The NJ Decarcerator: It’s a New Era and We Are Busting Out!

The Committee to Decarcerate the Garden State is working on publishing a paper we will call the NJ Decarcerator.  The paper will be distributed on the streets, at events, at our decarceration gatherings at prison visitation lines, etc.  It will be used as an organizing tool and we hope we can use it to stir up discussion around the issues we are addressing.  We have begun to assemble the articles and some links here are of some of what will appear in print (or what we hope to print).  It is still a work in progress but we are getting there.

Petition Text (we will add a note urging contact w/ their state reps and a link where they can find out how to contact their state reps – details of The NJ Decarceration Act drive)

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

Letter to Sen. Rice – urging folks to get similar letters to their own local reps

http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2014/06/letter-to-nj-senator-ron-rice-introduce.html

Letter to Organizations / Individuals (the following will be generalized to the whole state of NJ instead of just Newark)

http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2014/06/open-letter-to-newark-organizations-and.html

Former Correction Officer Calls for End to "Dehumanization" in NJ Prisons 

http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2014/07/former-correction-officer-calls-for-end.html

It's time to end solitary confinement in NJ (permission to reprint granted) (we will add contact information)

http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/04/its_time_to_end_solitary_confinement_in_nj_opinion.html

New Jersey and Beyond: Decarceration Activism (permission requested)

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/07/14/decarceration-activism/

Jersey City Man Shot in the Face and Blinded by Police Sentenced to 16 Years (permission requested)

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/23220-jersey-city-man-shot-in-the-face-and-blinded-by-police-faces-30-years-in-prison

Torture and death in America’s prisons (permission requested)

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/07/15/pers-j15.html

Other articles WIP:
Our action plan (including NJ Decarceration Act, Street and other discussions, leafleting prison visitor days, The NJ Decarcerator print and distribute, press and blog work, The New Jim Crow study group, guest speakers at meetings, classes, colleges, social network, the petition)

About The NJ Decarcerator . . . It’s a New Day and We’re Busting Out!

Possible:

Poliitcal Prisoners article

Bayside State Prison racism and abuse article

Money – less replacement for bail article

What to do when stopped – brief with link to information

What groups are activated on issue – list of NJ groups involved in efforts around decarceration

Opinion: likely push back, Systemic nature / Social control / racism

Brief with link showing Racial breakdown of NJ state prisons