Activism

With the stroke of a pen on Aug. 5, President Andrés Pastrana made Columbia the 77th country (out of 120 signatory countries) to ratify the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty. Known as the Rome Statute, the world tribunal acquired its 60th endorsing nation-state earlier this year. That allowed the tribunal to commence its jurisdiction on July 1 as the first permanent court capable of investigating and bringing to justice individuals worldwide who commit crimes of concern to the international community. It is scheduled to hold its first official meeting in September. read more

So, here we are again – in an era of “homeland security” and anti-terrorism hyper-awareness. Obviously, there’s a dangerous, rising current of aggression and violence – by fundamentalist groups and irresponsible governments. But it’s hard to be sure how much of what we hear is an accurate assessment, and how much is exaggerated – or worse, misinformation designed to disguise someone’s hidden agenda.

As in the Vietnam War, the notorious McCarthy era, and the Red Scares and crackdowns that have periodically re-occurred throughout US history, there’s a serious chill in the air. For those working to stop corporate globalization or fighting for social justice, this comes as no surprise. The effort to classify many of them as “potential terrorists” has been underway for some time. But things have gone much further since 9/11. The initial roundup and heightened security measures were merely a prologue, soon followed by a surge in “purges” for those expressing unpopular opinions and open calls for the use of torture to extract information from suspects. Meanwhile, the government assembled sweeping new powers to surveil, wiretap, monitor the Internet, detain people, and conduct secret searches. read more

Portland, Oregon, received national attention last December when its police bureau refused a request by Attorney General John Ashcroft to question 200 locals of Arab descent. Justifying the refusal, Portland officials cited a state law that prohibits police from collecting information on any group or individual without a “reasonable suspicion of criminal behavior.”

Despite the feeding frenzy, mainstream media omitted some relevant background on the city’s decision: During City Council hearings two months earlier, a coalition of organizations had pointed out potential violations of that law by members of the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (PJTTF). Citizens were demanding that either the city implement independent oversight or reject PJTTF’s annual reinstatement. read more

On March 3, 2002, two weeks after a successful conference on prison issues in Burlington, about 40 people gathered in City Hall's Contois Auditorium to discuss the next steps in building an effective movement for prison justice. Enthusiastic support for a permanent organization, based on a coalition model, was expressed. After a brief introduction, the meeting became a two-hour brainstorming session that resulted in the formation of three working groups -- Mission and Goals, Advocacy, and Structure and Process.  These groups will meet one or more times during the next month to develop their proposals.

The Alliance for Prison Justice (APJ) organizing committee will begin to discuss proposals on Wednesday, April 3, at 5 p.m. at the Prisoners Rights Office (in the Defender General's Office, 1416 Baldwin St., Montpelier). For APJ information, call (802) 657-3733, or e-mail office@towardfreedom.com. 

Many thanks to the many groups and individuals who work on these important issues and have participated in Alliance organizing so far, including representatives of Burlington's Community Justice Center, American Friends Service Committee-Vermont, Vermont Protection and Advocacy, Inc., Vermont Human Rights Commission, Vermont Refugee Assistance, Prisoners' Rights Office, Governor's Commission on Women, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Toward Freedom, American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, Vermont-CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants), Prisoners' Health Coalition, Dismas House, Pax Christi, Small Potatoes, Green Mountain Support Group, the National Association of Rights, Protection and Advocacy, Restorative Justice of Central Vermont, and the many other organizations, in Vermont and throughout New England, who took part in the conference. We look forward to working together with them and other organizations in the future.

DEFINING THE PROBLEMS

At the Feb. 16 conference, about two-thirds of the 185 people who completed registration and interest forms indicated their primary areas of interest. Those mentioned most often included: 1) Reintegration (58%), 2) Mental Health (55%), 3)Out-of-state transfers (44%), Independent Oversight (41%), Probation and Parole (41%), and Segregation, solitary and sensory deprivation (39%).   During the March 3 session, further discussion resulted in a more detailed list of problem and need areas, some or all of which may be addressed by the Alliance for Prison Justice: Inadequate and/or misguided programs and missing opportunities inside prisons, as well as in the parole and furlough (FSU) systems, including:

1) Lack of a medical and psychiatric units inside prisons;
2) Substance abuse treatment;
3) Educational opportunities for prisoners (nothing beyond high school level is available);
4) Programming for women, especially in Chittenden;
5) Work opportunities;
6) Lack of methadone;
7) Reintegration programs, including the lack of halfway houses;
8) Facilities designated as "detention centers" (such as St. Johnsbury, where the supposed maximum stay is 2 years) officially offer no treatment programs;
9) Forced participation in AA.

B. Economic and structural problems, including 1) a general lack of funding; 2) overcrowding; 3) privatized medical care, 4) a lack of professionalism.

C. Incarceration for probation, parole, and furlough violations, a significant cause of overcrowding and generally a misguided policy.

D. Needed legislative and administrative reforms, including: 1) custodial sexual misconduct legislation; 2) citizen oversight.

E. The need for alternatives to incarceration, especially for substance abuse and mental illness.  

F. Youth issues: Children under SRS custody are dumped when they turn 18, often into the prison system. Decriminalizing underage drinking should be considered.

G. Overarching political problems, including: 1) a gap between progressive politics and actual practices; 2) class and race issues.

DEVELOPING OUR MISSION

The Mission Working Group will develop a mission and goals statement for review and revision, based on the expressed needs and problems, and suggestions made during the meeting. attend. The point person is Martin Pincus (pinkyoga@yahoo.com, 802-223-6260).   

Suggestions for the mission statement included:

BUILDING A MOVEMENT: direct involvement of and communication with prisoners, their families, ex-prisoners, and legislators; developing a base in every region of the state; a tough, assertive, active, and productive organization for change; transforming the system -- and our own minds; exploring the issue of reform vs. prison abolition strategies.

PRISONER ASSISTANCE: an effective mentoring program to reduce recidivism, using community resources for effective reintegration; enabling prisoners to take legal actions by sharing hard skills.

ADVOCACY: actively promoting humane treatment of prisoner and a criminal justice system that is less punitive and more treatment-based; re-humanizing "criminals", erasing the line between "us" and "them"; acting as a liaison with the State House -- in other words, being there to say what's really going on when legislators discuss prison issues, and especially when the DOC presents reports.

PROMOTING REFORMS: addressing problems associated with sending prisoners out of state, bringing them back, and connecting this issue to alternatives to incarceration, We believe that overcrowding isn't necessary, since many people are in prison for such minor offenses.

PUBLIC EDUCATION: effective communication with the public and lawmakers, connecting prison issues with concerns about crime in a more meaningful way. We want to make the point that prisons are not effective in reducing crime. Also, we hope to confront racism in Vermont with diversity training.

STRUCTURE & PROCESS

The Structure and Process Working Group is developing an organizational proposal. The point person is Arthur Saffold (sekoujambo@yahoo.com, 748-1598). Others are welcome to join. 

Suggestions for structure and process include:

STRUCTURE: having organizations and individuals as sponsors and members (Peace and Justice Center model); a statewide approach, with regional representation beyond Montpelier and Burlington; organizing by topic (youth, reintegration, etc.) or by region; make sure every facility is covered.

PARTICIPATION: caseworkers and prison officials; prisoners, former prisoners, family members, and friends; high school, college, and other students; native organizations; women's groups, e.g. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and victims rights advocates, connecting victims rights with treatment for the 'perpetrators'. We believe the punitive model doesn't help victims or protect people in the future. Also, utilizing existing resources for education and training, e.g. Dawnland Center, Fortune Society, Lawline, Vermont Legal Aid, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. No names in minutes without permission.

TASKS AND FUNCTIONS: research, fact finding, creating reports; oversight -- a many-pronged approach, including legislative; public relations and media; legal committee, with experts to educate families and prisoners; support group, with a  networking function to connect families of prisoners; citizens oversight -- establishing a committee to make this happen, either independently or with state support; involving groups to handle disability and health issues, e.g. PHC, NAMI, VtP+A.

TAKING ACTION: ADVOCACY

The Advocacy Working Group is developing specific action proposals. The point person is Barry Kade (kadeb@sover.net, 802-933-2490, or 802-933-2490). Suggestions for advocacy include: 

PROJECTS: halfway houses - for women in Chittenden county, men and women in general; citizens oversight; direct support for poor families of prisoners; focus on large societal, systemic reforms and changes, connecting individual examples with broader problems; making the connections between capitalism's distortions and the prison system; approaches to abolition; changing public opinion on priority issues.

APPROACHES: research; bringing stories to the public and writing editorials; voter education; professional public and press relations; cultivate other activists, the press, judges, etc.; educate legislators, keeping the DOC 'honest'; sensitivity, protecting individuals while telling their stories.

TARGETS: legislators, DOC, other policy makers, the governor, and the general public. Our advocacy should incorporate a strategy for change, and address the need to know the personalities who can make a difference.

A FINAL NOTE

Now is the time to act! With a solid structure, clear priorities and public involvement, we can move into action very. Our network is growing. The next steps could make a real difference in the lives of many people and, hopefully, also begin to bring real justice to Vermont's prisons. Please join us.

Twenty-five years ago, less than half a million people were behind bars in the US. Today, even though crime rates are still roughly the same, more than two million prisoners are doing hard time. Nevertheless, the conventional wisdom won’t die. You know, more severe punishment and longer sentences will reduce crime — or at least incapacitate some bad guys. Oh yes, some are truly dangerous. However, the sad truth is that most people in US jails are nonviolent offenders and casualties of the war on drugs, many incarcerated for possession, not the sale, of narcotics. read more

Excerpt from a new play