December 2007

SENATOR NOZZOLIO TO HOLD SENATE HEARING TO EXAMINE THE INCREASE IN PAROLE RELEASE RATES FOR VIOLENT FELONS

It seems to Buiding Bridges that we should all be there to witness this event. I am told there will be no public comment period.

New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio will be convening the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee to conduct a legislative oversight hearing to examine the increase in parole release rates for violent felons in the New York correctional system.

Denise O’Donnell, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice Services; George Alexander, Chairman of the New York State Parole Board; and Brian Fischer, Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, are expected to testify before the Committee to address the increased release rates.

“It has been widely reported that the Board of Parole is releasing a substantially higher number of violent felons from custody this year. As Chairman of the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee, I will be conducting a legislative oversight hearing in January to review the matter and to take testimony from the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Chairman of the New York State Parole Board, and the Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services,” said Senator Nozzolio.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

1:00pm

Hearing Room A 
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY



12/18 Call for Clemency for RDL Prisoners

In an article titled "Rescue Mission for Governor Spitzer", posted December 18, 2007 at Huffingtonpost.com, Anthony Papa wrote:

With the coming holiday season in mind, I recommend that Gov. Spitzer go on a personal rescue mission and grant executive clemency to the large number of Rockefeller Drug Law prisoners who have fully rehabilitated themselves and already served enormous amounts of time behind bars under the draconian provisions of mandatory-minimum sentencing.

To read the entire article, click here


12/17 Sentencing Commission Hearing Transcripts

For those of you who wished you could attend the Sentencing Commission hearings but couldn't, or even if you did and would like to read the testimony to refresh your memory, the transcripts are now posted at
the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services website.




12/12 News Report from ICARE:

Birth Certificate Legislation Passes NYC Council

Today, Tuesday, December 11, 2007, Intro. No. 574, a bill granting free birth certificates to all residents coming home from City jails (after serving 90 days) or New York State prisons, was passed by the full Council of the City of New York (39-6 vote). The Bloomberg Administration stated their support and Mayor is expected to sign it into law within 30 days.

The intention and effect will be to rescind one more barrier to people successfully reentering their communities and attempting to rebuild their lives after incarceration. It is exactly the kind of gesture of hope that ICARE was founded to advocate for. Birth certificates are needed for many aspects of making a new life - from employment to housing to official ID’s, applications to educational institutions, healthcare, other benefits and social services.


12/11/07 GRAZIANO: WHAT'S NEXT?

An Overview:

When the plaintiffs filed the complaint originally, they had the choice to file in any federal district court in New York (Northern, Western, Eastern, or Southern) because plaintiffs live in all districts of New York and plaintiffs are given the first choice for venue of the case. They chose to file in the Southern District and Judge Brieant, who sits in the Southern District, was randomly assigned to preside. (this, in my opinion, was an incredibly lucky break because he appears to be a very fair judge -- so much so that I felt if he ruled against us, it would mean we didn't have the law behind us.)

Now what happens?

The case remains in his courtroom and he makes all rulings (except under certain circumstances not relevant here) through trial, including issuing a judgment after hearing all of the evidence in the trial.

At this point, the case goes back to Judge Brieant's court in White Plains on December 20 (the judge decided when the parties must appear next in court). This court appearance will probably only involve scheduling the case for trial, so Building Bridges is not planning to attend.

The class will be notified about the case and class members will be given the opportunity to opt out of the class (which is only done where the individual believes he/she could get a more favorable ruling than the one reached by the attorneys).

-- PRISON ACTION



12/6/07 NEWS BULLETIN!

A DECISION ON THE MOTIONS IN GRAZIANO V. PATAKI WAS DISTRIBUTED TODAY. [If you would like a copy of the decision, please request one from prisonaction@hotmail.com.]

IN BRIEF, JUDGE BRIEANT DENIED THE DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO DISMISS ON MOOTNESS GROUNDS AND GRANTED PLAINTIFFS' CROSS-MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION.

ACTION: Write letters of appreciation to Judge Charles Brieant, United States Federal District Court, 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains, New York 10601-4150, and to the lead attorney, Robert Isseks, 6 North St., Middletown NY 10940. Also to the NY Daily News, who seem to have an interest in this lawsuit: The NY Daily News: voicers@edit.nydailynews.com or 450 W. 33 Street, New York, NY 10001. Please include your full name, address and phone number.




and now to return to December's Building Bridges Newsletter:

Dear Reader,

A few days ago as I prepared about 45 checks for deposit, all of which arrived after October 20 and most of which were donations for FED3, I tried to think of how I could convey what it means to me to witness this continuing flood of tangible support. The Family Empowerment Day events, whose purpose is to raise awareness of the possibility for change if we work together, are produced for, by, and with all of us. Family Empowerment Day is not about something in the future, it is the present. We are already changing. We are getting to know and trust one another. We are learning to work together. All the hundreds of us! I am so grateful for the opportunity to help all of this unfold.

Since then it's been a roller coaster. Buffalo's FED3 event was a big success! Excellent workshops, and George Alexander, in his keynote speech, caused many of us to feel we finally had an ally on the Parole Commission. He was open to dialogue and encouraged us to hold him accountable. Then, about a week later, we got word that Graziano et.al. vs Pataki had reached a settlement in which all the plaintiffs would be getting a rehearing. Parole releases for community ready men and women appeared to be at a new high, and we actually were looking for a new issue to take on (naively..). The Sentencing Commission was holding hearings at which we were all invited to speak. Finally we had a say in how justice was accomplished. Hope dared to put down its tender roots.

And then we had a huge disappointment and setback. First an alarming article in the NY Daily News hysterically spreading fear that the parole release trend was releasing dangerous killers into our communities, followed two days later with a report that Governor Spitzer was not accepting the settlement, and would continue to fight in the courts. His spokesperson Paul Larrabee was quoted as saying, "The state will absolutely litigate the case. The state has taken the position that the parole board has the right to reject parole for violent felons." What does this mean?! For certain it means we have a lot more work to do.

We may feel tempted to give in to anger, frustration, and above all APATHY. Apathy is a terrible disease, and often is fatal. I believe we need to stop worrying about what we can accomplish or not accomplish. The decision is between what is life affirming and what is not. Do we want to be free? Do we want our loved ones to be free? Then we must work for it. That's the only decision needed. Will we ever be free? Maybe not from prison, nor the prison industrial complex; but we are all free to take a stand for what is right. Let us take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way. Wherever we are stationed is where we must create the world we want to live in. I want to live in a world where you and I are working together in harmony to create justice, freedom, peace and love. It doesn't matter which side of the wall we're standing on, we are on the same side of justice. Let us keep on keepin’ on!

PS. Two articles below (#4, #6) have suggestions for Actions. If you’ve never done more than read and attend events, here’s your opportunity to start taking action!

Please share your copy of Building Bridges. To recycle your issue, please contact PAN for the name and address of someone who wants a copy but can’t afford to make a donation.


ARTICLES

1. Education in Prison - “ I have heard from a source high in the Spitzer administration not to expect the return of college programs anytime soon, for the reason that the public is against it.”

2. Family Empowerment Day3/WNY and ALBANY- Report by one of several paroled lifers who were present to hear Chairman George Alexander give the keynote address at Family Empowerment Day3/WNY; first impressions after FED3/ALB.

3. Indigent Defense Suit - "...legal aid services to the indigent has deteriorated to the point where defendants' constitutional right to representation is being violated, the New York Civil Liberties Union contended in a lawsuit..."

4. Merit Time Legislation - S.3164/A.6150 – would grant merit time eligibility to survivors of abuse who have been convicted of violet crimes as a result of the abuse they experienced. 

5. Other Criminal Justice Publications - ways to subscribe

6. Parole - Graziano, et.al. vs. Pataki update; “Make a Noise”Action; November Release Reports

7. Pen-Pal Project - ‘Dear Friends’ is a group of people who want to exchange ideas and feelings with people behind bars. p.7

8. Prison Radio - Additional venues for our voices to be heard: Al Lewis Lives, Fancy Broccoli, Democracy Now!, Justice Pages, On the Count, Thousand Kites, Voices from the Prison Action Network.

9. Re-Entry Poem I WALK FREE - “I don’t have a limo to pick me up at the gate when the time is up"

10. Sonny Rudert’s Field Report #1 - "We have to keep coming home, joining our neighbors, and living our lives in an exemplary manner. [This way] we keep the door open for others who have earned the right to fair parole hearings after years and years of anything but."

11. Support Meetings - ROOTS re-entry group in Albany joins the list

12. Transportation to Prisons - Ride to Attica wanted, as well as the usual options

13. What’s Happening Around New York State - Updates, plus read about a unique opportunity for people throughout the state (with email access) to join forces with many advocacy organizations for improvement in the NYS criminal justice system, a project of CURE-NY.

14. Words from Inside - "The minimum sentence given is being completely and arbitrarily ignored, as if it meant nothing." Carl Berk; "Being disconnected geographically, emotionally and psychologically, over long prison sentences, takes a serious toll on our (and our families) psyches and spirits". Chas Ransome


1. EDUCATION IN PRISON

Restore College Programs to Prison Now!

It has been a year since Spitzer became governor of New York, and for many in prison, things are beginning to look up.  True, we are a long way from meaningful prison and parole reform.  But with increasing release rates, lower phone rates, and the appointment of Brian Fischer as Commissioner, we are now moving in the right direction.

Skeptic that I am though, I never really did believe that any change from Albany would be radical.  And let us not forget, DOCS still engages in the practice of confining the mentally ill in SHU's; the return of Work Release is still nothing but talk; cigarette smoking is still allowed and poses an ever growing health risk to many, and Spitzer's Commission to explore the possibility of closing some prisons crashed and burned at the hands of the CO's union and other powerful upstate interests.  In many ways it is still business as usual in Albany.

But of all the ideas that came from Spitzer, the one that I had the most faith in becoming reality--the idea of using programs, such as college, to lower the prison population by reducing recidivism--has indeed been the most disappointing.  I have heard from a source high in the Spitzer administration not to expect the return of college programs anytime soon, for the reason that the public is against it.  So what we need to ask ourselves is, is this true?

Some say that most people know and believe in the benefits of higher education for the incarcerated.  So there is no reason to re-argue the fact that college programs lower recidivism, that they pay for themselves in the long run, that they enhance prison security by giving inmates something positive to do, or that no one's child was denied funding because the money went to a prisoner.  Most fair-minded people support the notion of the incarcerated turning their lives around and contributing to society through higher education.  This argument is easy.

But others insist that it is again the CO's union and powerful upstate interests that don't want to see the college programs return, and we don't have to wonder too hard to figure out why.  Lowering recidivism and closing prisons is an economic threat to those whose livelihoods depend on the continued growth of the prison industrial complex.  And to the ill-informed, the racists, and other slack-jawed yokels, the notion of the incarcerated--i.e. people of color from NYC--bettering themselves through free college is simply intolerable.  To them it's like rewarding crime, or so they argue.

So let us first rejoice in the progress we have made so far, but let us not stop there.  Although we have many issues that need to be addressed, clearly the return of college programs to the prison system should be included.  We all remember the hurt we felt when Pataki pulled the plug on the college programs, we all knew what message it sent.  We all felt for those whose dreams of a better life had been shattered, and we despaired at the loss of hope.  Well, hope is beginning to return, but only in baby-steps.  It is up to us to put the issue of the return of college programs, along with our other issues, back on the table, and hopefully for more than just discussion.  Let us prove them wrong that the public is against this issue, and let's work together to restore college programs to prisons now!

Thomas Popowich, M.P.S., N.Y.T.S. Sing Sing, Class of 2005, tompop2@verizon.net


2. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY/3

REPORT FROM WNY - Nov 3rd

A number of paroled lifers were present to hear Chairman George Alexander give the keynote address at Family Empowerment Day3/WNY sponsored by People are Prisoners Too on November 3rd here in Buffalo.  Jerry Balone and Daniel Rance (both served 37 years before being paroled in August) and Mel Bruckman (who did 28 and has been out for four years and doing good), and a number of other ex-lifers were there carrying the message for longtermers who deserve fair hearings and release.  Mr. Alexander took questions from many of us and participated in the afternoon workshops.  Everyone was fairly impressed by his commitment to give people inside a fair deal, and to commit resources to re-entry services and tools to assist people once released. 

The inertia and punishment preference that were earmarks of the former governor's administration (especially as they pertain to longtermers) will not change radically overnight.  One indication of that is the tentative agreement by the Spitzer administration to settle the Graziano class-action suit and the withdrawal of the terms of that settlement.  That had to be very discouraging to everyone involved and their families. 

However, don't lose hope, there is good cause to believe that the suit will be settled in our favor.  The fact that the state initially conceded to re-hearings and selection of parole commissioners will not go unnoticed by the federal judge deciding this matter.  And remember that federal judges have lifetime appointments and a degree of independence and thus are less subject to the whims of political parties.  Stay strong and know there are brothers and sisters out here who have not forgotten those they left behind.
 
For peace and justice, Chuck Culhane

REPORT FROM ALBANY - Dec. 1st

Albany’s event had the lowest attendance of the three FED3's, but made up for it with the amount of heart! There was lots of discussion between the presenters and the “audience” and the only negative report so far was that “more people should have been here!” It was almost impossible to drag people away from their networking conversations. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t grab their attention long enough for my closing remarks, which I gave up, deciding they were not nearly as important as what was happening in the conversations!

A screening of the rough cut of “The Visitors” documentary by Melis Birder, which followed the FED3 event, was attended by a diverse representation of those who had been there for the day, and the feedback was very useful to the filmmaker.

The truth is, Family Empowerment grows as the word spreads. New York grew from less than 100 the first year to close to 300 this year. It is my belief that each event has attracted exactly the people who it was important to have there.

Judith Brink
 

3. INDIGENT DEFENSE SUIT
NYCLU Suit Seeks Reform of Defense for Indigent
By Joel Stashenko, November 9, 2007

ALBANY - New York state's county-based system of providing legal aid services to the indigent has deteriorated to the point where defendants' constitutional right to representation is being violated, the New York Civil Liberties Union contended in a lawsuit filed yesterday.

The class action suit in Albany County Supreme Court seeks the immediate creation of a statewide public defender office to assume, at state expense, all criminal legal services for the indigent in New York.

The NYCLU is being represented in Hurrell-Harring v. State of New York by its staff attorneys and pro bono by Schulte Roth & Zabel. Gary Stein, a partner at Schulte Roth, said at a news conference yesterday in front of the Court of Appeals in Albany, that providing adequate defense services to those who cannot afford attorneys benefits all those with interests in the criminal justice system. "The system works best, for all concerned, when there is defense counsel who is qualified, who has the time and the resources and the training to communicate effectively with the client and promptly represent his client's interests," said Mr. Stein, a former prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District. "It means less needless delay and it means more confidence that the ultimate disposition of criminal cases is fair and just and final."

The complaint alleges that such competent, efficient representation is not being provided indigent defendants by legal aid providers in the 62 New York counties. By giving counties that responsibility in 1965, but failing to provide adequate funding or oversight of the legal aid services system that has since evolved, New York has "abdicated" its responsibility to ensure that criminal defendants have proper representation regardless of their ability to pay, according to the suit.

The complaint lists a host of deficiencies with the criminal defense system, including "incoherent" client eligibility standards, lack of attorney training, inadequate staffing, no attorney caseload standards, delays in securing public defender representation, inadequate investigatory resources and no attorney performance standards.

The system "deprives or threatens to deprive" defendants' rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 6 of the state Constitution, the complaint argues. "Constitutionally adequate counsel is counsel that is capable of putting the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing," the complaint continues. "Where, as is the case in New York, public defense counsel do not have the resources and the tools to engage actively and meaningfully in the adversarial process, courts cannot ensure that their decisions, judgments, verdicts and punishments are rendered fairly and accurately."

The suit lists 20 plaintiffs starting with Kimberly Hurrell-Harring, a nurse from Rochester whom the NYCLU said is facing a six-month jail sentence for trying to smuggle three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana to her husband in a state prison in Washington County. The woman pleaded guilty to a felony charge of introducing prison contraband with minimal representation from the local public defender, NYCLU attorney Palyn Hung said. The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, which provides legal services in Washington County, did not immediately return a telephone call yesterday for comment.

The plaintiffs are criminal defendants in Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Suffolk and Washington counties. They were selected because the NYCLU said all suffered to some extent from representation by the public defense system, such as being jailed for long periods of time awaiting trial or having next to no contact with public defense attorneys.

'Systemic Failure' - Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU, said her group would not name the public defenders involved. The group did not name them in the suit. "This isn't about the individual lawyers," she told reporters. "This is about a systemic failure." Ms. Lieberman said the state should adopt the 2006 recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Indigent Defense Services. That panel, appointed by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, concluded that the current system is laboring under a "grievous" lack of funding and recommended that an independent statewide commission oversee criminal legal services for the poor (NYLJ, June 29, 2006).

Other groups, including the New York State Defenders Association, have argued that a statewide public defender is needed to rescue the current system from what critics say are severe shortages of funding and, in some parts of the state, of attorneys willing to handle public defense cases (NYLJ, Oct. 23).

Ms. Lieberman said yesterday the problems with the current system and the need for change is now almost universally acknowledged within the legal community. "It is no figment of the NYCLU's imagination," she said.

Thirty other states have statewide public defenders offices. Creating one in New York would relieve county taxpayers of the $264 million they spend on criminal public defense services, either through public defender offices, legal aid society offices or by assigning indigent defense cases to private attorneys. The state provides about $67 million for criminal and Family Court legal services for the indigent. Ms. Lieberman said it is unclear how much it would cost to pay for a statewide system of providing the "meaningful and effective" representation that her group's suit seeks to guarantee.

Governor Eliot Spitzer has endorsed the idea of a statewide public defense office but has not advanced legislation to create one. His spokesman Jeffrey Gordon had no comment on the suit yesterday.

A bill to establish a statewide commission (A9087/S4311) did not get to a vote in either chamber of the Legislature after being introduced toward the end of the 2007 regular session. It is being sponsored by the chairmen of the Codes committees in the Senate and Assembly, Senator Dale Volker, R-Depew, and Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, D-Brooklyn. -

Joel Stashenko, jstashenko@alm.com


4. MERIT TIME LEGISLATION

The Women in Prison Project's Violence Against Women Committee continues to advocate for S.3164/A.6150 – sponsored by Senator Dale Volker, Chair of the Codes Committee, and Assemblymember Helene Weinstein, Chair of the Judiciary Committee – which would grant merit time eligibility to survivors of abuse who have been convicted of violet crimes as a result of the abuse they experienced.  Currently all people convicted of violent offenses are ineligible for merit time, which allows them to earn time off their sentences for maintaining good behavior and completing certain programs and activities.  Although it did not pass the Assembly or the Senate during the 2007 legislative session, the bill still has strong support in both houses. 

Unlike other exceptions that apply only to incarcerated survivors who have committed homicide or assault crimes against their abusers, the merit time legislation includes all crimes committed as a direct result of abuse – including robbery, burglary, and criminal possession of a weapon.  One of the main challenges facing the Committee is overcoming the Senate Majority Leader’s opposition to this expanded list of crimes.  The Committee is working with government officials to explain why it is critical for the bill to include these crimes.

ACTION: Members of the Committee are continuing to gather letters of support letters for the Merit Time Bill.  The Committee has collected approximately 500 letters to Senators and Assemblymembers thus far.  For a copy of a letter to send, please write or phone Serena Alfieri, salfieri@correctionassociation.org, or Women in Prison Project/CA, 135 E. 15th Street, NY NY 10003; ph: 212 254-5700, x311.  You can find your Senator and Assemblymember by going to www.votesmart.org and entering your zip code (your nine digit zip can be found at www.usps.com) or they will fill in the information for you.  The Committee is also organizing a mini-lobby day on January 29th to advocate for the bill and to present the support letters to elected officials in Albany. The Committee is also organizing a mini-lobby day on January 29th to advocate for the bill and to present the support letters to elected officials in Albany.


5. OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS

CURE-NY Newsletter
CURE-NY’s Fall 2007 issue is available online at C.U.R.E.-NY, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to cureny@bestweb.net or write to PO Box 1314, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join or just receive the newsletter. Basic membership is $10, newsletter only is $5, and membership for incarcerated persons is $2.

The Deuce Club
CPR’s newsletter, The Deuce Club, will be out in January online at www.parolecpr.org, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to membership@parolecpr.org or write to PO Box 1379, New York, New York 10013. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join, membership is $10 per year for families and $2 for people in prison.


6. PAROLE
Graziano, et.al. vs. Pataki update: Spitzer reneges on Graziano settlement

Once an incarcerated person has completed their minimum sentence they are entitled to a hearing before the Parole Board who determine whether they are eligible for release under parole supervision. Under Executive Law §259-I, the parole board is required to take into consideration a number of factors, including the seriousness of the offense, the inmate's institutional adjustment, and academic and other achievements. While the parole board clearly has the discretion to give as much weight as it deems appropriate to any of those factors, it may not refuse to exercise any discretion at all and automatically deny release to violent felons, U.S. District Judge Charles Brieant has ruled. That is what the plaintiffs in Graziano v. Pataki, 06-cv-00480, allege the board is doing. 

The case has been in the courts for several years, and in early 2007 the State requested a dismissal based on the fact that a new administration was now in place. The plaintiffs argued against dismissal basing their arguments on the fact that there was evidence that the same policy was being followed by this administration. Additionally they asked to have the case certified as a class action. Judge Brieant delayed ruling and directed both parties to meet to see if they could reach an agreement.

After several months, just a week or so ago in November of 2007, the parties announced that they had reached a tentative agreement which included giving all members of the class a rehearing as soon as possible; the commissioners who hear their applications would be chosen by the class; and the facts of the crime would not be allowed to take precedence over other factors [in most cases], nor could the commissioners base their decisions on their personal penal philosophies. All that remained to do was the paperwork.

Advocates were in a celebratory mood.

Then on Thursday Nov.15, an article appeared in the NY Daily News by Joe Mahoney, the Albany Bureau Chief, which stated that Gov. Spitzer has opted to fight the lawsuit. It quoted Spitzer spokesman Paul Larrabee as saying, "The state will absolutely litigate the case. The state has taken the position that the parole board has the right to reject parole for violent felons."

Peter Sell, one of the case's lead attorneys, stated that they "will therefore continue to litigate the action and await the court's decisions on the defendants' pending motion to dismiss and our cross-motion for class certification."

Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn) was reported as saying the "streets [would have been] flooded with thousands of parolees who belong in prison" if the settlement had been allowed to stand. Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, was credited with saying, "The decision to fight this ridiculous suit by violent felons and killers is the right decision,".

ACTION:
PAN invites you to join our “Make a Noise Project”, by committing to make a noise following every development in the struggle for fair parole practices. PAN will send you the news by email or phone, and you will immediately send off letters and/or make calls to the people listed. We started with responses to the views stated in the Daily News article. It’s best to respond while the topic is hot, which in our fast paced culture is not much more than 24 hours. However, it’s never too late to express your views. Please send PAN your phone number or email address (postal mail is too slow...) if you’re willing to commit to the responsibilities of the Make a Noise Project. Meanwhile here are the people who were mentioned in the report above:

Judge Charles Brieant, United States Federal District Court, 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains, New York 10601-4150 (he reads his mail, and is interested in facts, not feelings, from what he has said in court.)

Joe Mahoney: jmahoney@daily news.com

The NY Daily News: voicers@edit.nydailynews.com or 450 W. 33 Street, New York, NY 10001
Please include your full name, address and phone number. (This information will be used for verification purposes only). The Daily News reserves the right to edit letters.

Senator Golden: www.senatorgolden.com or 946 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12247 (518) 455-2730

P B A President Patrick Lynch: plynch@nycpba.org or Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, 40 Fulton Street NY NY 10038-1850, Phone (212) 233-5531

Governor Eliot Spitzer: Eliot Spitzer, State Capitol, Albany NY 12224, 518 474 8390

Please strive to educate rather than alienate. May good come to all who work for Justice!

RELEASED IN NOVEMBER: First, two omissions from October:
“Jumping” Joe Rudd will be home for Christmas. He’s spending his last weeks up in the snowy north at a facility with no programming, which he’s choosing to see as a rest period in preparation for the free world’s hectic pace! He looks forward to continuing his work in pursuit of fair parole practices for those less fortunate than himself. (It was his first hearing.)

We heard from Howard Hughes, featured in this column in the Sept issue, that he was granted parole on his third appearance, after 29 years.

And a correction - the DOCS website confused us - Louis Mortillaro is already home! He was released on Nov. 20 and is enjoying his freedom immensely.

Now for November: October’s featured Otisville Broadband Support candidate, John “Mojo” Flynn and two other Otisville Lifers, Herbert Ehringer and Michael “Heavy” Spearman were released. John and Mike will be relocating to the NYC area on Dec 28. Herbert will be released for deportation to Germany, his native country, where his wife will be joining him. We wish them all the best! Sources at Otisville report that 18 of the 28 men seen there were released in November.

The Fishkill board met just as the Spitzer retraction of the settlement made the news. Whether there’s a connection or not is unknown, and the information is mostly anecdotal, but from what we’ve been told, of the approximately 78 people who saw the board only a handful made it (10-15). We do have the specifics for 5 individuals, all of whom were denied: one had 15-life, on his 9th appearance; another had 25-life, on his 4th appearance; a third had 25-life, on his 3rd appearance; the fourth with 25-life, on his 2nd appearance; and the last had 6-life, it was his 5th appearance.

Woodbourne reports 24 men were seen, and 11 were granted parole, among them Charles “Doc: Friedgood, the oldest person incarcerated in NYS. Also among those released were one man with 15-life, at his 1st appearance; another with 20-life on his 3rd board; a third with 20-life on his 4th board; another with 20-life on his 5th board, and a man with 10-20 at his 3rd board. The board members were Chris Ortloff, Thomas P. Grant, and Kevin G.Ludlow.
[We get our reports from you; send word to Building Bridges, prisonaction@hotmail.com.]

SENTENCING MINUTES: As you probably know if you have been reading Building Bridges for awhile it is important for a parole candidate to have a copy of their sentencing minutes. [see article #9 in Sept ‘07’s Building Bridges] The parole board will no longer hold a hearing for people with violent felony charges without the sentencing minutes. In the past when they did, it was reason for reversal because the board is required to consider them. But we just learned that it is quite difficult to obtain them if you don’t already have them (despite the fact that they are supposed to become part of your file as soon as you are sentenced). One recently paroled person credits his release to his wife because she was able to buy - yes, buy! -a copy, days before the hearing. I asked how she did that. In this case she had to go to Center Street (the parole officer at the facility gave her the address) and purchase them for $140. $140!!! And if that’s not enough of a burden, to order them you need to know the indictment number and the date of the hearing (because they need to be gotten from the stenographer who was working that day, since the stenographer OWNS them!). So we say if you or your loved one are eligible for parole, even if it’s 10 years from now, start getting your own copy of the sentencing minutes. Then if it gets lost, or something, you’ll always have a backup copy. A word to the wise...


7. PEN-PAL PROJECT
‘Dear Friends’ is a group of people who want to exchange ideas and feelings with people behind bars. If you’re interested, please write Dear Friends, PO Box 185, Nutley, NJ 07110.


8. PRISON RADIO
Al Lewis Lives, hosted by Karen Lewis, broadcasts on Saturdays from noon to 1:30 pm on WBAI, 99.5 FM, NYC. Due to technical difficulties and human frailties we failed to get a recording of Annette Dickerson’s keynote speech at FED3/NYC, despite our best efforts. Next year we’ll have a better back-up plan.

The Fancy Broccoli Show: Dec. 9: Peter Wagner will explain how using his proposed method will create a fairer system of counting the citizens of our state; Dec 16: Former NYS Parole Chairman Robert Dennison will be talking about his experience in that capacity as well as his current efforts to change some of the conditions of parole currently being imposed on people in NY. Fancy Broccoli airs on WVKR, 91.3FM, Poughkeepsie NY on Sundays from 3 - 6 pm, Eastern Time, and streams online - go to WVKR.org and click on (or near) the word 'LISTEN'. Archives are available at Fancy Broccoli

Democracy Now!, with Amy Goodman airs around the country, check www.democracynow.org to find the station nearest you or to read the transcripts. While not solely devoted to prison issues, she provides in-depth coverage of some of the most serious prison and criminal justice issues.

Justice Pages Audio at www.justicepages.org/

On The Count: The Prison and Criminal Justice Report, WBAI, 99.5 FM, NYC, broadcasting every Saturday morning 10:30 am until noon. It is the only regularly broadcast program in America whose host and entire production staff is composed of people who were formerly incarcerated.

Thousand Kites:thousandkites.pbwiki.com. Listen to the newly launched Thousand Kites Radio Station, a twenty-four hour online webcast dedicated to the Thousand Kites project, a national dialogue project addressing the prison system and human rights in the United States through theater, video, web, community radio, and grassroots strategies.

Voices from the Prison Action Network: Hoping to produce a program with lawyer Cheryl Kates, Esq., and recently paroled Jerry Balone in December. If you’d like to be interviewed by telephone (or in person) please call me to set up something for the future. 518 253 7533. Archives available at radio4all.net and www.hmimc.swapspace.com.


9. RE-ENTRY

I WALK FREE

I don’t have a limo to pick me up at the gate when the time is up.
Only a ticket for confusion after a time of torture.

Laughter and happiness, tears of inpatience or defeat
but I only know.....? that sunshine is in any door.

Where, I don't know.

Oh no, again, lost time for forgiveness

WALKING FREE ... STEPS TO SADNESS
Samuel Vazquez (sammyvaz@hotmail.com)


10. SONNY RUDERT'S FIELD REPORT #1

            One of the simple maxims of life on the planet is this: A little bit of negativity goes a long, long way; it takes at least ten times the same amount of positive energy to overcome the negative effect. Most people who have ever played a team sport like football understand this. One guy acting negatively can undermine the efforts of the entire team—if you let him.

            The trick is to identify the problem, understand it, and isolate it. Life is no different.

            Recently, we have experienced a so called “backlash” in the mainstream media. Various reporters are making a story of “violent offenders” being released from prison. Our task, therefore, is to identify this, understand it, and isolate it. To properly identify the problem we have to recognize it is simply a politicized numbers game: More people who have served past their time are being released and the “story” here is that the powers that be are now “soft on crime.”

            Understanding this is simply a matter of seeing the Big Picture. Either you believe in the power of human redemption or you don’t. But, if you don’t—or if you do—subject your belief to rational analysis. To truly believe a “violent offender” is being released from prison you have to subscribe to the idea that no change has occurred in this person’s life over the course of many, many years.

            We know better. And, our job is to isolate this problem as best we can. Unfortunately, most of our views do not get printed in the mainstream press—they just don’t conform to the political agenda. However, the truth is not afraid of the light. Those of us leading transformed lives must continue to do so, and help others to do the same.

            Our neighbors, co-workers and social acquaintances read the papers—and they see us doing our thing, day in, day out. When the incongruity comes to light, they will know the truth by what they see. As in the case of any type of prejudice, people come to hate their concepts of who they believe people are. However, when the same people come to know the actual person, they realize their concept is out of line (and more often than not shaped by somebody else’s view).

            We have to keep coming home, joining our neighbors, and living our lives in an exemplary manner. In this simple way, we keep the door open for others who have earned the right to fair parole hearings after years and years of anything but. We also become a sort of “living billboard” that disputes the myths and false concepts propagated by writers that choose to bow down to the unexamined politics of the day.


11. SUPPORT MEETINGS

ALBANY: PFNY meeting at 7:00 pm every Monday at the Women’s Bldg, 79 Central Avenue. Please call ahead: Alison 518 453 6659
ROOTS: Re-entry Monthly Orientation Sessions (on the last Thursdays of each month)
ROOTS Bi-Weekly "Re-entry Peer Support Groups" from 11am-1pm. Dec. 8 and 22.
These meetings take place on the second floor of Trinity Institute, 15 Trinity Place, Albany; For info: ROOTS: 518 434 1026; Corey Ellis 518 4499-5155m x131

BUFFALO: Groups for men and women meet separately on Thursdays, from 5:30-6:30pm at GROUP Ministries, Inc., 1333 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. These programs are FREE and confidential. For more information, call 716-539-1844.

NORTH BABYLON LI: Prison Families Anonymous meets on the 2nd and 4th Wed of each month at 7:30 pm at the Babylon Town Hall Annex. You are welcome if you have a family member in prison. For more info you may call Barbara: Ph: 631-630-9118, Cell: 631-943-0441

POUGHKEEPSIE: PFNY Support Group Room 306 of the Main Building of Family Partnership at 29 North Hamilton St. Poughkeepsie, NY. Meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7pm. The Citizens for Restorative Justice meet the first Monday of the month, 6:30 to 8:00PM. The location changes so call ahead of time, 845-464-4736.

SCHENECTADY: PFNY Meetings temporarily suspended. Call Jeanette for more info: 518 346 5653


12 TRANSPORTATION TO PRISONS

From the Capital District:
The NEST Prison Shuttle schedule: Mt. McGregor, Washington, and Great Meadow CFs on Sat, Dec 1 ($30 adults, $20 children), Coxsackie, Greene, and Hudson CFs on Sun, Dec 9 ($15  adults and $10 children), from Oakwood Ave Presbyt. Church parking lot, Troy at 7 AM, and Albany Greyhound bus station at 7:15. Trip to Utica (Midstate, Marcy, Mohawk, Oneida CFs) on Sat, Dec 15 leaving Troy at 5 AM and Albany bus Station at 5:15. Sullivan (Ulster, Eastern, Woodbourne, Sullivan CFs) on Sat Dec 22 leaving at 6 AM ($40 adults, $25 children). Reservations: Linda O'Malley 518- 273-5199.T

Door to door, free rides are offered from Albany to prisons within 150 miles by volunteers of FUUSA’s Justice Committee on weekdays only. Please contact us at 518 253-7533 if you need a ride.

Ride to Attica from Albany wanted. Please call 518 253 7533 if you would be willing to take a passenger.

Statewide: DOCS Free Bus - to find out how to sign up, from NYC area: Deacon Mason on Tues &
Fri, 212 961 4026 and from Albany: on Wed & Thurs, 518 485 9212; from Buffalo area: Rev. Roberson 716 532 0177, x4805; from Syracuse: Sister Patricia: 315 428 4258


13. WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND NEW YORK STATE:

ALBANY: ROOTS (Reentry Opportunities and Orientations Towards Success) has been around since 1997 when ex-offenders and supporters from the Capital Region desired to serve as models and supporters to other formerly incarcerated men and women who were trying to make a positive and constructive reentry into their community. They've taken youth of incarcerated parents on trips to the country, spoken in prisons and universities, helped develop re-entry and employment curriculums with Alb. County Probation, self-help groups at the jail, and participated in the Albany County DA's Community Accountability Board, and other activities too numerous to mention here.

Currently they are holding Orientation meetings once a month (see #11 above) for parolees being released from NYC correctional facilities and returning to Albany - these offer support, hope and proven suggestions from successful ex-offenders and supporters. They also offer a Bi-Weekly "Re-entry Peer Support Group" every other Sat from 11am-1pm. In December those will be held on Dec. 8 and 22. Both meetings are at Trinity Institute, 15 Trinity Place, Albany; for more info: ROOTS: 518 434 1026; Corey Ellis 518 4499-5155m x131

BUFFALO: Prisoners Are People Too! will not be meeting in December. The next meeting is scheduled for January 28. PRP2! programs are sponsored by The Circle of Supporters for Reformed Offenders and Friends of Baba Eng.

NEW YORK STATE: The NYS Co_RR (NYS Coalition for Rehabilitation and Reentry) has been a collaboration of more than 33 advocacy organizations, who met on September 25, 2007 to cooperate in the development of a common restorative justice platform for reform . We are now inviting others to participate in that collaboration.
Sometime over the next six months, we will be calling for a "wave" of emails, from everyone, supporting one selected platform plank (each one in turn). That will demonstrate a collective support for that one plank. About every two weeks, a new "wave" will be launched for one of the twelve planks.

This is a unique opportunity for people (with email access) throughout the state to join forces with many advocacy organizations for improvement in the NYS criminal justice system. Visit
NYS CoRR Platform to join the wave now!


14. WORDS FROM INSIDE

Recently a good friend of mine went to his fourth board. The parole board denied him. They did this based solely on the nature of the crime. They gave mere lip service to his outstanding record of behavior for over 30 years in prison.

This injustice is devastating to all of us in the same boat, and to our friends and family who have stuck by us all these years.

The minimum sentence given is being completely and arbitrarily ignored, as if it meant nothing. Instead, inflammatory language is used to deny parole, focusing on the nature of the crime which it is humanly impossible to change.

How do we fight this injustice? I am asking for your help.

Carl Berk


Being disconnected geographically, emotionally and psychologically, over long prison sentences, takes a serious toll on our (and our families) psyches and spirits. I’ve developed a series of segments for inclusion into the Aggression Replacement Training and Phase Three: Pre-release Program of Transitional Services to address this. The program segments which I call ”Manhood and Debriefing” help identify the things that we generally overlook, from how we arrange our personal effects similar to how we had them in cells, showering with our underwear and slippers on, eating every meal with a spoon, over-reacting to situations with aggressive responses, etc.

It’s necessary to learn and understand what’s important in life and how to plan and achieve our goals. It’s absolutely essential to develop motivation for the tasks ahead.

The information in Building Bridges is inspirational for me and for all with whom I share it. For this reason, resources like this newsletter and the prison radio programs listed in it, allow us - usually voiceless - venues and support to speak up, speak out and speak clearly! We must cherish these resources or they will dry up.

Kudos to Otisville, Green Haven, Comstock, Woodbourne, Sing Sing and others working through their own pain to help themselves and their supporters. Now we can add Franklin to that list!

Chas Ransome PS. Support PAN/yourself by making a donation to support the continued distribution of Building Bridges.


A VERY SPECIAL SEASON’S GREETING
TO ALL OF OUR JUSTICE LOVING READERS.
MAY THIS YEAR BRING
JOY TO ALL THE WORLD!

Graziano Settlement Reached

An article was published in today's NY Law Journal about the tentative settlement in the case of Graziano et.al. vs. Pataki. It is a report, but not the settlement itself. The formal agreement is being written and, once approved by both parties, will be publicly released. According to the article by Joel Stashenko, the agreement gives all members of the class a rehearing as soon as possible; the commissioners who hear their applications will be chosen by the class; and the instant crime will not be allowed to take precedence over other factors [in most cases], nor may the commissioners base their decisions on their personal penal philosophies.

The NY Law Journal article reports that Mr. Isseks declined to discuss the settlement except to say that "everything is subject to the final review process." He said he did not believe Judge Brieant has to sign off on the settlement.

Prison Action Network has been informed by members of the class that they have received letters advising that they will be receiving new hearings very soon.

We will update you as information becomes available.

Prison Action Network celebrates this victory and credits it to the hard work of EVERYONE who lent their voice to the outcry against the unfair parole policies of the Pataki administration which continued into the early months of Spitzer's. Let's take some time to celebrate! This is a major victory! It will probably result in continued higher release rates of community ready individuals. It certainly sends a message to the Parole Board. But let's not be lulled into complacency. We must publicly and privately express our appreciation for all positive changes we observe, but there is still much more to be done before we can retire from this struggle.

November 2007

Dear Reader,

Greetings! Family Empowerment Day 3/NYC was a great success!! We couldn’t have done it without your help, so please take a lot of credit! This was your event. Our workshop leaders were amazing and everyone learned a lot. The Family Empowerment Project Board has met to debrief and we’ve begun planning Family Empowerment Year 2008. Our message? It is this: We are the families, communities and individuals impacted by the high rate of incarceration in New York State and the unfair parole practices of the NYS Division of Parole. Through the use of effective social, educational and political actions we intend to build a power base strong enough to effect change, restore fairness to the parole eligibility process and improve the quality of life for affected individuals and communities.

One of our concerns is that some of you speak as if you are not one of us. Organizations that could have been part of a Family Empowerment Day 3 event scheduled their own events at the same time. We got a letter from someone yesterday that said there was nothing wrong with us always asking for donations, but “it would be better if PAN could generate its own money to cover the cost of all functions”. We want you to know we did generate all our own money. Prison Action Network IS ALL of us. The director and the board are working diligently to provide a vehicle - Building Bridges newsletter - for sharing the ideas of all members of the network, and to create a space - Family Empowerment Project events - for those of us on the outside to work together to change the conditions which result in so many people being locked away from us. Everyone one who reads this IS part of the Prison Action Network! The agencies, the organizations, the lawyers and educators, the individuals who care - on both sides of the wall - who are working for change are a part of us, not separate. We are a statewide network, and we are here to support anyone who agrees with our mission. We don’t ask for money from people outside of our network. We do not want to be beholden to anyone else; we want to be totally self-supporting. We only spend as much money as we have. If we don’t have enough to do something it will mean you don’t want it badly enough and then we’ll cut back on what we are doing. It’s life. Change does not get handed to us. We have to work for it, we have to sacrifice for it. With our dollars and our time and our hearts. And you know what? It’s a great feeling! It may appear to be a sacrifice from the outside, but in our hearts don’t we feel fortunate? We are working for a better world, and that feels a lot better than settling for the one we’ve been handed! We raised over $4000 for FED3; the largest donation was $300, and it came from someone in prison. This is grassroots at its purest!

Welcome to all our new readers who subscribed at FED3/NYC! You’re invited to send in your announcements, reports, and opinions as well as read those of others. Submissions of around 300 words are encouraged.

Please share your copy of Building Bridges.


ARTICLES

1. BUDGET BATTLES ENDANGER PRISON COUNT - “As the New York Times reminds us, an accurate [census] count is essential to representative democracy.”

2. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/NYC - Some comments from people who attended: “definitely more than what I expected” “not enough people I see in the visiting rooms were there”

3. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/WNY - Eight workshop choices are now confirmed for the conference which will take place in Buffalo on November 3, from 8:30am - 3:30pm at the Cold Spring Church of God in Christ, located at 107 Verplanck Street.

4. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/ALB - December 1 - Please see flyer on the last page for information about the Albany version of FED3. Upstate needs to be educated and empowered.

5. NYS SENTENCING COMMISSION PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS - call for a more simplified and streamlined system focused on public safety, consistency and fairness. The Commission will release its final recommendations and report in 2008, incorporating feedback from future public hearings.

6. NYS COMMISSION ON SENTENCING REFORM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT - Sign up to speak up! Manhattan:Tuesday, November 13; Albany:Thursday, November 15; Buffalo:Monday, November 19, 2007

7. OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS - CURE-NY’s glorious Fall 2007 issue is available; CPR’s newsletter, The Deuce Club, is in the works

8. PAROLE - Releases; Report from Woodbourne; Otisville Broadband Support features John “Mojo” Flynn

9. PRISON RADIO - Al Lewis Lives will broadcast FED3/NYC speeches as soon as ready; The Fancy Broccoli Show interviews S. Quinones and John Cutro in November; Democracy Now! airs in-depth coverage of current events; Justice Pages Audio at http://www.justicepages.org; Voices from the Prison Action Network calls for interviews

10. PRP2! IS PROFILED IN ARTVOICE - thanks to Leslie James Pickering, PRP2! was profiled in a recent issue of "Artvoice" (Buffalo)

11. RESEARCH GRANT OPPORTUNITY - The aim of this research project named "Community Leadership and Education After Re-entry," or CLEAR, is to engage formerly incarcerated scholars in research related to race, class, gender, and mass incarceration.  Accepted applicants will receive a small stipend.

12. SUPPORT MEETINGS - Info on Albany, Buffalo, North Babylon LI, Poughkeepsie, Schenectady groups

13. TELEPHONE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN UPDATES ON THE NY PRISON TELEPHONE CONTRACT: - rates reduced again; new payment plan for direct remit customers postponed

14. TRANSPORTATION TO PRISONS - From the Capital District: The NEST Prison Shuttle; Justice Committee door to door, free rides; Statewide: DOCS Free Bus

15. WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND NEW YORK STATE - Buffalo: next PRP2! meeting on November 26.; New York City: Osborne Association Focus Group November 17

16. WORDS FROM INSIDE - George BaBa Eng announces December parole hearing

17. FED3/ALB FLYER


1. BUDGET BATTLES ENDANGER PRISON COUNT
[URL: http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/news/2007/10/30/budgetbattle/]

Resource: The New York Times editorial, Counting Americans, is available at www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/opinion/

The New York Times editorial page reported yesterday that a budget dispute between the Bush Administration and Congress is endangering the 2010 Census. In response to the budget shortfall, the Census Bureau has canceled next year's practice count of people in prison, military barracks, college dorms, nursing homes, and shelters. Further cuts in Census preparations are expected unless the budget is restored by mid-November.

The Census Bureau picked San Joaquin County in California and nine counties near Fayetteville, North Carolina for the practice count because these counties contain the diverse populations, large prisons and military bases where the Bureau has historically had the most difficulty.

Congress should act swiftly to prevent further cuts to Census Bureau programs, and work with the Bureau to develop a funding plan that restores the test count of prisons and military barracks.

The Prison Policy Initiative has long argued that the Census Bureau needs to develop a new methodology to count people in prison at their home addresses. With the 2010 Census rapidly approaching, the Bureau should be taking large steps forward, not being forced backwards. As the New York Times reminds us, an accurate count is essential to representative democracy.

Peter Wagner - Dir. Prison Policy Initiative


2. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/NYC

Family Empowerment Day 3/NYC has happened. One down, two to go! May all of them be as successful as the NYC event. We had over 250 people in attendance. The workshops were well presented, and the most frequent complaint we heard was that it was too hard to choose among them. There was a lot of time for networking.

Close to 2/3 of the people who filled out an evaluation sheet said that parole was their primary issue. 1/3 listed reentry. Health services, innocence and visiting conditions were listed as next in importance.

Some of the other comments we’ve received: DC: ”.. just wanted to send you my compliments on how great a day it seemed to me although I didn’t leave the wonderful table you provided me much. I did get lots and lots of signatures for some great needy guys and so the appreciation will go on and on as they receive them. Just wanted to tell you how great I thought everything went.”; PW: “Let me congratulate you for a very successful FED3. Sadly, I missed the sessions and didn't get a chance to talk to everyone, but we were overwhelmed with the huge crowds. We helped more than 60 people send out almost 200 letters about census reform and we made a number of important contacts for the future.”; AJO: “I think you and your crew did an outstanding job. I am proud to have been a supporter of it. It was great to meet Ramon! The networking was great and it was invigorating to see so many people involved. I hope the one in Buffalo is as successful!”; “this event was exceptional;” “definitely more than what I expected”; “workshops were very informative”; “it fostered community within the prison community”; “very enjoyable, like a family reunion”; “I've been to all 3; it's growing”; “attendees were given the chance to ask questions, receive valuable information, pick up brochures, and sign petitions/mailing lists”; “professional speakers who are on the actual front lines”; “Clarity of message, strength of argument; I was encouraged by how many people came”; “opened my mind to how many problems are involved in changing the system for the betterment of our family members in prison”; “not enough people I see in the visiting rooms were there”.


3. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/WNY - NOVEMBER 3

Reminder: FED3/WNY OFFERS 8 WORKSHOP CHOICES IN BUFFALO

Eight workshop choices offered at the FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY3 conference which will take place in Buffalo on November 3, from 8:30am - 3:30pm at the Cold Spring Church of God in Christ, located at 107 Verplanck Street. Call Karima at 716-834 8438 to register.


4. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/ALB - DECEMBER 1

Please see flyer on the last page for information about the Albany version of FED3. The theme will be educating ourselves about the impact of incarceration on families, congregations, and communities. Please spread the word! Upstate needs to be educated and empowered.


5. NYS SENTENCING COMMISSION PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS
News from New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
For more information contact: John Caher, 518-487-8415

ALBANY, NY (10/16/2007)-- The New York State Commission on Sentencing Reform today outlined several major preliminary recommendations to improve the state’s current sentencing structure, calling for a more simplified and streamlined system focused on public safety, consistency and fairness.
• In a preliminary report to the governor, legislative leaders and Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, the Commission detailed several important reform proposals. This represents the first time in over 40 years that New York’s sentencing laws have undergone a thorough and comprehensive review.
• “Our failure to comprehensively reform our sentencing laws has resulted today in an overly complex, Byzantine system that is fraught with opportunities for injustice,” said Denise E. O’Donnell, chairwoman of the Commission, commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, and assistant secretary to the governor for criminal justice. “Today, we have outlined a way to go forward that will help improve a sentencing system that has often become virtually unintelligible to prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants and crime victims alike.”
Some of the Commission’s major recommendations include:
• Abandoning New York’s indeterminate sentencing system and creating new determinate sentences for more than 200 non-violent felonies. Currently, New York employs a combination of fixed (or “determinate”) sentences and more variable “indeterminate” sentences, where a judge imposes a prison term with a minimum and maximum term, and the parole board decides when the offender is actually released. Under New York’s “hybrid” sentencing structure, defendants, crime victims and even judges often leave the courtroom with only a general understanding of how long an offender will actually spend behind bars.
• Modifying New York’s sentencing statutes to expressly permit a court to sentence certain non-violent drug-addicted felony offenders to community-based treatment in lieu of state prison when the judge, prosecutor and defendant all agree that this is a just outcome.
• Examining the broader use of “graduated sanctions” – such as curfews, home confinement, electronic monitoring and re-entry courts – to help end the “revolving door” of incarceration for certain offenders under parole supervision who violate one or more conditions of parole but commit no new crime.
• Enacting new laws, and better enforcing existing statutes, to further protect victims of crime and enhance their right to have a meaningful voice in the criminal justice process.
• Expanding prison-based educational and vocational training, enhancing employment and housing opportunities and utilizing other cost-effective measures designed to reduce recidivism and increase public safety.
• Establishing a permanent sentencing commission to serve as an advisory body to the legislative and executive branches.

In its report, the Commission concluded that piecemeal attempts at reforming New York’s sentencing structure have created a situation that is a model for the “law of seemingly unintended consequences.” As just one example, the Crimes Against Police Act, which was enacted to increase penalties imposed on those who attack law enforcement officers, imposes on a repeat felony offender convicted of certain crimes against police or peace officers a less severe penalty than that imposed on a first-time offender convicted of the same crime.

The Commission, however, stressed that while New York’s sentencing structure is ripe for major revision, the state has achieved dramatic decreases in crime. A recent report from the FBI shows that New York is the safest large state in the nation and the fifth safest overall. Additionally, New York is the only large state to see a consistent decrease in crime, offender recidivism and prison population over the last several years.

The 11-member Commission includes criminal justice experts as well as representatives from the prosecution, defense, legislative, victim and judicial communities.
Commission member Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a partner at Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Jason, Anello & Bohrer, a law firm in New York City, said: “The report recognizes the primary importance of maintaining public safety, and suggests sound changes in policy and programs to achieve effective probation and parole supervision, reduce recidivism, protect victims’ rights and prepare offenders for re-entry into society.”
Brian Fischer, a member of the panel and the commissioner of the state Department of Correctional Services, said: “The Sentencing Commission’s report is a very positive first step in an ongoing process to improve the criminal justice system that affects so many New Yorkers. The Commission’s goal was to begin to address issues that too often have led to confusion and at times the appearance of inequity. The ultimate purpose of the Commission is to provide everyone with a better understanding of the system so that we can enhance public safety.”
Commission member Michael P. McDermott, a partner at the law firm of O’Connell and Aronowitz in Albany, said: “This preliminary report represents the concerted efforts of the Commission members to cut through the thicket of New York’s current criminal sentencing laws and blaze a path toward a more logical and coherent system.”
Tina M. Stanford, chairwoman of the state Crime Victims Board and a member of the sentencing panel, said the Commission was committed to “following Governor Spitzer’s mandate to include consideration of public safety and the rights of innocent victims of crime in our effort to recommend sentencing reform that is constructive, comprehensive and just.”
Commissioner Anthony Bergamo, chairman of the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, said it “is a privilege to be associated with my fellow commissioners and to have an opportunity to work on this sensitive and timely issue that has a great impact on our society.”
Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, a member of the Commission, applauded the recommendations on expanding alternatives to incarceration and improving re-entry services.
“Our draft report goes beyond anything we have ever attempted in New York State in these critical areas,” Schneiderman said. “However, as we move forward toward a final report, we still have a lot of work to do in our efforts to reform New York’s draconian drug laws. There are thousands of families, in my district and across New York State, suffering unnecessarily because of our antiquated drug sentencing structure. We currently spend millions of dollars on unduly long sentences that neither reduce recidivism nor reduce drug crime.”
Judge Juanita Bing Newton, the deputy chief administrative judge for justice initiatives and a Commission member, said: “Sentencing reform is an important topic for the people of New York, and the opportunity to make real change is now. Working with each and every member of the Sentencing Reform Commission has been a privilege, and I look forward to continuing to work together as we bring to life the recommendations that are enclosed in the preliminary report.”
Governor Spitzer established the New York State Commission on Sentencing Reform through Executive Order No. 10 on March 5, 2007 to conduct a comprehensive review of New York’s “current sentencing structure, sentencing practices.” The Commission will release its final recommendations and report next year, incorporating feedback from future public hearings.

The full preliminary report and transcripts of commission meetings are available at www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/legalservices/sentencingreform.htm


6. NYS COMMISSION ON SENTENCING REFORM INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT

THE SUBJECT: THE FUTURE OF SENTENCING IN NEW YORK STATE. Many of you reading this announcement are experts in the topics being discussed (see below). I urge you to sign up to speak. We who experienced incarceration first hand know more about these topics than many of those who have only studied them in books.

Manhattan: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
New York City Bar Association, 42 W. 44th Street

Albany: Thursday, November 15, 2007 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Legislative Office Building - 2nd Floor

Buffalo: Monday, November 19, 2007 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Buffalo and Erie County , Public Library Auditorium, One Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY

Issues that the Commission is interested in exploring at the public hearings include, but are not limited to, the following:

• How do New York’s existing sentencing laws impact offenders, victims and their families? How should these laws be streamlined, simplified or otherwise revised?
• The State’s drug sentencing laws were last revised in 2004. What, if any, additional changes should be made to these laws?
• Should the State expand its use of alternatives to incarceration if such expansion can be accomplished without compromising public safety?
• What, if any, steps should be taken to enhance the quality and availability of substance abuse treatment programs and other community-based programs throughout the State?
• What improvements can be made to the manner in which offenders are supervised in the community and how should supervision be aligned with risk?
• The Commission has recommended that certain offenders who violate the terms of their supervision be subjected to graduated sanctions or other alternative sanctions in lieu of being returned to State prison. What types of sanctions should be utilized and how should they be implemented? How can New York improve institutional programming for incarcerated offenders, such as Shock, CASAT and Willard?
• How can New York’s existing policies and procedures for preparing offenders for re- entry from prison to the community be improved?
• Are New York’s laws governing the rights of crime victims in the sentencing and correctional process adequate? What, if any, statutory or other changes should be made to enhance the rights of crime victims in the sentencing and correctional process?


THE FUTURE OF SENTENCING IN NEW YORK STATE REPLY FORM
RESPOND BY NOVEMBER 5, 2007
Mail, fax, OR Email to:Patti Greco, DCJS-CSR, 3rd floor, 4 Tower Place, Albany, NY 12203; fax: 518-457-2416; Patricia.Greco@dcjs.state.ny.us

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes in length. If you are testifying, twenty copies of your written statement should be submitted on the day of the hearing at the hearing registration table. Alternatively, written testimony may be e-mailed as an attachment to the address above. Written testimony should be submitted no later than one week after the hearing date.

I request the opportunity to testify at the __ [November 13/NYC] __ [November 15/Albany]
__ [November 19/Buffalo] hearing.

I request the opportunity to attend, but not testify, at the __ [November 13/NYC] __ [November 15/Albany] __ [November 19/Buffalo] hearing.

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required:

NAME:
TITLE:
ORGANIZATION:
ADDRESS:
E-MAIL:
TELEPHONE:
FAX TELEPHONE:
TOPIC OF TESTIMONY:

Questions about this hearing may be directed to Patti Greco of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services at (518) 485-6084.


7. OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS

CURE-NY’s Fall 2007 issue is out, complete with color photos and a comprehensive report of their annual meeting! It’s available online at www.bestweb.net/~cureny, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to cureny@bestweb.net or write to PO Box 1314, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join or just receive the newsletter. Basic membership is $10, newsletter only is $5, and membership for incarcerated persons is $2.

THE DEUCE CLUB, CPR’s newsletter: a bulletin will be out in November and the regular newsletter will be online in January at http://www.parolecpr.org, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to membership@parolecpr.org or write to PO Box 1379, New York, New York 10013. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join, membership is $10 per year for families and $2 for people in prison.


8. PAROLE
Released in October: Louis Mortillaro was given a 6-mo release date for April 2008.
Cheryl Kates, Esq. reports the following successes for October: Earlayne Castranova 1-3 DWI 3rd off. de nova, (initial); Harry Price 2-life for the charge of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, 7th appearance, de nova; Charles Shepherd 15-life for his conviction of Murder in the second degree.(2 counts), fourth Parole Board appearance.
[We get our reports from you; send word and we’ll publish.]

Report from WOODBOURNE: Out of 22 who appeared at the Sept. board, 6 (all with A-1 violent felonies) were immediately postponed for 90 days because no sentencing minutes were in the folders. One other (A-1 violent) was postponed for 1 month for an unusual reason. He was appearing for a de nova hearing (the board had failed to consider 11 CO’s letters) when near the end of the hearing he asked if these important letters were in the folder. Neither commissioner had mentioned them. They were not. Now he needs to resubmit the letters (as well as approximately 56 other documents he acquired throughout his 22 years of incarceration, that were also missing.) 89 year old Graziano lawsuit plaintiff Charles “Doc” Friedgood was one of the 7 postponements. However his sentencing minutes were located the next day and he was rescheduled for November. RESULTS: 4 people were granted parole, one A-1 v.f.o. on his fifth appearance.

OTISVILLE BROADBAND SUPPORT: This month we present JOHN “MOJO” FLYNN DIN 76B1669 for your consideration. He is scheduled for his fifth board on Nov 14 at Otisville, and is sponsored by the Otisville Lifers Group, who say, “As John’s co-workers, friends and peers, every day we see the fruits of Johns’ efforts at self-transformation. We give our full support to his release”. While incarcerated, John Flynn has received a GED certificate, learned food service skills, earned certificates in human services, heavy machine operation (laundry) and American sign language. He has a list of 15 therapeutic and volunteer programs to his credit. Mojo writes powerful poetry.
John states, “to say that I am deeply remorseful for taking a life so foolishly would be an understatement. Every human being has the right to live, and no one should violate that right. My life has become a testament of atonement and repentance, and I seek to live humbly with this heavy burden. ”
PAN endorses his parole release, and the Justice Committee at FUUSA has committed to provide support once he is released Letters of support are needed immediately. Please write a letter that explains how you know him ( it could be through reading this letter...), why you think he would be good candidate for release, and what you are prepared to offer him in support upon release. We suggest you ask the board to consider his impressive lists of accomplishments and his good disciplinary record. Please send copies of your letter to Mr. George Alexander, Chairman of the NYS Division of Parole, 97 Central Ave., Albany NY 12206, Mr. James Cassel, Sr. Facility Parole Officer, Otisville Correctional Facility, PO Box 8, Otisville, NY 10963, and one to John Flynn DIN 76B1669 at the same Otisville address.


9. PRISON RADIO

AL LEWIS LIVES, hosted by Karen Lewis, broadcasts on Saturdays from noon to 1:30 pm on WBAI, 99.5 FM, NYC.  Tune in every week and one of those times you may hear a recording of some of the FED3/NYC speeches.

THE FANCY BROCCOLI SHOW: Fancy Broccoli airs on WVKR, 91.3FM, Poughkeepsie NY on Sundays from 3 - 6 pm, Eastern Time, and streams online - go to WVKR.org and click on (or near) the word 'LISTEN'. Next show, November 11 is S. Quinones, a formerly incarcerated man that served over 20 years and finally made parole. Nov 25 is John Cutro, a restorative justice practitioner and a promoter of the concept of Parallel Justice, seeking justice for both the offender and the victim.

DEMOCRACY NOW!, with Amy Goodman airs around the country, check www.democracynow.org to find the station nearest you or to read the transcripts. While not solely devoted to prison issues, she provides in-depth coverage of some of the most serious prison and criminal justice issues.

JUSTICE PAGES AUDIO at www.justicepages.org/

VOICES FROM THE PRISON ACTION NETWORK: No new programs in a long time - been busy with FED3! But if you’d like to be interviewed by telephone (or in person) please call me to set up something for the future. 518 253 7533. Archives available at radio4all.net and www.hmimc.swapspace.com


10. PRP2! IS PROFILED IN ARTVOICE

Thanks to Leslie James Pickering, PRP2! was profiled in a recent issue of "Artvoice" (Buffalo). Mr. Pickering is the Chair of Arissa, a social justiceorganization, and he was PRP2!'s guest speaker last month. The September meeting is always a tribute to the 1971 Attica Rebellion. Mr. Pickering is the author of "Mad Bomber Melville" which tells the story of Sam Melville, born in Tonawanda, NY, who was murdered in that Rebellion. This book is available at Amazon.com and will be available at the Family Empowerment Day Conference (FED/WNY) in Buffalo on November 3. To read the "Artvoice" article, check out: www.artvoice.com.


11. RESEARCH GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED

In close collaboration with Professor Patricia T. Clough and the Department of Sociology at the City University of New York Graduate Center, the College & Community Fellowship (CCF) has developed a research project named "Community Leadership and Education After Re-entry," or CLEAR.  The aim of CLEAR is to engage formerly incarcerated scholars in research related to race, class, gender, and mass incarceration.  CLEAR is open to CCF students, alumni, and to all formerly incarcerated individuals who have a bachelor's degree and are currently engaged in criminal justice/reentry reform.
Accepted applicants will receive a small stipend . Due to limited funding, we are only able to accept 10 participants in this program. If you are seriously interested, please complete the application, and submit a 500-word essay.  Your application will not be considered without the essay. Please call 212 243-1313 to request an application.


12. SUPPORT MEETINGS

Albany: PFNY meeting at 7:00 pm every Monday at the Women’s Bldg, 79 Central Avenue. Please call ahead: Alison 518 453 6659

Buffalo: Groups for men and women meet separately on Thursdays, from 5:30-6:30pm at GROUP Ministries, Inc., 1333 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. These programs are FREE and confidential. For more information, call 716-539-1844.

North Babylon LI: Prison Families Anonymous meets on the 2nd and 4th Wed of each month at 7:30 pm at the Babylon Town Hall Annex. You are welcome if you have a family member in prison. For more info you may call Barbara: Ph: 631-630-9118, Cell: 631-943-0441

Poughkeepsie: PFNY Support Group Room 306 of the Main Building of Family Partnership at 29 North Hamilton St. Poughkeepsie, NY. Meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7pm. The Citizens for Restorative Justice meet the first Monday of the month, 6:30 to 8:00PM. The location changes so call ahead of time, 845-464-4736.

Schenectady: Next PFNY meeting will be a party on Dec.20 from 7-9 pm at First United Methodist Church - 603 State Street - entrance on Chapel Street - behind MVP Building.  Jeanette: 518 346 5653.


13. TELEPHONE JUSTICE CAMPAIGN UPDATES ON THE NY PRISON TELEPHONE CONTRACT:

1. RATES REDUCED AGAIN!
Remember when Governor Spitzer eliminated the state’s 57.5% commission from the prison telephone contract, but only reduced the rates by 50%?  As we have mentioned previously, Gov. Spitzer had DOCS reduce the rates only by 50% for the first 6 months of this change, because they were worried that the phone systems might fail if call volume increased as much as they anticipated.  Well, 6 months has passed and DOCS has reduced the rates by the additional 7.5%.  This change went into effect last Friday, October 5, 2007.  The new rates are $1.28 connection fee and 6.8 cents per minute!  Please check your bills and records to make sure that your bills comply with the new rates. 

1. NEW PAYMENT PLAN FOR DIRECT REMIT CUSTOMERS:
Also starting this month, Global Tel*Link has changed its direct remit account (the accounts where customers are required to put $100 in upfront and have limitations on the number of calls you can receive).  If this is the type of payment plan you have, you should have received a letter in the mailing explaining that you will no longer have a call limitation but rather a dollar limitation. “[In the future] your Global Tel*Link direct remit account will change from a call limit balance to a dollar limit balance. [This change was announced in a Sept. letter from Global Tel; but on 10/22 we got a letter stating that the Cot 10 conversion plan was premature. They first must gain approval from the NYS Dept. of Public Service, and they do not yet have that. ...the editor] The new plan will allow you to accrue up to a $100 in call charges before you are required to pay down the balance to receive more calls from the New York Department of Corrections.  Below is an explanation of the provisions regarding this new service.
      You will be allowed to accept collect calls every month up to the $100 limit.  When this limit is reached, your telephone number will be blocked until a full payment of the $100 is made, then the block will be removed.
      Payments may be made multiple times within a month to reset the dollar limit.
      You will be notified by an automated call when you are close to reaching your dollar limit.  You will also be notified by an automated call when this limit has been reached and your telephone number is blocked.  You will be unable to receive additional calls until the balance is paid.
      Payments may be made with a credit card by calling Global Tel*Link at the number below or with a check/money order using the remittance slip that is furnished with your monthly invoice.  Credit card payments can also be made via the web at: https://www.correctionsgtl.com
      With established good credit in the first 3 months, you may request an increase of your limit to $150 a month.  Continued good credit for the following 3 months permits you to increase your limit to $200.  You must be in good credit standing with other Global Tel*Link services in order to qualify for these requested increases.
      You will receive monthly invoices with remittance slips.
      The Company may terminate your account if your account balance remains unpaid 21 days after the date of the invoice.”

[As stated above, these changes are not going into effect until further notice. --the editor]


14. TRANSPORTATION TO PRISONS

FROM THE CAPITAL DISTRICT:

The NEST Prison Shuttle schedule: Mt. McGregor, Washington, and Great Meadow CFs on Sat, Nov 3 ($30 adults, $20 children), Coxsackie, Greene, and Hudson CFs on Sun, Nov 11 ($15  adults and $10 children), from Oakwood Ave Presbyt. Church parking lot, Troy at 7 AM, and Albany Greyhound bus station at 7:15. Trip to Utica (Midstate, Marcy, Mohawk, Oneida CFs) on Sat, Nov 17 leaving Troy at 5 AM and Albany bus Station at 5:15. Sullivan (Ulster, Eastern, Woodbourne, Sullivan CFs) on Sat, Nov 24  leaving at 6 AM ($40 adults, $25 children). Reservations: Linda O'Malley 518- 273-5199.

Door to door, free rides are offered from Albany to prisons within 150 miles by volunteers of FUUSA’s Justice Committee on weekdays only. Please contact us at 518 253-7533 if you need a ride.

STATEWIDE:

DOCS Free Bus - to find out how to sign up, from NYC area: Deacon Mason on Tues & Fri, 212 961 4026 and from Albany: on Wed & Thurs, 518 485 9212; from Buffalo area: Rev. Roberson 716 532 0177, x4805; from Syracuse: Sister Patricia: 315 428 4258


15. WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND NEW YORK STATE

ALBANY:

Reducing Community Gun Violence Symposium:

Wednesday and Thursday November 7-8 from 9:30-5 pm at The Egg, Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre. Walk-ins will be welcome if there is room. There is no registration fee. Speakers include: Ron Barrett, Dept. of Youth, Albany NY; Daniel Stevens, Detective, Albany PD; Andrew Cuomo, NYS Attorney General; David Soares, Albany County DA; Gerald Jennings, Albany Mayor, James Tuffey, Albany Chief of Police. For more info: 1 800 345 1322, x159 or lduckworth@magloclen.riss.net.

BUFFALO:

Prisoners Are People Too! will meet in Buffalo at the Pratt-Willert Community Center, 422 Pratt Street from 6:30-8:30pm on Monday, November 26, 2007 for a presentation on Buffalo’s “Growing Green Gardening Project,” which exists, in large part, to keep youth off the street and out of trouble, while engaged in a productive activity that promotes pride and community building.

The documentary film for this month’s meeting is “City Harvest,” produced and directed by Philadelphia filmmaker Deborah Rudman. It describes a special project, the “Roots of Reentry Greenhouse” which allows a select group of prisoners at the Alternative Special Detention to participate in a gardening project which allows them to connect with “community gardens” around the city of Philadelphia as well as local food pantries for the poor and elderly.

The next meeting of Prisoners Are People Too! is scheduled for January 28. PRP2! programs are sponsored by The Circle of Supporters for Reformed Offenders and Friends of Baba Eng.


NEW YORK CITY:

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17th 2:00-3:30p.m. At The Osborne Association office in Downtown Brooklyn, 175 Remsen Street, 8th Floor. IS YOUR HUSBAND OR BOYFRIEND INCARCERATED? The Osborne Association is holding a FOCUS GROUP to learn about the health care concerns and experiences of women whose partners are incarcerated. Women whose husbands or boyfriends are incarcerated are invited to join a small group of other women to talk about their experiences. Feedback from these groups will help us to plan Osborne's programs. On-site children's programming available.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SIGN UP: Call Michelle at 718-637-6578 or email mportlock@osborneny.org
$25 gift card per participant and a chance to win an pod!


15. WORDS FROM INSIDE

George BaBa Eng (DIN 77A4777) announces his upcoming fourth parole board hearing in December. “ I have earned 3 college degrees, and certifications from every program offered, some of which I and others together created for our collective benefit. My family and community are consistent in their support of my release, and I would hope that I have the support and prayers of those I have worked with for these many years. Letters of support may be sent to my support committee at : Karima Amin, Prisoners Are People Too!, Box 273, Buffalo, NY 14212.” Peace.- G.Baba Eng

16.
FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY
COMES TO ALBANY!

Saturday, December 1, 2007
9 am- 2 pm
405 Washington Avenue, Albany NY
First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany (FUUSA)

PRESENTED BY THE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT PROJECT OF THE PRISON ACTION NETWORK
Co-sponsored by FUUSA's Justice Committee and Prison Fellowship Ministries

Conceptualized by the Lifers Group at Otisville Correctional Facility in 2005,
Family Empowerment Day events provide an opportunity for prison family members and supporters to come together to further the work of improving conditions behind and beyond the wall.

"Educating for Empowerment"
The Impact of Incarceration on Families, Congregations, and Communities

We invite you to join us for a day of discussion and community building. Let's talk about how our religious and neighborhood communities can join in efforts to lower the rate of incarceration that is devastating our society.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

David Soares, Albany County DA
Rev. Peter Young, Volunteer CEO, PYHIT


Registration and a light breakfast from 8 -9 am.
Free lunch will be provided

This is a grass roots project! Donation jars will be available for your contributions to the cost of the event.


For more information: 518 253 7533, prisonaction@hotmail.com

October 2007 - SPECIAL FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY EDITION

Dear Reader,

Every week we hear from dozens of incarcerated people or their family members asking us to write a parole support letter or find them a pro bono lawyer or write the governor about the injustices they’ve experienced. We are truly saddened by many of the stories we hear. But in truth unless we really know the person, our support letter would probably mean nothing to the parole board. And we don’t know any lawyers who can afford to take on any more cases for free. And the governor! Well, despite what you may think, we haven’t talked to him since he was elected. So what’s my point? My point is that we do care and that’s why we began working with the Otisville Lifers on the Family Empowerment Project in 2005. We want to change things, and we want our methods to reflect the just and harmonious society we are working to create. Family Empowerment Day 3 is our way of working to change NYS parole policies, prevent unfair arrests, trials, and sentences, and safeguard people in our jails from abuse and inadequate health care. We also want our families to have an easier time; we want more money put into education and social services and less, much much less, put into war and incarceration. If you share our mission, please make sure everyone you know gets out to at least one of the Family Empowerment Day 3 events, to get educated in the ways that have proven successful in creating the changes we seek. We have lower phone bills, but it doesn’t stop there. So if you can’t attend, send someone to represent you. If you are planning to attend, come prepared to start working for justice, and bring some friends with you. Together we can make a difference!

You may not know this, but if you are reading these words we consider you part of the Prison Action Network. All we do is provide the forum for you to expose your ideas and more importantly your actions, to the rest of us. Every single person or organization who contributes to this newsletter IS a member of the Prison Action Network. And every single person who reads it is also. Family Empowerment Day belongs to all of us! So lets all get up to Columbia Law School on October 20 and meet the rest of the family!!

Please share your copy of Building Bridges.


TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. BEDFORD HILLS; REPORT ON CONDITIONS - One of CA's concerns is the "increasingly tense overall atmosphere and the negative effect of a more punitive and hostile prison environment on inmate/staff morale and relations..."

2. CSS RE-ENTRY ROUNDTABLE MEETING - In addition to the legislative updates and information exchanged, the guest speaker on the issue of re-entry was Safiya Bandele, a sister in this struggle that has been doing the time with her partner for over 30 years; the true example of "been there, done that."

3. CRIMINAL JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS - CURE-NY Newsletter . “dedicated to reducing crime by reforming the criminal justice system.” The Deuce Club - “Our current primary focus is in obtaining the just administration of parole for all people in prison.”

4. DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE - Announces 2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference in New Orleans. Scholarships available.

5. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/NYC - EDUCATE YOURSELF FOR EMPOWERMENT!
Directions, Registration: Tabling: Workshop descriptions:

6. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/WNY - Two weeks later in Buffalo, hear an address by the Commissioner of Parole, and choose between 8 informative workshops led by experts in their fields. Pre- registration is required.

7. WHO’S FUNDING FED3? - You are, and your donation will be used entirely for supplies; no one is being paid a penny to do this. But we all stand to benefit.

8. PAROLE - Still no settlement or decision in Graziano v. Pataki, Success stories, Featured Parole Hearing, Woodbourne Sept. stats

9. PRISON RADIO - Sonny Rudert, Ramon Gonzalez, Judith Brink, Kirk James, Dwight Stephenson and 'Santito' are some of the voices you'll hear if you tune in this month. Could be yours next month!

10. SUPPORT GROUPS - Schenectady group cancelled for now. Next event will be a party on December 20.

11. TRANSPORTATION - NEST shuttle cancels their scheduled OCT 20 run to take people from the Capital District to FED3/NYC.

12. WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND NEW YORK STATE - Buffalo, NYC, and Albany are busy setting up their FED3 events; in Kingston a play about recidivim, in NYC a panel including Kathy Boudin, Robt. Fllilove, Philip Genty, Michael Jacobson, Manning Marable and Elwin Wu to discuss Reentry.

13. WORDS FROM INSIDE - G.Baba Eng advises: “Let us be vigilant of our successes. Keep up and step up the work.”


1. BEDFORD HILLS; CA REPORTS ON CONDITIONS
As you may know, in 1846 the New York State Legislature passed a law granting the Correctional Association of New York (CA) authority to visit state prisons and report on conditions of confinement.  The Women in Prison Project is the branch of the CA that carries out this mandate in the correctional facilities in New York that house women.  They tour prisons on a regular basis, issue reports based on their findings, and conduct advocacy to improve conditions at the facilities visited. 

In part 1 of their most recent report on Bedford Hills C.F. the Correctional Association found that "...Bedford Hills has been, in many ways, one of the facilities closest to achieving the Department's goal of maintaining a 'stable and human’ community environment in which all participants, staff and inmates, can perform the required tasks with a sense of satisfaction." However, a series of conditions "indicate that the facility has veered from this path." One of CA's concerns is the "increasingly tense overall atmosphere and the negative effect of a more punitive and hostile prison environment on inmate/staff morale and relations, facility safety and efficient operations, and the vitality of programs;".

The second part details CA's evaluation of Bedford’s mental health services and programs. Due to the number of the mental health programs and services investigated at Bedford Hills C.F., Building Bridges is unable to summarize the report in these few pages.

Both parts will be available on their website at www.correctionalassociation.org, or you may write CA at 135 East 15th Street, NYC 10003.


2. CSS RE-ENTRY ROUNDTABLE MEETING
Last week I attended the monthly Re-entry Roundtable Meeting that was held by the Community Service Society of New York. In addition to the legislative updates and information exchanged, the guest speaker on the issue of re-entry was Safiya Bandele*, a sister in this struggle who has been doing the time with her partner for over 30 years; the true example of "been there, done that."

It was a refreshing and critical address to an aspect of re-entry not often visited by the many advocates doing this work. The question that I felt was being asked, and we all need to be thinking about is this; "How will we as women, cope with the release of our loved one?

The presentation performed by Safiya Bandele was so real that I felt like I was back on the line waiting to be processed for a visit. Some of the skits that were presented had an uncomfortable edge of familiarity to them, especially considering that many of us women that are doing time with our men never really talk about doing the time or how that is affecting us as women, as wives, as mothers or lovers. It is a situation that is so real and painful that we brush it off, make jokes about it...anything but confront it and prepare for the day when the trauma of incarceration becomes the trauma of re-entry. We need to face the fact that coming home never has and never will " fix everything."  We owe it to ourselves and our families to have the difficult discussions with our men that will make the life after prison one we are better prepared for. Watching Safiya move her way through the various scenarios we encounter as "prison wives" is the perfect way to begin to have these discussions...within ourselves and amongst ourselves!

- Amy James-Oliveras, Co-Director CURE-NY

*Safiya Bandele will be leading a workshop at FED3/NYC, see article 3.

[For more info about the Re-entry Roundtables, you can contact Community Service Society of New York • 105 East 22nd Street New York, NY 10010 • 212-254-8900 •info@cssny.org


3. CRIMINAL JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS
CURE-NY Newsletter
CURE-NY is dedicated to reducing crime by reforming the criminal justice system. Our newletter is available online at www.bestweb.net/~cureny, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to cureny@bestweb.net or write to PO Box 1314, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join or just receive the newsletter. Basic membership is $10, newsletter only is $5, and membership for incarcerated persons is $2.

The Deuce Club
CPR is a broad-based grassroots organization created to inform, organize and bring to light all aspects of the prison industrial complex as it affects our communities, families and people in prison. Parole is one part of a larger issue that affects everyone. Our current primary focus is in obtaining the just administration of parole for all people in prison. The Deuce Club, our newsletter, is available to members online at www.parolecpr.org, or by mail when you become a member. Send an email to membership@parolecpr.org or write to PO Box 1379, New York, New York 10013. Include your name, mailing address or email address if you wish to join, membership is $10 per year for families and $2 for people in prison.


4. DRUG POLICY REFORM CONFERENCE
2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference (for more info click here
December 5-8, in New Orleans, La.
Astor Crowne Plaza/French Quarter
Hosted by the Drug Policy Alliance

This is a most important gathering of people who believe the war on drugs is doing more harm than good - and who are working to pomote a new bottom line: one that seeks to reduce the negative consequence of both drug misuse and our misguided drug control policies.

The Drug Policy Alliance is pleased to announce that we have acquired scholarship funds to bring people to New Orleans for the 2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference. Find out how to apply at www.kessjones.com/conf07/.


5. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/NYC
Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Columbia Law School, Jerome Greene Bldg, 435 West 116th St. (corner of Amsterdam), Manhattan

The Law School is on the NE corner of W. 116th and Amsterdam - big glass building - the entrance is at 435 W.116th Street

DIRECTIONS: Train: Broadway: #1-Bdwy Local, W116th St stop, walk east one block to Amsterdam.
A,B,C (8th Ave Express or Local) W116th St stop, walk west to Morningside Park, climb stairs to top, continue west on 116th one more block to Amsterdam.
Bus: M60, M4, M104 on Broadway to W116th, walk east thru Columbia’s Campus to Amsterdam;
M-11 bus on Amsterdam to 116th St.

NEAREST PARKING GARAGES: GMC, 532 W 122nd St.(betw Bdwy & Amsterdam) $26. for 10 hours 212 961 1075 St Lukes, 502 W 114th St. (betw Bdwy & Amsterdam) $26 for 10 hours 212 523 105 (also an entrance at 1090 Amsterdam)

REGISTRATION:
There will be a morning workshop session and an afternoon workshop session. Each session will last 45 minutes and there will be 5 workshops to choose from at each time. Registration is not required, but anyone with a strong preference for a particular workshop is advised to call 518 253 7533 or email prisonaction@hotmail.com to sign up. Preference will be given to those who do.

TABLING:
Many organizations and people will be sharing information about their issues. Come prepared to learn about the people and groups that are already working on what is important to you. If you would like to interest people in what you are doing or supporting, there is table space available (1/2 table for a $25 donation; full for $35) to promote your organization, display your petitions, prison writings, or parole support petitions or letters for signing. Please send your check or money order made out to Prison Action Network to PAN, HM-IMC, PO Box 35, Troy NY 12181.

MORNING WORKSHOPS:

M-105. HOW TO USE A JAILHOUSE LAWYER'S MANUAL - Christine Ely, Editor-In-Chief and Elizabeth Howell, Executive Editor
We will introduce participants to A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (" JLM").  Participants will learn how to use the manual and the types of information and legal tools it provides with emphasis on the following chapters: "Choosing a Court and a Lawsuit: An Overview of the Alternatives," "An Introduction to Legal Documents," and "The Prison Litigation Reform Act."   Participants will also learn how to access the JLM website and become familiar with the additional resources it provides. Finally, participants will receive information about the JLM ordering process.  Participants will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of the manual for themselves or their loved ones, if they choose.

Christine Ely is a third year student at Columbia Law School.    Christine has experience as a law clerk with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and as an extern with the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.  During the past summer, she was a Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Public Interest Fellow with the Education Advocacy Project at the Legal Aid Society of New York.   Prior to law school, Christine was a New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching first and second grade at New York City public schools in the Bronx and Manhattan.   She graduated from Cornell University in 2003.

Elizabeth Howell is a third year student at Columbia Law School.  Elizabeth has experience as an intern at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and at Loevy & Loevy, a civil rights law firm in Chicago, IL.  Prior to law school, Elizabeth worked at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.  She also has significant experience working with special needs children.  Elizabeth graduated from Middlebury College in 2003.


M-104. KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS - 100 Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care
Knowing Your Rights: What should you do if the police knock on your door and demand to enter? What if the police stop you on the street, or when you're in your car? 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care will share the answers to these and many other questions in this workshop. They will arm you with your rights, so that you can control a situation that might otherwise veer toward injustice. What they have to tell you could save your life.


M-103. MAKING OUR VOTES COUNT! - Maggie Williams, Project Director, The Voter Enfranchisement Project
Can you vote while on probation? Can you vote if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor? Can you vote while awaiting trial? Can you vote once you have completed your sentence for a felony conviction?

The answer to all of these questions – in New York State – is YES. If you did not know the answers to these questions, you are not alone. Because felon disenfranchisement laws differ greatly in the 48 states that take away a person’s right to vote for some period of time, an alarming amount of misinformation surrounds these laws: In New York State, an individual loses the right to vote if she has been convicted of a felony and is currently incarcerated or on parole. Yet based on a study conducted by the Voter Enfranchisement Project (VEP) at The Bronx Defenders, close to 40% of people who have been arrested, mistakenly believe that someone cannot vote while on probation.
Using the vote, the friends and families of incarcerated people can create policy change in New York State. Find out the steps we can take in our communities to build a strong base of political power.

In this workshop you can learn about your voting rights; learn how to overcome obstacles to voting; and learn ways to organize the people in your community to turnout and vote.

After graduating from Columbia Law School in May of 2005, Maggie Williams received a NYC Social Justice Fellowship to start the Voter Enfranchisement Project (VEP) at The Bronx Defenders, a nonpartisan effort focused on increasing the political power of the communities targeted by the criminal justice system. VEP strengthens the electoral participation of NYC residents by dispelling myths surrounding felon disenfranchisement laws, assisting individuals in navigating the electoral process, and advocating for policy changes in election administration.


M-101. PAROLE APPEALS - CHALLENGING THE PROCESS - Cheryl L. Kates Esq.
Learn from an expert what you can do to prepare for a successful parole hearing. Then, in the case of a denial, learn the steps involved in writing an appeal.  What documents will be needed? How are they obtained? What kinds of issues can be raised on appeal? Where can you get help?  The workshop will be interactive; come with questions. Only you control your destiny. You must challenge the administration to work for change.

Cheryl L. Kates Esq. is a lawyer in private practice, focusing on parole issues and administrative appeals.  A graduate of Syracuse Law School, she now practices in the Rochester, NY area.  She first became interested in civil rights while serving as the interim director of the local NYCLU office. 


M-107. "WHEN HE COMES HOME" - Emotional Re-entry Issues for Women - Safiya Bandele
Presenting seven scenarios of women dealing with issues of her loved one's re-entry.  Housing, employment, parole and all the collateral consequences of incarceration are intensified by the emotional impact of re-entry.  The couple's relationship must withstand multiple shocks and trauma after the initial joy of homecoming. Although the seven women are 'fictitious", their stories reflect the workshop presenter's own personal experiences and professional work as a women's issues activist. The seven stories cover a range of experiences, including the couple who met through a friend or a prison event; the couple who re-connected with a childhood friend; baby daddyhood, etc. Through a choreopoem (poetry, dance) Safiya Bandele discusses these issues and makes recommendations for "When He Comes Home."

Safiya Bandele is Director of the Center for Women's Development at Medgar Evers College of CUNY Brooklyn. She is Founding Director (since 1982) of the Center which is a campus-based counseling and programming unit serving women students and families as well as community residents.  The Center organizes conferences and seminars on women's empowerment,  leadership and mind-body-spirit health.  Safiya also teaches in the Women's Studies Department and includes 'prison relationships' as a course module.  She looks forward to the day when her loved one, incarcerated since 1974, comes home. In the meantime, they've experienced thirty-plus years of prison love... and counting.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS:

A-101. ADVOCATING FOR POLICY CHANGE - Rima Vesely-Flad, Director of the Interfaith Coalition of Advocates for Reentry and Employment (ICARE)
I will provide information on how to engage in the legislative process, from the initial stages of proposing policy change to the final steps of getting a bill signed into law.  We will discuss how a group engages elected representatives--how to schedule meetings, how to identify oneselves, and how to advocate effectively for your issue--as well as how to build support within your communities.  We will also talk about the political dynamics within New York State, the priorities of the governor's office, and the potential for change in the next election.

Inspired by the writings of incarcerated men and women, Rima Vesely-Flad has sought to engage prison ministry volunteers in a growing movement challenging poverty in Black America, mass incarceration, and high rates of recidivism.  Rima holds master's degrees from Union and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.  Her research and publications have explored the connections between Calvinist theology and criminal law, the Slave Codes and Black Codes of the nineteenth century, and the continuing expansion of the prison-industrial complex.


A-103 HOW TO HELP OUR LEGISLATORS HELP US - Senator Velmanette Montgomery
Voting for the political candidates who are on our side is an empowering act in the journey toward change. But it’s only the beginning. Once our candidates are in office, we must continue to support them in order to successfully move our agenda through the legislative process. In this workshop, Senator Montgomery will tell us how we can help her and other progressive legislators--so that they can help us win!

Velmanette Montgomery represents the 18th Senatorial District, population 311,260, that covers Bedford-Stuyvesant, Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Gowanus/Wyckoff, Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Park Slope, Red Hook and Sunset Park. Senator Montgomery was appointed Co-Chair of the NYS Senate Democratic Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform.


A-105. TELLING OUR STORIES - Sheila Rule
Families with loved ones in prison weave a rich tapestry of stories--stories of struggle, of resilience, of uncompromising love, of hope. But we too often keep our stories to ourselves, thinking that no one would understand, that no one would care. This workshop will be a safe and supportive place where you can share your stories with others who do understand, who do care.

Let's raise our voices and tell our stories! They are powerful tools in the movement to change hearts and minds and bring our loved ones home!

Sheila Rule is a writer and publisher. Her company's first book--"Think Outside the Cell: An Entrepreneur's Guide for the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated" will be published this fall. It was written by her husband, Joseph Robinson, who's incarcerated at Sullivan Correctional Facility.


A-104. USING THE COURTS TO CHANGE POLICIES - Robert Isseks, Esq. and Peter Sell, Esq., lead attorneys for Graziano et.al. vs. Pataki
People convicted of A-1 Violent Felonies have protested that they do not get fair parole hearings when their denials are based on the seriousness of the crime with little consideration given to years of accomplishments and the amounts of family and community support available for their reentry. Learn about the case; the processes its been through, and whether your loved one may benefit from it. Question and answer period will be included.

Robert Isseks,Esq. is a lawyer in private practice in Middletown, NY. He concentrates on civil rights and constitutional law. Peter Sell, Esq. has a private practice in NYC, and specializes in criminal law and civil rights.


A-107. USING PUBLIC PRESSURE TO CHANGE POLICIES - Peter Wagner, Director Prison Policy Initiative.
Getting the Census Bureau to count incarcerated people at their home addresses: The Census Bureau counts people in prison as if they were residents of the prison town, even though they can't vote and the New York State Constitution says that people in prison are legal residents of their home addresses. When states like New York use Census counts to draw legislative districts, they give upstate legislators extra political clout and dilute the votes of the urban communities that most people in prison call home.

Because the Census Bureau does not respond to direct pressure from the public, we are asking federal, state and local legislators to sign on to an open letter from other legislators calling for the Census Bureau to change how it counts people in prison.

We'll talk about the issue, and distribute materials about the campaign that participants can redistribute to friends and neighbors. At the workshop we will help participants identify their Congressional, state senate, state assembly and city council representatives and send those representatives a letter asking them to endorse the open letter to the Census Bureau. The letters will be prepared and sent during the workshop.

Peter Wagner is Executive Director of the Prison Policy Initiative and the author of Importing Constituents: Prisoners and Political Clout in New York, the first district by district analysis of the impact of Census counts of prisoners on state legislative redistricting. Since its founding in 2001, the Prison Policy Initiative has been working to quantify the problem and suggest solutions. Now they are organizing for change.


6. FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY 3/WNY OFFERS 8 WORKSHOP CHOICES
Eight workshop choices are now confirmed for the FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY3 conference which will take place in Buffalo on November 3, from 8:30am - 3:30pm at the Cold Spring Church of God in Christ, located at 107 Verplanck Street.

Following the “Meet ‘n’ Greet,” free continental breakfast (donated by Catholic Charities), and the keynote address by Mr. George Alexander, the NYS Parole Board Chairman, these sessions will run concurrently:
Parole- George and Amy Oliveras, “CURE-NY” (“Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants”), Wappingers Falls, NY
The Reformed Offender- Sundiata Sadiq, “Free Mumia Abu-Jamall Coalition
Youth- Marc Fuller, “Stop the Violence Coalition,” Buffalo
Women- Tuwanner Cleveland, “No Return Attitude Support Group for Women” (“GROUP Ministries”), Buffalo

Following the luncheon donated by Elder Sister Bernice Price and Associates, Mrs. Eva Doyle, retired educator, historian, and columnist will deliver the luncheon address, leading into these afternoon sessions:
Voting- Ray Barnes, “Reentry.Net/NY” and the “Center for Community Alternatives,” Syracuse, NY; Patricia Warth,“Prisoners Legal Services,” Buffalo
Family Issues- Abu Bilal and Venita Abdur-Rahman, “Reducing Recidivism One by One, Buffalo
Employment- representatives from “Buffalo Employment Training Center” (BETC), Buffalo
Support Networks- (all Buffalo, NY)- Tia Lewis, “Western New York Independent Living Project”; Mona White, “Mental Health Court”; Reggie Brown, “Back to Basics Outreach Ministries”; Kenneth Gaston, “GROUP Ministries.”

FED3/WNY is sponsored by PRISONERS ARE PEOPLE TOO!, The Circle of Supporters for Reformed Offenders, Friends of Baba Eng, WNY Reentry Coalition, County Legislator Betty Jean Grant, and “The Challenger.” Childcare will be provided by Americorps Volunteers.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!
For FED3/WNY information contact karima@prisonersarepeopletoo.org or call 716-834-8438. Donations for FED3/WNY may be sent to: Prisoners Are People Too!, P.O. Box 273, Buffalo, NY 14212.


7. WHO’S FUNDING FED3?
You are! We all stand to benefit, so let’s all chip in to make this work. Please, please send a donation! No amount is too small, or too large! We will put your donation to good use. It will be used entirely for supplies; no one is being paid a penny to do this. But we all stand to benefit in the long run. Please send checks made out to Prison Action Network to PAN, HM-IMC, PO Box 35, Troy NY 12181. Indicate which event, or all, you’re contributing to. And if you don’t have any money to send, please make a bunch of phone calls, or write lots of letters, to let all the people in your life know how important this event is to you, and then bring them with you to a FED3 event.


8. PAROLE
GRAZIANO, ET. AL VS PATAKI
Still no settlement or decision. The judge will presumably continue to grant extensions so long as the parties report progress.

REPORT FROM WOODBOURNE: 22 parole applicants appeared, six hearings (all A-1 violent felonies) were immediately postponed for 90 days because no sentencing minutes were in the folders. Another, a de novo hearing because the board had failed to consider 11 correction officers’ letters, was rescheduled for October when it was discovered that the letters were still missing, along with 56 other documents he had acquired throughout his 22 yr incarceration. It is now incumbent upon him to resubmit the letters. Graziano plaintiff Charles Friedgood was one of the 7 postponements but his sentencing minutes were found the next day and he will be reappear in October. Results: 4 people were granted parole. One A-1 violent felony offender on his 5th appearance.

SUCCESSES: Cheryl Kates, who will be presenting one of the workshops at FED3-NYC (see article 5), has been achieving an impressive number of successes lately, both from Parole Appeals and Parole Plans. To applaud her success and congratulate those who made their boards, we list them here:

Parole Appeal Reversals/de novo hearings
Castronova vs. NYS BOP (Albion C.F.) Oct. Board
Shaw v. NYS BOP (Greene C.F.) Sept. Board
R.L v. NYS BOP (Midstate C.F.) Sept. Board
Belfiglio v. NYS BOP (Midstate C.F.) Oct. Board
Valletutti v. NYS BOP (Franklin C.F.) Sept. Board( See below)
Price v. NYS BOP (Collins C. F.) Oct. Board
M.M. v. NYS BOP (Otisville C.F.) Oct. Board
C.G. v. NYS BOP (Greene C.F.) Oct Board
Jennings v. NYS BOP (Arthur Kill C. F.) Nov. Board
Botting v. NYS BOP (Albion C.F.) See below
Vido v. NYS BOP (Albion C. F.) See below
Lohan v. NYS BOP (Collins C.F.) See below

Appeal later reversed
Shawn Chappelle- Released Aug. 2007 5-life

Parole plan releases
Robert Sanchez 20-life, released second board
Rebecca Botting, 7 1/2-15 released first board
Barbara Vido 1 1/3-3 released first board
Raymond Stolpinski 7 1/2- 15  released first board maintained innocence
Keith Bush 25-life released , maintained innocence
Michael Lohan 1 1/3 -4 released, first board
Angela Hoffman 2-6 released, first board.
Frank Valletutti 2-8 released, first board
 
[Cheryl L. Kates Esq. Attorney at Law, Po Box 711, Honeoye, NY 14471, (585) 820-3818
www.cherylkatesesq.com

SUPPORT: This month we present FELIX DELGADO for your consideration. He will be appearing before the Board on Nov.14. According to a petition we received from his friends, Mr. Delgado has devoted most of his time in prison researching the Hep C virus and sharing his findings with friends on both sides of the bars. Most notable is the work he has done for LOLA, Latinos Organization for Liver Awareness. Because of his dedication, LOLA has helped save thousands of lives. Sixteen years ago he made a terrible mistake which he can't undo. If he could, he would not leave any stone unturned until he did so. Instead he has worked unceasingly to give back to the community he harmed. His friends and family believe very strongly that Felix Delgado will not recidivate and will be an asset to his community. For more details or to send a letter of support, please write Mr. Felix Delgado, DIN 93A0549, Otisville C.F., PO Box 8, Otisville, NY 10963-0008.


9. PRISON RADIO
Al Lewis Lives, hosted by Karen Lewis, broadcasts on Saturdays from noon to 1:30 pm on WBAI, 99.5 FM, NYC.  Tune in on Oct 6 to hear the latest on FED3 brought to you by some familiar voices.

The Fancy Broccoli Show: Fancy Broccoli airs on WVKR, 91.3FM, Poughkeepsie NY. on Sundays from 3 - 6 pm, Eastern Time, and streams online - go to www.WVKR.org and click on (or near) the word 'LISTEN'. September 30 Fancy featured Kirk James and Dwight Stephenson from the College Initiative at Lehman College. Look for it in the archives at www.fancybroccoli.org. On October 14 "Santito", a formerly incarcerated man that has been paroled and is doing good work on the outside, will talk about his journey. Oct 28 is still unconfirmed.

Democracy Now!, with Amy Goodman airs around the country, check www.democracynow.org to find the station nearest you or to read the transcripts.

Justice Pages Audio at www.justicepages.org/

Voices from the Prison Action Network: No new programs due to technical difficulties and lack of time. But if you’d like to be interviewed by telephone (or in person) please call me to set up something for the future. 518 253 7533. Archives available at www.radio4all.net and http://hmimc.swapspace.com.


10. SUPPORT MEETINGS
Albany: PFNY meeting at 7:00 pm every Monday at the Women’s Bldg, 79 Central Avenue. Please call ahead: Alison 518 453 6659

Buffalo: Groups for men and women meet separately on Thursdays, from 5:30-6:30pm at GROUP Ministries, Inc., 1333 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. These programs are FREE and confidential. For more information, call 716-539-1844.
North Babylon LI: Prison Families Anonymous meets on the 2nd and 4th Wed of each month at 7:30 pm at the Babylon Town Hall Annex. You are welcome if you have a family member in prison. For more info you may call Barbara: Ph: 631-630-9118, Cell: 631-943-0441

Poughkeepsie: PFNY Support Group Room 306 of the Main Building of Family Partnership at 29 North Hamilton St. Poughkeepsie, NY. Meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7pm. The Citizens for Restorative Justice meet the first Monday of the month, 6:30 to 8:00PM. The location changes so call ahead of time, 845-464-4736.

Schenectady: Next PFNY meeting will be a party on Dec.20 from 7-9 pm at First United Methodist Church - 603 State Street - entrance on Chapel Street - behind MVP Building.  Jeanette: 518 346 5653.


11. TRANSPORTATION TO PRISONS
From the Capital District:
The NEST Prison Shuttle schedule:
Mt. McGregor, Washington, and Great Meadow CFs on Sat, Oct 6 ($30 adults, $20 children)
Coxsackie, Greene, and Hudson CFs on Sun, Oct 14 ($15  adults and $10 children)
from Oakwood Ave Presbyt. Church parking lot, Troy at 7 AM, and Albany Greyhound bus station at 7:15.

NO TRIP TO UTICA (MIDSTATE, MARCY, MOHAWK, ONEIDA CFS) ON SAT, OCT 20 SO WE CAN GET FOLKS TO FAMILY EMPOWERMENT DAY IN NYC INSTEAD. CALL PAN 518 253 7533 to reserve.

Sullivan (Ulster, Eastern, Woodbourne, Sullivan CFs) on Sat, Oct 27 leaving at 6 AM ($40 adults, $25 children).
Reservations: Linda O'Malley 518- 273-5199.

Ride board request - Sharon Crispell - looking for a ride and sharing of gas expenses to Mid-Orange Correctional Facility from Capital District. Ralph Purdy looking for ride to Clinton from Albany. (Contact PAN and we’ll forward your offers)

Door to door, free rides are offered from Albany to prisons within 150 miles by volunteers of FUUSA’s Justice Committee on weekdays only. Please contact us at 518 253-7533 if you need a ride.

Statewide: DOCS Free Bus - to find out how to sign up, from NYC area: Deacon Mason on Tues & Fri, 212 961 4026 and from Albany: on Wed & Thurs, 518 485 9212; from Buffalo area: Rev. Roberson 716 532 0177, x4805; from Syracuse: Sister Patricia: 315 428 4258


12. WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND NEW YORK STATE
BUFFALO: Prisoners Are People Too! is a justice advocacy program that meets monthly on selected Mondays in Buffalo at the Pratt-Willert Community Center, 422 Pratt Street from 6:30-8:30pm. Each meeting features a documentary film, related to some prison issue, and one or more guest speakers who address that issue.

At its next meeting on Monday, October 22, 2007, PRP2!’s guest speaker will be Gerald “Jerry” Balone, a recently paroled reformed offender who is from Buffalo, NY. However, after spending 37 1/2 years in prison, Jerry says that he is from “nowhere and everywhere.” He will share his story of crime, rehabilitation, and redemption.

Preceding Mr. Balone’s presentation, PRP2! will screen the History Channel’s documentary film, “Condemned: Life Behind Bars,” which takes a hard-hittting look at the sad state of America’s penal system which does little, if anything, to prepare prisoners for a return to society.

The next meeting of Prisoners Are People Too! is scheduled for November 26. Film and guest speaker(s) TBA.
PRP2! programs are sponsored by The Circle of Supporters for Reformed Offenders and Friends of Baba Eng.

KINGSTON NY: Passing the Torch - Through the Arts Inc.
Upcoming productions: RECIDIVISM, a one-act play by Michael Monasterial, addresses the issue of gang violence and gets to the heart of the initial breakdown of the family and the motivating factors in the surrounding community’s decline. This play was first performed in the Westchester County Correctional Facility, in Valhalla, NY.  It was endorsed by both the warden and the director of the in-house rehabilitation center, (“The Solutions” program).

WHEN CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST by Laurence Holden is about the last year in the life of Malcolm X.  These two plays will be presented October 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25,26,27,28 at the Arts Society of Kingston, located at 97 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401. Ticket price is $20., which supports the program and finances prison presentations. For more information, please contact Michael Monasterial at 845-790-0400.

NEW YORK CITY: Wednesday October 10 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Columbia Law School, Jerome Greene Hall, Room 103 (116th and Amsterdam).  No RSVP is required. 

Beyond the Bars: An Interdisciplinary Call to Action to Address Prisoner Reentry by: Columbia University’s School of Social Work, Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, Columbia University Law Caucus, Black Caucus, and Students for Community Involvement

The event will feature a panel discussion addressing the multi-faceted issues facing formerly incarcerated people and the practical ways that students and professionals across fields can help address these challenges. Panelists include:  Kathy Boudin of Teacher's College; Robert Fullilove of Mailman School of Public Health; Philip Genty of the School of Law; Michael Jacobson of the School of International and Public Affairs; Manning Marable of the History Department; and Elwin Wu of the School of Social Work.

Contact: ajd2123@columbia.edu


13. WORDS FROM INSIDE
Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Prisoners: I write this with great encouragement and congratulations to you all for all of the large and small successes that our work has accomplished in the work of parole reform, criminal justice reform and some measure of financial justice for our families. Karima, Judith, the Brothers at Otisville, and many others deserve our appreciation and continued support, as we work to bring about some equity in law and social justice to all of our communities on both sides of the wall. Let us be vigilant of our successes. Keep up and step up the work. - G.Baba Eng