Saturday, June 28, 2014

Letter to NJ Senator Ron Rice: Introduce NJ Decarceration Act

The below letter was faxed to NJ Senator Ron Rice on Thursday ,July 3.  We urge all including organizations and individuals, especially those in his voting district to contact Sen. Rice yourself directly to support his introduction of a NJ Decarceration Act:

DISTRICT OFFICE ADDRESS: 1044 South Orange Ave.
Newark, NJ 07106

PHONE NUMBER: (973) 371-5665
Fax: 973-371-6738



Dear Senator Ronald Rice,

Residents of Newark and throughout New Jersey have begun to join together to make the call for the introduction of and fight to pass a NJ Decarceration Act calling for sweeping reductions in NJ’s state prison populations.  We are sure that you have heard the statistics, how this nation has 6% of the world’s population yet holds 25% of the world’s prisoners, more than every other country on the planet.

Already, close to 1000 NJ residents have signed a petition with specific proposals as to how this can be accomplished.

https://www.change.org/petitions/nj-state-senate-and-assembly-we-call-for-the-passage-of-a-nj-decarceration-act-to-deliver-large-scale-reductions-in-nj-s-state-adult-and-youth-prison-populations

As you know, calls for prison reduction are coming from every political sector including conservatives like Newt Gingrich and Rand Paul and mainstream outlets like the New York Times.   We are sure you are well aware of the racial and economic disparities of mass incarceration where it is Black, Brown and impoverished who are targeted by everything from arrest, prosecution and sentencing.  Mass incarceration devastates our family structures, our community structures and our ability to engage and struggle politically, socially and economically for better communities.  For these reasons it is of utmost importance that our communities take the lead in structuring the kind of decarceration legislation that is initiated and fought for.  We need to take the first step.

Those political leaders that step to the forefront on this issue and lead the way in the legislative struggle to bring about real and sweeping decarceration will be tomorrow’s heroes.  We need strong fighters to take up this mantle and wage this struggle – who know the law, who know how to negotiate and maneuver and know how to win.
The petition we are circulating has specific suggestions as to what can be included in such an act.  It calls for the setting of short and long term goals and makes suggestions as to measures that can be included to strive toward those goals.  Of course,, the very significant savings through massive decarceration, we are calling for those funds to be allocated toward employment and services for those being decarcerated so that they can rejoin the communities and be part of a better tomorrow for all of us.

We know in our heart that you recognize the importance of this issue and believe that you have the fight within you to figure out how to make this happen.  We are prepared to mobilize not only Newark, but all of our inner cities throughout the state.

On July 30 we will be holding a street panel discussion on this topic in the early evening in front of Newark City Hall.   We invite you to come out and learn about this issue – and if you are ready to bring the motion to the floor, we would definitely provide a platform for you to announce or talk about it at the event.  We will be making telephone contact with you shortly and are looking forward to sit down with you to discuss this effort, about how we can work together to make the NJ Decarceration Act a reality.

Sincerely,


Veronica Branch               Milton Conway               
Cassandra Dock                 Brittani Johnson
Michael Allen Hobbs       Beautiful SeeAsia            
Ruben E. Mendez             Bob Witanek
Cynthia Flood                    Donna Jackson                
Dennis Porter                    Myra Lawson
Dawn Haynes                    Edwin Bradley

Monday, June 23, 2014

Open letter to Newark Organizations and Individuals Engaged in or Concerned About the Struggles for Justice:



In the last 2 weeks, Newark residents and others have met to begin planning a panel discussion on the topic of mass incarceration to be held on the steps of City Hall in Newark at 5:30 pm on Wednesday July 30.  We are hoping to use this event to launch a statewide coordinated effort to bring about the passage of what we call The NJ Decarceration Act that will call for sweeping reductions in NJ’s state prison populations.  We are sure that you have heard the statistics, how this nation has 6% of the world’s population yet holds 25% of the world’s prisoners, more than every other country on the planet.

Already, close to 1000 NJ residents have signed a petition with specific proposals as to how this can be accomplished.

 https://www.change.org/petitions/nj-state-senate-and-assembly-we-call-for-the-passage-of-a-nj-decarceration-act-to-deliver-large-scale-reductions-in-nj-s-state-adult-and-youth-prison-populations

 While there are many political and social sectors now calling for one kind of “prison reform” or another, given the racist and classist way that this state and nation determines who gets arrested, who gets prosecuted, who gets sentenced and for how long, it is of utmost importance that our communities take the lead in structuring the kind of decarceration legislation that is initiated and fought for.  We need to take the first step.

Our panel discussion will consist of three mini panels:

1. The first will be a broad overview of the mass incarceration issue that will break down the social function of mass incarceration, what interests it serves, who profits and gains from it. We will also discuss the racist element, how it is used to control our communities, the conditions of prisons, the treatment of prisoners, the health toll on the incarcerated and the forms of torture deployed in prisons. Last but not least will we demonstrate how mass incarceration devastates families as well as communities socially, politically and economically in some form of fashion.

2. The second mini panel will represent voices of Newark in discussing the specifics on a local level. The Newark community will express the toll mass incarceration takes within the community. The importance around this issue is critical to the survival and well being of the Newark community.

3. The third mini panel will talk about organizing this effort going forward, how to press for the introduction of NJ Decarceration Act, how to have similar forums in the other communities around NJ, how to approach the NJ legislature on the issue, how to mobilize support from within the community and families that are directly affected by mass incarceration.

While we have held two meetings, so far we have discussed primarily the logistics.  We are hoping that Newark’s rich and diverse array of activist organizations and voices participate and become part of this effort.  Our next meeting to continue organizing the panel will occur on Wednesday, June 25  6:30 pm at 298 S. 6th Street on the corner of So. Orange Av. ( the old habitat for humanity building).

We invite your members, organizers and leaders as individuals as well as your organization to become part of this effort.  We believe there is tremendous potential for success to deliver real and significant decarceration in NJ though our organizations and individuals working in common purpose to demand the passage and implementation of a NJ Decarceration Act.  We have drafted a letter to NJ Senator Ron Rice urging him to take the initiative toward introduction of the NJ Decarceration Act.  We urge your members and your organization to also make similar contact with Sen. Rice and other NJ representatives.

Please be encouraged to contact us at (908-881-5275) with any questions or ideas you have and we hope that you and / or a representative of your organization can attend the next meeting and participate in the event.

Sincerely,

Veronica Branch               Milton Conway                 Cassandra Dock              Brittani Johnson
Michael Allen Hobbs       Beautiful SeeAsia             Ruben E. Mendez            Bob Witanek