Thursday, June 30, 2016

Presidential / VP Candidates Mimi Soltysik / Angela Nicole Walker (Socialist Party USA) Statement Supporting Sept 9 Prison Strike and Decarcerate the Garden State Efforts

In recognition of a U.S. legal system that is inherently racist and unjust, the Soltysik/Walker 2016 Campaign stands in solidarity with the September 9th prisoner work stoppage against prison slavery and supports the Decarcerate the Garden State project. We strongly encourage comrades in New Jersey to learn about Decarcerate the Garden State at http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/ and get involved.

Without your help, challenging and ultimately dismantling the for-profit prison system and the racist legal system that incarcerates people of color at an unconscionably disproportionate rate will be a near-impossibility. Together, substantive change is possible.
Our Platform calls for the "dismantling of the prison industrial complex through reductions and dismantling of existing prisons, and an end to mass incarceration of people of color." Not only is support for a decarceration effort sensible, support for a decarceration effort is essential." Related:

NJ Socialist Party Joins September 9th. Incarcerated and Enslaved Solidarity Coalition





Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Panel Discussions, Meeting Speaking Opportunities and Other Meetings – All Over NJ!

NEXT PHONE CONFERENCE MEETING 6:30 PM TUESDAY JULY 5
Conference Call Meeting Tuesday 6:30 pm EST

Conf:712-770-4010- Access 100577


This article will serve as the minutes of the meeting of Decarcerate the Garden State that occurred tonight, June 28 with James Turner, Shulonda Smith, Jim Brash and myself in attendance.

MEETINGS / DISCUSSIONS ALL OVER NJ!
Jim Brash at the meeting effectively stressed the need for our September 9 efforts to do a better job of spreading out across the whole state through panel discussions, leafleting and street organizing and other events, attendance at organizational meetings and other means to explain our Decarceration fight and the meaning of the September 9 events.

We need everyone to help with this.  If you are part of an organization or are connected to one and get get us an audience at a group meeting where we can explain these issues and get your involvement – please contact us IMMEDIATELY 908-881-5275 Decarc@DecarcerateNJ.org .
It was also stressed at the meeting about the need to engage more organizations in the process of organizing and participating in promotional activities for the September 9 effort.  We have several powerful statements from organizations and individuals – we need to leverage those statements and we need to engage the 100s of organizations in the state.  We have a historic moment to make this Decarceration effort front and center in NJ – both because of the September 9 organizing and also because of the Sentencing Project report and the 12:1 figure where NJ has *the very worse* incarceration disparities of all states in the nation (a Black NJ resident is 12 times as likely to be incarcerated as a white NJ resident).
LEAFLETING THURSDAY JUNE 30 1:30-4PM NEWARK SUPERIOR COUIRT 50 W. MARKET STREET: FIGHT NJ RACIAL DISPARITIES IN NJ SENTENCING

The importance of this Thursday’s (June 30, 1:30pm – 4pm) leafleting effort outside the Essex County Superior Courthouse at 50 W. Market Street in Newark NJ was discussed. 

http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/fight-njs-racial-incarceration-thu-630.html

Our primary purpose is organizing the families and those in danger of incarceration. We are also doing this to send a message to the prosecutors, police, judges, attorneys and the system in general that status quo racial factoring into criminal justice decision making in NJ has to come to AN ABRUPT END . . .And those that have been subject to such racial determinations in their "punishments" need immediate relief - sentence commutation.
The process of over charging to force plea to a deal for excessive years HAS TO STOP NOW - TODAY! THURSDAY! INCLUDING IN THE MATTERS BEING HEARD THERE AND THROUGHOUT NJ!

This activity is a blueprint - hopefully we will get several leafleting sessions out in front of each and every county courthouse in the state between now and September 9 and then thereafter.

The courthouse is the proverbial modern day auction block. We need to protest mass incarceration, mass enslavement - racial determinants in police, prosecution, judgment, sentencing, treatment inside and parole decision making.

If you can not make this Thursday but might be available at another time - contact us 908-881-5275 - Decarc@DecarcerateNJ.org  - also if you want to get involved at another courthouse around the state.

ALSO THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 8PM, @ WEEDMAN'S JOINT


Decarcerate / Legalize Unity - Can the Battles be Joined?
This meeting will discuss challenges and opportunities for convergence of legalize decarcerating struggle and justice decarcerating struggle.  We will also discuss the September 9 plans for a two tiered protest at the Statehouse.


PAPER AND FLIER DISTRIBUTION AT NORTHERN STATE PRISON JULY 9
James Turner is working on organizing events around the North Jersey State facility on Doremus Street in Newark.  We tentatively scheduled leafleting and NJ Decarerator paper distribution to families visiting their loved ones there for Saturday July 9 – details to be announced.  We will use the opportunity to get a feel for how to organize around the site and determine the access to visitor traffic for face to face organizing.  Stay tuned for more details.

EAST ORANGE ORGANIZING
Shulonda Smith will be distributing NJ Decarcerator papers in East Orange.  She is also looking into a possible location for a Decarceration organizing discussion in East Orange.

SPIKE THE STRIKE – EVERY FRIDAY!
At least week’s meeting (June 21) we discussed making Friday’s SPIKE THE STRIKE AGAINST ENSLAVEMENT days for the purpose of encouraging all participants and supporters of the September 9 shut down to promote a FRENZY of social network activity – by forwarding links, memes. Articles, event information but also doing organizing by phone, person, etc. around September 9.  Since September 9 is a Friday – a spike as we count down each week closer to the date will help realign our forces.  We are going to promote this idea in NJ and throughout the country.  To make it fun we are going to encourage participants to count how many internet and other actions they have taken since the prior week and to post the number in the event.
We will continue to meet each Tuesday, via phone, the next meeting occurring Tuesday, July 5.

ONE ON ONE PHONE CONVERSATIONS
We have a lot going on with this but this will not be successful without your active participation in all aspects of planning and participation.  We will be looking to talk directly with each of you individually to discuss how to better engage your participation in the planning and events.  Call us today to get on board 908-881-5275.  You can also text your number and let us know hwen is a good time to call you,

MOST RECENT STATUS REPORT
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/nj-sept-9-status-report-as-of-june-23.html

Monday, June 27, 2016

Collingswood NJ: Converting Schools to Prisons / Teachers to Snitches

Update - police state policy ROLLED BACK!  Victory!  

This article linked and quoted:

Bob Witanek, who blogs about law and justice issues in New Jersey at Decarcerate NJ, echoed Mello’s fears, pointing out that the racial disparity among jailed residents of New Jersey is twice the national average, with blacks “12 times as likely to end up in prison.”
“Policies that turn every school discipline matter into a police matter will only exacerbate this matter, especially given the similar racial disparities in school discipline that are typical in New Jersey and throughout the nation,” Witanek wrote.
“Why does every possible infraction have to be run by the prosecutor’s office for possible police action?” he wrote. “There is no rule that every violation of law has to be prosecuted…what does this say about the future of New Jersey public schools that, under the whim of a local prosecutor, teachers get turned to snitches and education gets criminalized?” '

As of last night here is where we stood:
http://www.njpen.com/police-investigations-mandated-for-discipline-issues-at-collingswood-schools/

Somehow the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has the power to force by unilateral edict a school district to cede its disciplinary responsibilities to tbe local police and prosecutors office – resulting in the criminalization of what previously would have been considered minor and routine day-to-day disciplinary matters.

Every single discipline matter in Collingswood NJ schools has to be referred to the prosecutors office and investigated by the police.  Total boondoggle – and what about all the wasted tax dollars on police hours investigating chewing gum stuck under the desk or hallway pushing match.
When did schools fall under the jurisdiction of the prosecutors’ office?  What police state language in NJ state law allows this arrangement to be imposed – apparently via edict by a prosecutor?  Why can’t the superintendent just say – no can do – we will let you know if we need police help with anything. 

NJ is the very worse state in the nation when it comes to the disparity between the likelihood of a Black resident catching a prison sentence vs. a white resident – a Black NJ resident is 12 times as likely to end up in prison.  That is twice the national average of 6:1 which itself is horrendous.

See Sentencing Project report:

Policies that turn every school discipline matter into a police matter will only exacerbate this matter especially given the similar racial disparities in school discipline that are typical in NJ and throughout the nation.

What role does the Camden County prosecutors office play in feeding this disparity?  Should public schools be part of these stats?  Should Collingswood superintendent – on behalf of the Camden County prosecutor – be greasing the skids and pushing kids into the juvenile system?

We have all heard of the school to prison pipeline – in Collingswood NJ they are skipping the school – turning the schools into a prison – so now it is the Collingswood Prison to Prison Pipeline.

What authority does a prosecutor have to edict a school to do this and why does every possible infraction have to be run by the prosecutors office for possible police action - there is no rule that every violation of law has to be prosecuted - why would this be going on and what does this say about the future of NJ public schools that under the whim of a local prosecutor - teachers get turned to snitches and education gets criminalized?

And how can teachers and administrators build meaningful educational relationships based upon trust with their students if the definition of their jobs includes being a police snitch?
Lets call them out and lets demand this cozy little arrangement for police over time and ruining the lives of children – criminalizing them for leaving their seat before the bell rings – is brought to an immediate halt.

Another reason to oppose this is because if allowed to stand this can set a dangerous precedent where prosecutors take over school after school and turn them into virtual incarceration facilities.

Write to Collingswood Superintendent Scott Oswald – tell him to stand up for his students and teachers and tell the cops and the prosecutor to back off.  Tell him to refuse to comply and to seek an injunction to block the policy. http://www.collingswood.k12.nj.us/apps/email/index.jsp?e=40854077408540934049407140553983405340774071407140854069395339553947407740834061,&n=Scott+A.+Oswald%2C+Ed.D.


Write to NJ Commissioner of Education David Hespe and tell him to assert Department of Education authority over this police state intrusion into education discipline matters.

dave.hespe@doe.state.nj.us

My letter:
From: Bob Witanek 
Sent: Jun 27, 2016 11:22 PM
To: soswald@collsk12.org, dave.hespe@doe.state.nj.us
Subject: Prosecutor Hands Off Public School Discipline!

Dear Superintendent Oswald and Commissioner Hespe.

Under what legal authority does the superintendent cede discipline code matters to the police and prosecutor?  How does a prosecutor's office get away with unilaterally ordering a school district to allow it to handle all discipline matters?  Why should every minor discipline matter be subject to possibly being criminalized?  And how can Camden County afford all of the police over time to cover school discipline issues?

How does the NJ State Commissioner of Schools sit on the sideline and watch this happen?  

Is it your plan to implement such police state tactics across the whole state?

Is this a trial balloon?

Where is the mandate for this and what legal authority is governing this police takeover of Collingswood schools?

The Sentencing Project has found that NJ has the worse racial disparities in incarceration rates - a Black resident is 12 times as likely as a white to catch a prison sentence.  We all know that similar disparities permeate the schools across NJ and the nation regarding discipline matters.

THe State Senate just passed a measure that requires all new criminal justice related matters to have a racial impact study.  Who did the diligence of raical impact of this prosecutor takeover?

Who bears responsibility for the potential lives ruined by criminalization of Collingswood students and the education opportunities ruined by turning teachers into snitches.


Bob Witanek
co-founder 
Decarcerate the Garden State

Most Recent Meeting Minutes for Decarcerate the Garden State Sept 9 Organizing
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/panel-discussions-meeting-speaking.html

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Fight NJ's Racial Incarceration: Thu 6/30 1:30-4pm Newark Superior Court 50 W Market St


Thu 6/30 1:30-4pm
Newark Superior Court
50 W Market Stm Newark, NJ
Leaflet Distribution Outside Courthouse

A recent report of the Sentencing Project has revealed that NJ has the worse racial disparity of all states in the US, with Black residents having a 12:1 probability vs. white residents to end up incarcerated.  In response, Decarcerate the Garden State has developed a flier that raises these concerns.  The plan is to hand the flier out along with our newspaper, The NJ Decarcerator, outside
Superior Courthouses around the state of NJ.

Our first planned distribution will be Thursday, 1:30 - 4pm at Newark Superior Court, 50 W. Market Street.

We are hoping for a team of 4 - 10 to handle the effort through more are certainly welcome.

The more participants we get - the more approach points of the courthouse we can cover.  Ideally we would have teams of at least 2 and one should be ready to film any encounter with police that should develop.  We will figure out the best way to cover the entrance and approach points from the sidewalk to avoid any excuses of authorities to try to trample our democratic First Amendment rights.

If you are interested, please RSVP on the Facebook event, call 908-881-5275 or write to Decarc@DecarcerateNJ.org

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/885144451614564/

Sample tweet:
Fight NJ's Racial Incarceration: Thu 6/30 1:30-4pm Newark Superior Court 50 W Market St #DecarcerateNJ http://bit.ly/28W0f9X

Where: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7378897,-74.1812906,19z

This will be a trial run - we hope we can do this often and at all of the county courthouses in the state.  Let the battle be joined!

Related postings - this strategy further explaiend: http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/nj-racial-disparities-in-incarceration.html


Formation of Defender Mothers (And Others) Committees:
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/defender-mothers-and-others-mutual.html

Text of Flier:

NJ’s 12:1 Incarceration Ratio is Worse of All States in the US
Racial Scorecards for Prosecutors, Courts, Police - And Commutation Relief for those who have been OVER PROSECUTED AND OVER SENTENCED!
A recent Sentencing Project study reveals that in NJ– a Black person is 12 times as likely a white to end up in prison.  We need to *dig deeper into the data* to determine who are the actors and what are the methods being utilized to deliver these disparities.

We need racial scorecards for NJ judges, prosecutors, municipal and county courts, police forces and individual police.  Racial disparities should be explained:
·        Who gets arrested compared to the likelihood of each to commit the offenses?
·        For whom are excessive charges used to force pleas and longer sentences?
·        What are conviction rates and what sentences are given for similar crimes?
·        What are arrest records vs. crime incidence vs. community demographics of individual police, of precincts, of police captains, etc?
·        For prosecutors, analysis of racial factors in their leniency or harshness, in their selection of which cases to prosecute, racial disparities in their conviction rates, in plea bargaining and other aspects of their prosecution.

What is needed:
·       Immediate relief through amnesty and sentence commutation to time served for those found to have been victimized by racial factors in any aspect of their encounter with NJ’s criminal justice system.
·       Address the related social dynamics that contribute to behavior resulting in arrest.
·       Identify and weed out police, prosecutors, judges and attorneys general that show bias in their administration of justice – determine if misconduct is a factor.

·       Put in place monitoring and training to prevent continuation of such racial application of law enforcement and criminal justice in NJ.




June 28 Protest Rally at Horizon; Hackensack, Meridian to merge

The following is a PSA on behalf of the June 11 Continuations Committee:


The June 11 Continuations committee will hold a protest/rally at Horizon Healthcare, 949 Raymond Blvd in Newark. The time is Tuesday, June 28, at 3:30 PM.

It is very close to Newark Penn Station  if you want to use NJ Transit or other public transportation.

This is a "bring your own sign" event. Here are a few suggestions:

O-M-N-I-A SPELLS "MONOPOLY"

HORIZON: PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE

WE NEED UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE

OMNIA IS A HEALTH HAZARD

Also, more bad news: Hackensack UMC and Meridian are merging. Another healthcare behemoth that just *happens* to fall inside the OMNIA Tier 1.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Decarcerate / Legalize Unity - Can the Battles be Joined?




Thursday June 30, 8pm

Weedman’s Joint, 322 E. State Street, Trenton, NJ (across street from Trenton City Hall)

Decarcerate the Garden State, Peoples Organization for Progress and many other organizations are uniting NJ in support of a nationwide prison labor shut down to protest against enslavement of the incarcerated and more generally against mass incarceration on September 9 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9mwsA_oACA&feature=youtu.be 

We are hoping to work together with the legalize movement for the Trenton component of this event which we plan to organize for the Statehouse.



This is an opportunity for the legalize advocates to join together with other justice oriented forces and to build greater unity - an opportunity to help organize Trenton into a broader fightback around both the legalization and the closely related decarceration efforts.

Bob Witanek and possibly others will propose a plan for a unified effort for total Trenton city mobilization for this event.

To be covered:


Details about proposed demonstration at Statehouse on September 9 and about the concept of September 9, the organizations involved and the potentials

Discussion on the similarities and differences between legalization and justice organizing including recommended precautions when doing justice work

Proposals and discussion for lead in events:
a.    Leafleting Trenton public housing
b.    Local meetings between now and Sept 9 to publicize
c.    Brainstorming about how to accomplish full city mobilization

Trenton proposed:

The proposal is to have an event at the Statehouse with two sections:  an hour or so with representation of justice related issues with hopefully Black Lives Matter and UMIO participating. and the other hour would be the issue of cannabis related concerns with the 25000 arrests - the machine guns in the street at the Joint - both groups would also be supporting the strike of prisoners and the other demands of the day - free political prisoners (the cannabis section might also call for release of all cannabis prisoners and immediate dismissal of all pending citations and pending fines), 50% reduction of NJ prisoners - we maybe will add something about the Sentencing Project NJ twice as bad as rest of country in racial disparity. And improved conditions in NJ facilities - we hope to have specific details about that. The issue of the Trenton curfew might also be addressed.

Addendum:

Original invitation letter to all organizations (including all NJ legalization efforts):
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/05/pop-decarcerate-garden-state-letter.html


Defender Mothers and Others - Mutual Support for Families Impacted by NJ Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice

Sample Tweet:
Defender Mothers/Others-Mutual Support-Families Impacted by NJ Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice #DecarcerateNJ http://bit.ly/28UWaBb


"I know of at least one situation coming up this week in Newark where a mother has reached out to me.  If you might be interested in lending your support – please contact me and I will connect you to her."

NJ faces a siege of racial disparities in sentencing to prison where a Black is 12times likely a white resident to end up incarcerated in NJ’s statefacilities.  NJ is THE WORSE in the nation in this regard.  That is roughly twice the national average which is a 6:1 ratio – itself a horrendous figure.  Every aspect of the criminal justice system in NJ is suspect in the generation of these horrifying results.

What if mothers of those that are incarcerated and facing incarceration in cities across NJ (and around the nation) started up Defender Committees to support each other and advocate together?  What if they mobilized for courthouse proceedings – met for press conferences and pickets with signs outside the court and / or went into the courtoom during the trial to sit with the mother and other loved ones of the accused and through their physical presence – convey to the court, the prosecutor and the system that the community is aware of the situation, monitoring and prepared to act accordingly against any aspect of racism seeping into the proceedings?

The challenge is that nobody wants to be seen as pro-crime especially in communities beset with violence and street crime.  However, no matter what anyone did or did not do - there are serious disparities from top to bottom in how so-called criminal justice is meted out in NJ – a 12:1 ratio of likelihood to catch a prison sentence for NJ’s Black population vs. its white population.  Nobody would be saying that some might not need to be separated from the community for a time – but that children and loved ones should not be OVER prosecuted - over charged - over
sentenced which is exactly what is happening to NJ’s Black alleged offenders as documented in the Sentencing Project report,

A mutual support committee among mothers and family members that have a common interest in seeing racism eradicated from the equation could provide watch dog monitoring, occasionally picketing and press conferences, attendance of each others cases, etc.  It would be an undertaking but it could be the kinds of struggle needed to start to drive the scourge of mass incarceration concentrated on NJ’s Black population back on a case-by-case basis.

The reality is that the determination of the court is largely influenced by the political climate.  NJ’s racist climate when it comes to justice related issues now is the determining factor.  Intervention from impacted families, especially mothers, and advocates can begin the fightback around these issues.

If you are interested in such an approach, or you have a case where you can use support – please contact Decarc@DecarcerateNJ.org/ 908-881-5275 and I will try to connect you with others.

I know of at least one situation coming up this week in Newark where a mother has reached out to me.  If you might be interested in lending your support – please contact me and I will connect you to her.

Sept. 9 Current Status: 
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/nj-sept-9-status-report-as-of-june-23.html


NJ Racial Disparities in Incarceration – Let’s Fully Analyze (and Act Upon) NJ’s Data

Sample Tweet:
12:1 incarceration disparity for Black NJ residents – What should be done? #DecarcerateNJ http://bit.ly/290rXEj

The most recent drop of the Sentencing Project analysis    in racial disparities in incarceration, 
comparing the states based upon the rate racially of white versus Black catching a prison sentence has revealed that NJ has the worse racial disparity in the entire nation – a Black person in NJ is 12 times as likely a white to end up in prison.  Comically (almost) when the media first reported on this information they described the disparity incorrectly – the headlines first said that for every white in NJ’s statefacilities there are 12 Blacks.  That was incorrect.

While NJ’s over all rates of incarceration for both white and Black are better than much of the nation, the racial differences are *the very worse* in the nation.  These revelations underscore the need for the work of Decarcerate the Garden State and provide an exclamation point for the importance of the September 9th organizing we are focused upon.

One response spearheaded by Rev. Charles Boyer in NJ is to support the passage of legislation calling for racial impact statements with any new legislation in NJ that affects criminal justice issues. 


This is an important effort.  It will be voted upon in the full Senate this Monday, June 27.  Decarcerate the Garden State has contacted its legislators via e-mail and twitter supporting a YES vote and we urge our membership to do the same.  Here is the latest PSA (on behalf of Rev. Boyer) from our blog site urging everyone to also contact their legislator.  Please follow suit and get your letters, calls, tweets in to your representatives immediately.


http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/psa-tell-your-nj-senate-yes-on-s-677.html

We should not stop there however.  The racial disparity is a severe issue and we need to further analyze the reasons for it and to *dig deeper into the data* to determine who are the actors and what are the methods being utilized to deliver these horrendous discrepancies.

NJ should do a study and if the state is unwilling to fund such a study, media outlets and researchers, on campuses and in organizations should take it up.  To put it bluntly – we need to develop racial scorecards for NJ judges, NJ prosecutors, NJ municipal and county courts, police forces and individual police.  We need to analyze the data and break it down.  Racial disparities should be explained – controlling for factors.  Things that need to be determined include:

Who is arrested for what offenses compared to the propensity of each group to commit such offenses.
What are the number of charges applied for a single incident or offense?  Are charges being wobbled and then leveraged to force pleas and longer sentences?
What are the conviction rates for similar crimes?
What are the sentences meted out for similar convictions.?
What are arrest records vs. crime incidence vs. community demographics of individual police, of precints, of officers under police captains, etc?
For prosecutors, analysis of racial factors in their leniency or harshness, in their selection of which cases to prosecute, racial disparities in their conviction rates, in plea bargaining and other aspects of their prosecution.
There are probably many other aspects of NJ meting out of “criminal justice” that need to be placed under the microscope. 

We also should start calling attention to these issues by picketing courthouses that have particularly egregious records – or calling press conferences outside while court is in session.  On the one hand the press conferences and pickets can correspond with particular cases that bear further examination to determine if race is a factor but on the other hand – that might not be necessary because it is clear that race is always a factor in NJ from the patrol, to the arrest, to the charging, to the treatment in jail, to the bail, to the scheduling of the trial, to the prosecution, to the conviction rates, to the sentencing, and then to the treatment in prison and to the eligibility and approval for parole (and many other aspects).

It is imperative.  To let this study be just one more set of statistics that we complain about without acting upon the results just guarantees that the bleak quality of life will continue for much of NJ’s residency, particularly the Black residency – but all of us as well since racially concentrated mass incarceration destroys community potential.

Once we more fully understand NJ’s racial dynamic in criminal justice we can determine the solutions:
1.       First and foremost provide immediate relief through amnesty and sentence commutation to time served for all of those found to have been victimized by racial factors in any aspect of their encounter with NJ’s discriminating criminal justice system.
2.       Address the related social dynamics that contribute to behavior resulting in arrest.
3.       Identify and weed out police, prosecutors, judges and attorneys general that show bias in their administration of justice.
4.       Put in place monitoring and training to prevent continuation of such racial application of law enforcement and criminal justice in NJ.
Meanwhile we should address these issues in our organizing around September 9 and we should start a full court press with picketing, leaflet distribution and press conferences outside courthouses where these racial factors are being applied.


These issues are complex so care must be taken but for the report to flow downstream with only lip service from politicians and inaction from the community will allow this problem only to grow worse.

Sept. 9 Current Status: http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/nj-sept-9-status-report-as-of-june-23.html


Friday, June 24, 2016

PSA: Tell Your NJ Senate YES on S 677 - Racial / Ethnic Impact

The following is a PSA on behalf of Rev. Charles Boyer of NJ Campaign for Racial Impact Statements 
Rev. Charles Boyer is on board with our September 9 efforts - see statement.

E-mail addresses of NJ Senators listed below.

Previous PSA with more information:
 http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/06/action-alert-racial-impact-statements.html 


Sample tweet:

Demand Racial Impact Statements for NJ Laws #DecarcerateNJ http://bit.ly/28UFL3R

ll your State Senator to VOTE YES MONDAY for S.677 to 
Challenge Racial Disparity in the New Jersey Criminal Justice System 
  
Thanks to you, our momentum is building! S.677 which requires racial and ethnic impact statements will receive a full Senate vote on Monday, June 27, 2016 at 2PM!

We need your help to make sure this important bill passes the Senate

Email, call, or fax your Senator encouraging them to VOTE YES ON S.677

Sample (Copy and Paste in to your Senator)

Dear Senator__________

I have read the recent report published by The Sentencing Project that shows New Jersey is the worst state in the nation regarding racial disparities in the state's prisons. This must be stopped! As your constitute I encourage you to VOTE YES ON S.677 on Monday regarding Racial Impact Statements.


Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
ORGANIZATION

You can find your legislator’s contact information here.

ADDITIONAL WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT!
  • If you haven't already you can also sign on to support the legislation here
  • Help Us Share The Good News On Twitter – tweet this post: Challenge #RacialDisparity in the New Jersey #criminaljustice system. NJ SENATORS VOTE YES on #S677
  • Spread Awareness on Facebook – share the status below on Facebook 
  • “Challenge #RacialandEthnicDisparity in the New Jersey criminal justice system. NJ SENATORS VOTE YES for #S.677! New Jersey incarcerates blacks at 12X the rates of whites. THE WORST IN THE NATION
  • Forward this to everyone in your network so we can continue to build the momentum!
  • Also please download the report issued by The Sentencing Project which shows New Jersey as the Nation's leader in racial disparities in prisons.

Fighting for Salvation and Social Justice
Rev. Charles F. Boyer
NJ Campaign for Racial Impact Statements
Pastor Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Woodbury NJ

Send to all of the with one e-mail by copying the following addresses to your mail message:
    

Thursday, June 23, 2016

NJ Sept 9 Status Report as of June 23



NJ Sept 9 Status Report as of June 23
  
NEXT PHONE CONFERENCE MEETING 6:30 PM TUESDAY JUNE 28
Conference Call Meeting Tuesday 6:30 pm EST
Conf:712-770-4010- Access 100577

What we need for all participants and interested people to do:

Read through this plan of action and determine which parts of the events on September 9 and the organizing until then that you can plug into.

Help identify organizations in your area of the state or that you have connection to that could be interested in being part of this effort.

Offer suggestions on other activities, on lead up activities, places in your community where we can possibly meet, organizations that you might be able to suggest to that they invite us as guest at their meeting, etc.

We need your help – you need to tell us what can you do and what are you willing to do to make this successful?

Minutes of meetings from June 14 and June 21 are combined into this status
June 14 Attendance: John Burns, Michael Mirsky, Carol Serebreny, Bob Witanek
John Burns has proposed to the Black Lives Matters chapters to get involved, was going to look into assisting with art work
Carol Serebreny is interested in helping with literature, leaflet and writing / editing needs
Plan updates from meeting are incorporated below.

June 21 Attendance, Malik, Renee Felton, Shulonda Smith, Jamhar James, Ed Forchion
Malik is Irvington based – will look into organizations around there and suggests working with Enok Rodriguez of Zulu Nation organization
Renee will look into possibilities around Jersey City and will work to get statement from Southwoods Family United
Shulonda is going to look into possibility of a meeting in East Orange and she is going to get some papers and once we produce them, fliers for distribution
Ed is making the restaurant Weedman’s Joint available for a Trenton meeting on June 30.
Plan updates from meeting are incorporated below.

Prior meetings minutes:

Lead up to Sept 9 / Schedule Activities

Attendance at POP General Assembly to get support for POP coordination of Newark September 9 events

Tuesdays, 6/28, 7/5, 12, 19, 26. 8/2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Sept 6 Conference Call Meeting Tuesday 6:30 pm EST
Conf:712-770-4010- Access 100577

Fridays, 6/24. 7/1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 8/5, 12, 19, 26, Sept 2 – Spike the Strike Social Network
We encourage supporters to constantly be promoting information about these efforts in social networking but to escalate and dedicate every Friday to making sure there is extensive sharing, tweeting, etc. of these materials.

June 30 8 pm Weedman’s Joint – meeting with Legalize Advocates / Trenton residents
Facebook event: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/611771928997050/

Outreach to prison families visiting Saturdays / Sundays – To be determined

“Noise” Demonstration at North Jersey State facility – To be determined

Meetings in Newark – To be determined

Leafleting of public housing projects – To be determined

Other meetings at various locations around state – To be determined

Activities planned on September 9 – 10

Newark proposed:

We will ask POP to assist in coordinating Newark.  The proposal is to have an event at the county jail and if there are resources available – possibly a car pool over to the state facility on Doremus for a 2nd
 rally.

Lead-ins – Planned “noise demonstration” and possibly visitor outreach at North Jersey (Doremus).  Meetings at Library, other downtown meeting rooms (South Orange Av).
Is full city mobilization possible?  Leafleting to projects?

Trenton proposed:

The proposal is to have an event at the Statehouse with two sections:  an hour or so with representation of justice related issues with hopefully Black Lives Matter and UMIO participating. and the other hour would be the issue of cannabis related concerns with the 25000 arrests - the machine guns in the street at the Joint - both groups would also be supporting the strike of prisoners and the other demands of the day - free political prisoners (the cannabis section might also call for release of all cannabis prisoners and immediate dismissal of all pending citations and pending fines), 50% reduction of NJ prisoners - we maybe will add something about the Sentencing Project NJ twice as bad as rest of country in racial disparity. And improved conditions in NJ facilities - we hope to have specific details about that. The issue of the Trenton curfew might also be addressed.

 Is full city mobilization possible?  Leafleting projects.

Camden

What has been discussed so far is possibly some sort of rally at the County Jail in Camden.  I have been invited to a community meeting by John Royal though it is not completely scheduled yet.  Hopefully at such a meeting the proposal can be announced and improved upon and the process of fine tuning what exactly Camden does can commence.  Is full city mobilization possible?  Leafleting projects.

Bridgeton
Would it be better for Bridgeton to go to Camden or to do something locally in Bridgeton at the Cumberland County Jail (where there have been jailhouse deaths).

New Brunswick – Fountain activity?

Highland Park

Panel Discussion evening September 10 hosted by Central Jersey Coalition Against Endless War

Atlantic City?

Asbury Park? 
 Randall Thompson, Help Not Handcuffs

Everybody interested in making this happen should pick one of the events being proposed or offer another idea that they are willing to work on in a different area.  It could be easier to get more people involved by having events that people do not have to travel a distance to.

NJ Campuses

On as many campuses as follows, have leafleting and newspaper distribution at the campus cafeterias, covering as many cafeterias and as many meals as feasible.  (Up to 5 copies given to anyone expressing especial interest – clipboards to take names, contact info of interested students.)


Rider Kenny Dillon
Rutgers Newark Jan Makovec
Bergen County James Turner

High Schools

Decarcerate the Garden State officially or unofficially is not encouraging any high school student walk outs at this time.  Youth must assess any risk of participation in these events and probably should get support of their parents should they choose to support this call in any way.

Activities leading up to Sept 9

June 30 at the Joint – meeting to discuss plans for Trenton 9/9

Camden, attendance at Village meeting

Newark,
 meetings possibly at library, South Orange, AFL, Friends, elsewhere?
Leafleting projects?  Planning meetings in Trenton.   Meetings between two groups.
Who can invite us to speak at a meeting, event or help plan a special meeting for this purpose?  The more the merrier/

Press Release

Initial Call to Act - Statewide Actions Proposed by Decarcerate the Garden State and Peoples Organization for Progress
http://decarceratenj.blogspot.com/2016/05/pop-decarcerate-garden-state-letter.html
Statements of Support

Rev. Charles Boyer


PSA  NINE NINE 
video short song promoting the prison shut down