April 2018

Welcome to the site of Building Bridges, Prison Action Network's newsletter   If you would like to receive a copy in your email in-box every month, 
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During the month we post late breaking news and announcements here, so please check back now and then.  Scroll down whenever you want to go directly to the April 2018 newsletter.

4/10/18. APOLOGY:  Due to technical difficulties we have lost the email addresses of some of our readers. Please let us know if you have not received the April email copy:  PrisonActionNetwork@gmail.com

4/20/18  Posted by the Poor People's Campaign

Dear Friends,

Barbara Smith is a member of the New York State Coordinating Committee for the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.  On Tuesday, April 24th Ms. Smith will be moderating a Poor People's Campaign webinar "Fifty Years of Standing Up for Justice" that will address the connections between the LGBTQIA community and the Campaign.  You are invited to register, to participate, and also to help spread the word far and wide.  It is important that the participation level in this webinar be as high as possible.

Thanks so much.
Best,Barbara

Building Bridges April 2018

Dear Reader, 

An apology:

After a 10 day vacation I haven’t been able to catch up.  Please understand when you see there are no parole stats in this issue because our statistician is also on vacation.. . We hope to make up for it in May, by reporting on both January and February.numbers.

An Open Letter to Governor Cuomo:  

Dear Gov. Cuomo:

I applaud the NYS Parole Commissioners who decided it was safe to release Herman Bell.  They were following the law which is refreshing after years of commissioners who disregarded it.  Instead of publicly disapproving their decision, I wish you had commended their courage, which apparently you don’t share.  It appears that every time you make a courageous move, you take it back later.  I don’t admire that, although it may be good politics.

I urge you to apologize for your undeserved criticism of these hard working and brave public servants and publicly praise the Parole Board for their courage and for following the law. .You deserve credit for your wise and humane appointments; now it’s time to back them up with support.

Judith Brink, Director, Prison Action Network

Table of Contents 

1. Parole news  - no stats this month but there’s good news
2. There’ s Hope.    Celebrate Success!
3. Leginfo. the legislation report.
4. Support for the Parole Board.
5. John Brown Day, May 5
6. Free rides to prison (and back).
7. He wants to be the people’s lieutenant governor
8. Rule Review: State Commission of Correction
9. How to dismantle mass incarceration.
10. 10. Building a prison cell.

1. Parole News - Release Rates in February

PAROLE BOARD RELEASES - A1 VIOLENT FELONS DIN #s through 2001  

unofficial research from parole database

Hopeful news:  Our vacationing statistician sent a consolation message:  In February, A1VO  releases were over 45%.!!!

2.  There is Hope

By Karima Amin

There are times when I feel like PRISONERS ARE PEOPLE TOO, INC. just  isn’t doing enough to keep the community informed about the broken systems that keep us scrambling 24/7 for justice.  The time and energy we expend to reform the Criminal INjustice system and the effort we put forth to fight Mass Imprisonment is extensive, yet our progress seems negligible. The work can be frustrating, and when I’m feeling distressed about it, something or someone comes along to make me feel inspired and rejuvenated and ready for the work at hand.

The last two weeks have provided that inspiration.  PRISONERS ARE PEOPLE TOO, INC. was invited to a weekend working retreat at Powell House in the Adirondacks, sponsored by the Alliance of Families for Justice (New York City) to collaborate with several prisoner justice organizations from across the state in the continued process of planning a series of regional conferences designed to deal with New York State prison issues. These issues included, but were not limited to: healthcare (physical and mental), diet/nutrition, solitary confinement, felony disenfranchisement, and treatment of the LGBTQ population. A special retreat for families who have an incarcerated loved one, is being planned for this June.  Western New York’s regional conference will take place in Buffalo in April of 2019. Evidence of the work being done across the state gives me hope.

For several years, we have urged parole reform. When a prisoner goes before the Parole Board in New York, he/she hopes for release but may be denied. A denial can be appealed but, generally speaking, there is usually a 2-year wait before the next Parole Board appearance can be scheduled. We have written letters of support for men and women who have prepared themselves for a return to society. Our “Circle of Support for Reformed Offenders” provides encouragement for a person moving toward parole readiness.  In addition to letters we sign petitions, make phone calls, and send e-mail messages to the Governor if necessary.  Recently, Herman Bell, a political prisoner in New York, was granted release after numerous denials and forty-five years in prison where he earned several college degrees, coached football and basketball, taught Black History, English grammar, and writing skills to fellow prisoners, and even mastered the flute. The release of this respected elder gives me hope.

Now that I am feeling more hopeful, I am realizing how important it is to celebrate success. Even in the midst of struggle and frequent disappointment, good things are happening.  Our collaboration in the Adirondacks was a success! Brother Herman Bell’s release is a success! Every PRP2 meeting has been a success! Come out for our next gathering on April 30 from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at the CAO Rafi Greene Community Center, 1423 Fillmore Avenue @Glenwood Avenue in Buffalo, NY.  (For more information: karima@prp2.org or g.babaeng@yahoo.com.)

3.  LegInfo

Explanation:   S stands for Senate, A stands for Assembly.   If a bill has a sponsor in both chambers we identify it with a slash mark between their two numbers (A.1234 / S.5678) and the primary sponsors like this: (Kavanagh/Parker).  For Assembly bills, the first name is the Assembly Member and for Senate bills the Senate sponsor is listed first.  We don't list the co-sponsors.  You may write us for that information (SASE required) or look it up on-line.

If a bill is “reported” or “referred”, it means it passed out of the Corrections or Crime Victims Committee to another committee from where it may go to the entire Body for a floor vote.  Before any bill can become a law it has to be passed in both houses, where changes can be made from the floor. And if passed it will then have to be signed by the Governor.

On March 27,  6 bills were passed by the Assembly’s Corrections Committee (Weprin, chair)

Bill Number	Primary Sponsor/s	Purpose
A.3192/S.3344 Referred to Ways and Means	Ortiz/DeLarosa	Increases access to substance abuse programming for prisoners whose first language is not English.
A.4042   No same as Referred to Codes	Weprin	To make people who have committed certain crimes ineligible for work release while expanding eligibility for people who do not pose a public safety risk.
A.5863.  No same as Referred to Ways and Means	Bichotte	Creates a temporary state commission to study sexual misconduct in state correctional facilities and create safe-guards.
A.10120   No same as Referred to Ways and Means	Weprin	To raise inmate wages for the first time in 25 years. Raise to $1.20 per day and cost of living raise every 5 years.
A.10158.   No same as Referred to Codes	Weprin	To clarify eligibility for parole conditioned on deportation pursuant to Exec Law § 259- i(2)(d)(i), generally referred to as Conditional Parole for Deportation Only ("CPDO") and Early Conditional Parole for Deportation Only (“ECPDO"). Would reorganize the language by clarifying that eligibility requires a final deportation order in all cases and that certain crimes will disqualify individuals only from ECPDO where they are not eligible for parole at that time.
A.10159/S8048 3rd Reading	Weprin/Gallivan	Substitutes the term "lockup" for "jail" in the Correction Law section 40 definition of "local correctional facility," the Commission of Correction seeks to remedy the incompatible statutory definitions set forth above, and align the statute with contemporary practices.

On or near March 14, 2018   8 bills passed out of the 

Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee (Gallivan, chair)

Bill Number	Primary Sponsor/s	Purpose
S.1787/A2605 Passed Senate, died in Assembly	Klein/Sepulveda	Prohibits sex offenders whose victim was a child and level 3 sex offenders from knowingly being within 1,000 feet of a facility where pre-kindergarten or kindergarten instruction is provided
S.2235/A.06992 Referred to Finance	Parker/Barron	Establishes a commission on prison education to study and develop a plan for improving education in state prisons.
S.4059/A.06581 Died in Assembly  Referred to Finance	Lanza/Cusick	Requires websites providing sex offender registry information to be searchable by the zip code of a registrant's employment.
S.6038A. no same as 3rd reading	Funke	Increases the sentences for certain felonies
S.6850-B/ A.9069 Passed Senate Referred to Correction	O’Mara/ Palmesano	Permits the Steuben County sheriff and correctional facility to hold detained persons between arrest and arraignment.
S.6936/A.8899 Referred to Finance	Gallivan/Weprin	State will pay the city or county the cost of holding a prisoner confined for mental help care in their locality.  (the editor is not completely sure we are describing this bill correctly….).
S.7531-b  no same as	Ritchie	Requires that all comments and testimony made by a third party either in support or opposition in a parole hearing shall be considered when coming to a decision; adds provisions relating to confidentiality of victim statements.
S.7582-a/ A.9885 Passed Senate, referred to corrections	Helming/Woerner	Directs the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to establish contraband screening at correctional facilities.

4.  Artists and Cultural Workers Support Parole Board's Decision to Release Herman Bell

As artists and cultural workers working in New York City, or with professional connections to the City, we celebrate the New York State Parole Board's humane decision to release Herman Bell and the positive step forward this decision represents in the much-needed reform of the criminal justice system. 

The parole of 70-year-old Herman Bell after over 45 years of incarceration is the correct decision on moral and practical grounds and must be upheld. After a lengthy and careful assessment, the Parole Board recognized that Mr. Bell does not pose any danger to the public, and that his case meets all the legal criteria to be granted parole.

The Parole Board made its determination regarding Mr. Bell's release with consideration to his past crime, the wishes of the victims' families, and the substantive evidence of his rehabilitation during his decades of incarceration. The Board also took into account Mr. Bell's extremely low risk of recidivism — characteristic, not only of Mr. Bell himself, but 

also of incarcerated people his age — and the support of a broad network of individuals and community organizations. It recognized that Mr. Bell has taken responsibility for his actions and demonstrated remorse, as shown not only by his words, but also by the work he has done during his years of incarceration.

Research shows that most victims of crime do not want a relentlessly punitive justice system, but instead one that provides safety, healing, and accountability. In his letter to the Board of Parole, Waverly Jones, Jr., the son of slain officer Waverly Jones, expressed these sentiments and offered his support for the release of Mr. Bell. He wrote, “Keeping Mr. Bell in jail after all of these years would serve no purpose other than vengeance, something that we as a family do not need or want.”

We, the undersigned, call on the authorities to ensure that Mr. Bell is allowed to leave prison, not only so that a respected elder who has served his time can go home, but also to ensure that the concept of parole remains legally valid. We hope to live with a criminal justice system that favors compassion and reason over vengeance by using evidence-based practices to promote public safety.

Keeping Herman Bell in prison would serve as nothing more than pointless punishment. It would not contribute to public safety and can only lead to the pain and suffering of more New Yorkers, the victims' families, and Mr. Bell's family, loved ones, and friends. Preventing his release would also roll back a decade’s worth of efforts aimed at modernizing New York State's parole system.

5.  John Brown Day - Saturday, May 5th

2:00-4:00 PM
John Brown Farm State Historic Site, Lake Placid

We hope your calendar is marked for this exciting day of celebration in which we honor men and women whose work invokes the passion and conviction of the 19th-century abolitionist who dedicated his life to the cause of liberation! 

This years awardees are:

• Jen Kretser, Director of Programs and the Youth Climate Initiative at The Wild Center.  Jen is a youth champion, a mentor, a motivating force who has committed herself to climate activism.  

• Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director of the Harlem-based Alliance of Families for Justice.  Soffiyah is an advocate, attorney, scholar, and educator who has dedicated her life to human rights and social activism.

• Martín Espada, Poet. Martín is an award-winning poet, teacher, attorney and activist committed to social justice, especially for the Latino/a community.

Musical guests include Oneida, NY's own Max Alden Smith, and Dawn Taylor Watson who Blues Music Magazine called "One of Canada's true Blues treasures".

Address: Westport, NY 12993

Phone: (518) 962-4798

6.  Free Rides to Prison (and Back)

Need a Ride from the Beacon train station to Downstate, Fishkill, Green Haven or Wallkill?

Beacon Prison Action volunteers are at your service! Since its founding two years ago, Beacon Prison Action has advocated for less solitary confinement and organized letter-writing campaigns against proposals that would restrict which books families can send to New York prisoners. The prison rides project is its latest initiative.

“While people behind bars aren’t living in Beacon voluntarily, it doesn’t mean that they’re not part of the community. “We thought this is one small thing that we could offer to people; more than just saving them money.”say the founders.  “Visitors also meet a friendly face and feel that there’s a community there for them. Just because someone’s coming to Beacon for a specific purpose that’s not tourism, that’s no reason to not show them the same friendliness, and to welcome them.” To arrange a free ride email beaconprisonrides@gmail.com or call 845-288-1865.

Farm fresh veggies and a ride to your family reunion visit.

Another source of rides, only available for FRP visits, and for a price, will pick you up at home and drop you off at the gate.  The fee includes the round trip and a box of fresh vegetables for the person in prison, or the rider to take home.. 

Contact  Jamal Sabur at his Sweet Freedom Farm to arrange a trip   Please text him (best way) or call him (2nd option) at 917 704 3304.

7.  Jumaane 4 NY

Jumaane D. Williams is a city councilman from Brooklyn and an outspoken liberal Democrat who served as a delegate to Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential campaign. Councilman Jumaane Williams is running for lieutenant governor—against Gov. Cuomo’s choice, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. Usually whoever runs with the current governor gets to to be his lieutenant governor, but Williams.rejects that way of doing things.  He says he wants to be the people’s lieutenant governor.

The lieutenant governorship is an office far more symbolic than substantive, with a limited budget and few formal responsibilities. Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run independently in the primary in New York. But Mr. Cuomo and, by extension, the state Democratic Party apparatus, could weigh in heavily to ensure that Mr. Cuomo’s partner in the executive branch is an ally and not an agitator.

Jumaane is not a cookie cutter liberal. He has bold ideas.He was a leader in the fight to end Mayor Bloomberg’s unconstitutional stop and frisk policy.  In June 2013, the New York City Council passed Jumaane’s Community Safety Act, which established an Inspector General to oversee the NYPD and created an enforceable ban against bias-based profiling. The Act was passed over then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s veto.

On April 14, just before Building Bridges went to press, we learned that the Working Families Party’s State Committee had just voted to endorse Cynthia Nixon for Governor and Jumaane Williams for Lieutenant Governor!  Citizen Action of New York had already endorsed Cynthia and Jumaane earlier this week, and WFP had worked throughout the week to make sure that the WFP followed suit.  Shortly after we received this news the New York Times reported that two unions - 32BJ SEIU and CWA District 1,- announced they were withdrawing from the party.  Hmmm.

8.  Rule Review

Sent by Alliance of Families for Justice

Every five years, the State Commission of Correction reviews rules pertaining to the operation of New York State Prisons. 2018 is one of those years.  

AFJ has seen a largely incomprehensible document that has several disturbing elements which include the following:. 

It eliminates the requirement that prisons must maintain law libraries, references to expanded control over where packages can come from, and  greater authority and flexibility for facilities to confiscate “contraband.” 

Any reference to changes in package policies gets our attention after the recent attempt to eliminate the ability for family members to send care packages directly to their loved ones.  

While the notice says the rules were open to public comment, comments could only be made via regular mail, and had to be received by April 1, so we engaged in a brief but intense letter-writing campaign to Senior Attorney Deborah Slack-Bean, as indicated in the document, explaining which rule changes we were opposed to and why.

We are sure we haven’t seen the last of these attempts to make damaging changes to the already eroded civil and human rights of our incarcerated loved ones. As we wrap up our package policy postcard campaign, we will remain ever on the alert for the inevitable future manifestations of this policy.

[Editors Note:  Since this was written, Prison Action Network has heard that all money transactions will soon have to be done through JayPay,  (remember them.…the “tablet people?”).  Families will have to send their gifts of cash through JayPay and pay a fee for the privilege.  Surprise!  The people least able to afford it will be the ones who will be forced to give millions to these companies.]

9.  How to dismantle mass incarceration from the inside out.

Speaking of hope, there’s a story about the recently elected Philadelphia D.A. that will help you believe that anything can happen.  Who would have ever dreamed this?   Shaun King wrote about it for The Intercept, an online news organization  which covers, among other things, politics, civil liberties, criminal justice, the media, and more.  The intercept.com

Lifelong civil rights lawyer Larry Krasner was elected by a landslide because he publicly promised to radically reform the criminal justice system.  Amazingly it wasn’t just talk. In his first 3 weeks on the job he fired 31 prosecutors who did not commit to the changes he wanted to see. Next he obeyed a court order to release a list of 29 officers who had been charged with crimes, lied, filed false reports, used excessive force, driven drunk ,and burgled.  He did not oppose rapper Meek Mill’s release on bail, presumably because one of those cops was the sole witness. And then he did the most incredible thing; he sent his staff a 5-page document memo listing new policies.  It started by saying that the goal was to end mass incarceration. It instructed prosecutors to stop prosecuting marijuana possession regardless of the weight, nor for any paraphernalia they might have on them. All sex workers with more than 3 convictions for any crime will be diverted to a special diversionary program.

And most amazing, he instructed prosecutors to add up the costs of incarceration for every one sentenced and gave examples of all the ways that money could be used to improve the community where the defendant lived.  Krasner pointed out that the cost of one year’s incarceration was more than the beginning yearly salaries of teachers, police officers, firefighters, social workers, addiction counselors, and even prosecutors in his office.

Shaun King closes his article (from which we learned all this) with these words:  ”From time to time,  a transformational leader takes office.  They show everyone else exactly what can be done and how to do it.  That’s Larry Krasner right now and he’s showing the nation how to dismantle mass incarceration from the inside out.

Krasner’s not alone, it seems.

In Chicago, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx stopped prosecuting people caught driving with licenses that had been suspended for financial reasons, such as unpaid tickets and child support.

In Houston, District Attorney Kim Ogg decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and staffed up her office's civil rights division, which investigates police misconduct.

In eastern Mississippi, District Attorney Scott Colom stopped prosecuting some non-violent crimes and expanded an alternative sentencing policy. 

A majority of the nation's 721,000 jail inmates are awaiting trial, not serving sentence for crimes they've been convicted of committing.This is because prosecutors make big decisions about how people get charged; they set the terms of plea deals, which is how more than 90 percent of criminal cases end.

10.  Building a prison cell eases father’s anguish

Shared from the 2018-03-28 Albany Times Union eEdition

In an unheated garage, Douglas Van Zandt toiled day after day over the winter. He poured his grief into a 6-foot-by-9-foot portable wooden prison cell. As he sawed plywood, drilled holes and fastened panels with screws, glue and hinges, the labor had a cathartic effect. The work assuaged a father’s anguish and honored the memory of his son, Benjamin, who hanged himself Oct. 30, 2014, in a solitary confinement cell at a NYS facility. “As I was building the cell, I kept thinking how small it was,” Van Zandt said. “I always envisioned something larger.” Van Zandt, a former Navy pilot and ex-commercial pilot, gave up a job as an aerospace engineer for Gulfstream in Savannah, Ga., last year to devote himself full time to fighting for prison reform. He’s an organizer for New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement.

“Dealing with a trauma like that changes you,” he said. “Every day, more than 4,000 people are in solitary confinement in New York. We want to help other families from going through our pain.”

In addition to touring with the cell, Van Zandt has been pushing for passage of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act. “The system is badly broken, but we’re slowly starting to change it, with a lot of support,” he said.

Ben Van Zandt’s parents forge ahead. “A lot of people have no idea what solitary confinement is, but when they see the cell they begin to understand,” his mother said. “We’ll never get Ben back. But maybe we can prevent tragedies for others.”

The author, Paul Grondahl  is  the director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com .

Until next time……. be well and keep on hoping