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

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?

• Send a the MOSES Jail Mobilization letter to your Dane County Board Supervisor (find out who your supervisor is here).
• Attend the PP&J meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 5:15pm, room 201 of the City-County Building.
• Come early to support the Young Gifted and Black Coalition rally at 4:30.
• Be prepared to do one or more of the following during the meeting:
  • Testify for up to 3 minutes (this can include simply reading from the mobilization letter, or the jail task force goals paper, or the powerpoint presentation);
  • Complete a written form to register your opinion;
  • Submit a signed copy of the mobilization letter to the County Supervisors;
  • Participate in public discussion about the jail proposals toward the end of the meeting.

**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:

• Young Gifted and Black Coalition open letter to Madison Police Chief Koval
• Young Gifted and black Coalition open letter to Dane County Sheriff Mahoney
• Latest NBC news story on this issue

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