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mosesmadison

THIS WEEK: Resource Fair, Reform Now screening, and WISDOM presentations

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Tuesday, November 10, 5-9pm – Central Library

  • Reform Now is a 45 minute collection of documentaries showcasing work Wisconsin residents are doing to challenge solitary confinement and incarceration practices. The film begins at 5:30pm, and filmmaker Tim Coursen will lead a discussion after the screening.
  • WISDOM will present their 11×15/Restoring Our Communities Wisconsin campaign to decrease Wisconsin’s prison population to 11,000 by the end of 2015. WISDOM is an interfaith grassroots network. Presentation starts at 7:30pm.
  • A resource fair will be available on a drop-in basis from 5-9pm for visitors to meet members of community groups who are addressing racial inequalities and working for social justice.  Groups present include WISDOM, MOSES, Madison Groundwork, Urban League of Greater Madison, Justified Anger, YWCA, and Madison Urban Ministry.

Experience Solitary Confinement

Wednesday, November 11, 7-9pm – Central Library

Former inmate Talib Akbar, Reverend Jerry Hancock, Reverend Kate Edwards, and Jean Feraca, formerly of Wisconsin Public Radio, will share their experiences with solitary confinement and their involvement with prison reform.

  • A lifesize, walk-in model of a solitary confinement cell, based on drawings made by Mr. Akbar, and a soundtrack of a real unit will be at the library during the event and also available for anyone to experience at the library from November 7 through November 12.

 

library flyer

mosesmadison

[Urgent Action] Contact your legislators: Second Chance Act and Jail Resolution

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On Tuesday, May 19th, the Joint Committee on Finance may consider a budget amendment to pass the Second Chance Act, moving most 17-years-olds out of adult corrections and into the juvenile system. Please take 30 seconds to call your State Senator and Assembly Representative with this message: “Please support the Second Chance proposal to return 17-year-olds to the juvenile system, which will be considered in the budget discussions. action-thDon’t let another year go by without making this needed reform, which will be good for kids, for families, and for our communities.” Per David Liners: “We might be close to winning this one!”

On Thursday, May 21st, the County Board will vote on Resolution 556. MOSES Jail Task Force has had a huge win in getting nearly all of our most important policy recommendations incorporated.

Resolution 556 commits to implementing significant improvements to the Dane County criminal justice system to eliminate racial disparities, dramatically reduce solitary and incarceration for people with mental illness, and increase community alternatives.  Additionally, the resolution strongly states the County Board’s support for reducing the number of jail beds, and explicitly opposes the construction of a new standalone jail. A copy of Resolution 556 is attached to this email.

WE NEED YOU TO CONTACT YOUR COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR THIS WEEK TO TELL THEM TO PASS 556!
MOSES Jail Task Force members have put several months and countless hours into this important resolution; it’s now YOUR TURN to ensure that the whole County Board feels the power of MOSES in support of Resolution 556!
Attached is a brief statement of support you can use.

Letter to send to your legislators about Res. 556
Resolution 556 with edits

 

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Experience Solitary Confinement at Edgewood College

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During the week of March 9th, stop by The Stream in the Theatre Arts building at Edgewood College in Madison WI to experience life in a solitary confinement cell. This experience is contemplative in nature and campus-wide participation is encouraged. The Solitary Cell can be reserved for an individual over a 30 or 60 minute time period. Please contact Tony Garcia, tgarcia@edgewood.edu, for group/classroom visits.
solitary at edgewood

mosesmadison

Save the Date! April 29: Madison Action Day 2015

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10980174_10103996077670197_1487870611916962618_oPeople of Faith United for Justice
Madison Action Day
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Bethel Lutheran Church
312 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, WI

Cost: $25 per person includes lunch, childcare and transportation. Registration deadline is April 15. Please download and complete this form and or email info to mosesorganizer@gmail.com to register.

All contributions are welcome!  Scholarship requests will be honored on a first come-first served basis. Make checks payable to MOSES and deliver during a monthly meeting.  You may also mail checks to: MOSES, PO Box 7031, Madison, WI 53707

Keynote Speakers:
Reverend Everett Mitchell, Director of Community Relations of UW-Madison and Pastor at Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Madison.
Hannah Rosenthal: CEO and president, Milwaukee Jewish Federation

Agenda

  •   8:00 Check-in & Refreshments
  •   9:00 Morning Plenary & Issue Briefing
  • 12:00 Lunch
  •   1:00 Legislative Visits at Capital
  •   4:00 Action Day Concludes

Please indicate if you are:

  • volunteering for childcare or requesting childcare and the number and ages of children.
  • if you are interested in carpooling, whether you are driving or riding, and the area of town for pick up/drop off.
  • requesting a scholarship or donating to scholarships that create opportunities for more disenfranchised advocates to participate.

For more information, email info@mosesmadison.org or call 608-622-2360.

CO-SPONSORS: Wisconsin Council of Churches, Faith Voices for Justice, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Lutheran Office for Public Policy, Madison Area Urban Ministry, Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Madison, Wisconsin Jewish Conference and WISDOM

 

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Take Action NOW: Mobilizing to Fix the Dane County Jail System!

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The MOSES Jail Task Force gave an update at the January monthly MOSES meeting about Dane County’s plans to study and invest in new jail facilities. MOSES opposes spending county money on new jail construction or on redundant studies.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW to act and mobilize others is available in four documents from the MOSES Jail Task Force:

  1. PowerPoint – explaining the discussion surrounding the Dane County Jail and MOSES’ position
  2. Mobilization Letter – to send to Dane County Board members and other officials
  3. MOSES Jail Task Force position statement with data
  4. Mobilization Actions List – detailed list of what you can do now

THIS TUESDAY: The Dane County Public Protection and Judiciary Committee (PP&J) will discuss several issues related to the new jail (see agenda here, items on final page) including additional funding requested by Sheriff Mahoney to expand the Mead & Hunt study (with little additional study on mental health) as well as a request from Supervisors Bayrd and Pan to study Criminal Justice Reform.

What can you do NOW?

**Be prepared to stay two hours or more, as testimonies and discussion about the jail proposals may take that amount of time.

In the news:

MOSES JAIL TASK FORCE
Meets 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Optional orientation for newcomers 6:00
(Sub-committee work teams have additional meetings)
St. Mark’s Church (in basement)
605 Spruce St., Madison (Off S Park St.)
Contact:  Ann Pooler, apooler@charter.net, 608-658-6847

mosesmadison

Solitary Confinement Cell Replica & #ReformNow Video

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The replica of a solitary confinement cell will be installed at First Congregational Church in Madison, WI from January 4 – January 10, 2015.

The cell will be available for viewing during the following times:

  • solitary-confinement-flyerSunday, Jan 4: 10am worship service
  • Tuesday, Jan 6: 1-4 pm
  • Thursday, Jan 8: 1-4 pm and 6-8 pm
  • Saturday, Jan 10: 9-noon (Tour before or after the monthly MOSES meeting!)

 

Also, view the Reform Now video on Solitary Confinement including footage from the October 1 rally at the State Capitol:

 


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Updates from the MOSES Jail Task Force

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MOSES SAYS “NO” TO NEW JAIL
AND “YES” TO REDUCING INCARCERATION

MOSES JAIL TASK FORCE has these 3 primary goals:no new jail 1

  1. Stop all unnecessary incarceration
    1. End racial disparities
    2. Treatment instead of jail for people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or addictions
  2. Improve jail conditions for those inside
  3. Ensure that any facility changes promote goals 1 and 2

MOSES’ goals are ambitious and involve multiple complicated systems.  But other municipalities have already succeeded with similar goals, using evidence-based strategies.  JOIN US!

no new jail 2MOSES JAIL TASK FORCE
Meets 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Optional orientation for newcomers 6:00
(Sub-committee work teams have additional meetings)
St. Mark’s Church (in basement)
605 Spruce St., Madison (Off So Park St.)
Contact:  Ann Pooler, apooler@charter.net, 608-658-6847

 Background: In July, a consultant firm (hired by the County Board) recommended that Dane County build a new jail estimated to cost $135 – $141 million.  A MOSES team immediately formed to decide MOSES’ position. We studied the consultants’ 600-page report and began to attend and testify at county committee meetings.

MOSES determined that the proposal assumed a continuation of already outdated incarceration practices. We discerned that many people are in jail unnecessarily—meaning that they are not a risk to the public and are in jail only because they are waiting for a court or DOC hearing, or cannot pay fines or bail (often $500 or less).  We also found racial disparities in jail alternative programs (e.g., only 16% of those released from jail on home monitoring are people of color, compared to 51% of those in jail).

MOSES rejected the new jail proposal in a position statement we released on August 25th.  We presented this at a NAMI public forum, at numerous County criminal justice meetings, and to stakeholders and media. MOSES celebrated an advocacy win October 1st when the County Executive removed the jail proposal from the budget; but our work has just begun.

Please click here to access MOSES position statement including facts and figures about the jail population.  Feel free to share this document widely.

mosesmadison

WISDOM Launches 11×15 Blueprint Details #11x15blueprint

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On Wednesday, December 10, it was standing room only in the State Capitol as WISDOM announced its blueprint for achieving the goal of cutting Wisconsin’s prison population in half (to 11,000) by 2015. YOU are a critical part of bringing this plan to reality. If you missed the event, you can watch a recording by Wisconsin Eye.

Click here to check out a presentation you can share with your friends, family, and colleagues about the 11×15 Blueprint. (Click here to download the Power Point presentation.)

You can also click here to read the detailed executive summary for more details about the approach WISDOM and its affiliates are taking to end mass incarceration in Wisconsin.

BluePrint ppt 12 10 14

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11×15 Blueprint to End Mass Incarceration Announced Wednesday, December 10, 2014!

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Wisconsin can cut its prison population in half.  Actions taken in 2015 can make it happen.  Learn how action by people of faith and good will can be the decisive factor.

11×15 Blueprint to End Mass Incarceration
Wednesday, December 10
10:00 am
State Capitol, Room 411S

Following the presentation, anyone interested in being part of the solution is invited to nearby First United Methodist Church for lunch and to meet in groups to work on strategies to continue to demand:

  • Increased resources for Treatment Alternatives and Diversions (TAD) programs that can keep thousands of people out of prison.
  • The Second Chance Act, which will keep most 17 year-olds out of adult courts
  • Sentencing Reform
  • Parole for more than 2,500 eligible prisoners who have been denied a fair chance for release, even after they have served the time intended by judges.
  • An end to the torture that is Solitary Confinement
  • “Compassionate Release” for prisoners who are elderly and/or very ill
  • Alternatives to Revocation for many of the 4,000 people whose Supervision or Parole is revoked for “technical violations”
  • Audit and reform of a faulty GPS Monitoring system
  • Transitional Jobs opportunities for thousands of long-term unemployed Wisconsinites, including many with conviction histories
  • Ban the Box legislation and reform of the CCAP on-line data base

For more information, contact David Liners at 414-736-2099, or at david.liners1@gmail.com  Or, contact any local WISDOM organization.

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MOSES and WISDOM Rally to End Solitary Confinement #ReformNow #ReformWisDOCNow

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A passionate group of WISDOM’s 11X15 supporters from around the state gathered at the Capitol Wednesday to protest the inhumane practice of solitary confinement. Along with pleas from MOSES’ own Rev. Jerry Hancock, Rev. Kate Edwards and President Carol Rubin, the crowd of nearly 200 people heard appalling testimony from parents whose children have endured dehumanizing torture for years at a time. The organizers and public were moved to then march on to deliver the Reform Now! brief to Governor Walker’s office. The brief calls for a private US Department of Justice investigation of the WI Department of Corrections and an immediate response in accordance with the United Nations policy that no individual is to be subject to such treatment in excess of 15 days, despite WI accounts of both juveniles and adults being confined for 23 hours a day, in some cases for up to 15 years.

Join MOSES and WISDOM in this fight by going into the makeshift solitary cell, located State Capitol steps in downtown Madison. If your congregation would like to host this structure in the future, please contact MOSES for more details. Also, see WISDOM’s 11×15 page for more coverage of the rally.

Photo credit: Bill O'Neal

Photo credit: Bill O’Neal