I am now attempting to shake my self from this malaise and
get back into action. But in so doing –
I want to try to be somewhat more effective.
It is a year and a half now since we began and we are no further along
with real Decarceration in NJ than when we started. We need to begin to change that.
Some of the steps I would like to take and see us take are:
1.
Assess the organizations and individuals around
the state that have identified with our efforts and / or participated in them
and to figure out a way to develop roots in various communities around the state
so that there are free standing Decarceration efforts going forward and community
organizing committees. Toward these ends
I am urging everyone to complete the organizational membership form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1v-q3x7gnkq9PS_owE2nFfv_7k_eFQic94ZjycF6FXuA/viewform?edit_requested=true
2.
Get standing committees in local communities to
agree to plan events. Have a targeted
set of dates for coordinated events.
3.
Encourage organizations to adopt Decarceration positions
and have a place that makes all the statements accessible.
4.
Get commitments from writers and content
producers to keep blog active.
5.
Redouble efforts to reach out to thousands of
incarcerated in the NJ facilities. My
bet is that they do not know about our efforts.
They are not yet engaged in our efforts and are not yet funneling
information to us about the injustices occurring on the inside.
6.
Encourage the families to tell every story and
raise every cry for justice, relief from excessive sentences, release, an end
to neglect and abuse, etc. There should
be 1000s of justice campaigns in NJ and we should have a searchable database or
at least a common place for their stories.
We need to lean into each other for mutual support so that the system
start to get the impression that it is are not taking out the incarcerated one
by one in isolation – but that when it messes with one – it messes with all –
that we will find out about it and act.
7.
Produce the second issue of the NJ
Decarcerator. The second issue will
focus more on reach out to and incorporation into our efforts of the
incarcerated and their families.
I definitely want to get us back on track and believe the
premises of our organization and 6 point action plan still make sense. However I would like to see us lay down a
firmer foundation so that work can continue through committees and allied
organizations all over the state and so that we make Decarcerating the Garden
State a top priority for our communities to the point where inaction by those
political office holders will be at their own peril.
If you want to help with the effort and help get us
relaunched, please contact: Decarc@DecarcerateNJ.org
and also be sure to complete the membership form: