most overlooked, and it's the role of every responsible person to look into the community and be a positive force to as many as we possibly can. I'm proud to help bring awareness to this segment of youth, at a time when so many of our families in the minority community remain separated by the system." “Not only as an elected official in the Bronx, but as a personal friend of Joe’s, I believe that this recognition is long over due,” said New York State Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. “Joe is someone who has come from a tough neighborhood in the Bronx and has become a world renowned entertainer and yet he finds the time to come back to his neighborhood and give back through mentoring and through resources so they can one day aspire to reach the heights that he has.” Attendees will also be treated to a live performance by R & B Atlantic Records artist Trey Songz.

[Courtesy of Prison Art Gallery] Beautiful prison art clothing, cups, teddy bears, totes, hoodies, tank tops, hats, notecards, calendars, and much more for immediate shipment. Over 100 beautiful socially-concious gifts from the Prison Art Gallery at affordable prices! Imprisoned artists are among the most talented artists in the world. Now we've put their beautiful work on cups, clothing, and much more so you can give gifts this year that are unique, stunning, affordable and socially concious. We have partnered with Cafe Press to bring these gorgeous items to your door. They are available in a variety of colors and styles for immediate shipment! You can order online or by phone. Take a deep breath, prepare yourself for something very special and then visit our online store at https://www.cafepress.com/jail

[Courtesy of Prison Art Gallery] You asked for them, so here they are. Not one but TWO Prison Art Gallery calendars. Choose justice themes or general themes. Throughout the past year we've been planning our beautiful new 2008 calendar, selecting the finest art we've received from prison artists from across America. Trouble is, some of you wanted Justice Themes (jails, cells, prisoners, guardtowers, etc) while others requested non-justice themes (seascapes, landscapes, portraits, abstracts, etc). So we decided to publish two calendars with the help of Cafe Press, premium publishers of quality full-color calendars (and quite reasonably priced). View and order them now while they're still available. Perfect holiday gifts for you, your office, your loved ones, and your favorite judge. See and order them now at https://www.cafepress.com/jail.