Building Bridges - July/August 2013 edition

The July/August edition of Building Bridges has been issued by the Prison Action Network.

Prison Action Network's brief summary is given below. Please see Building Bridges for full details and their current news about parole, including updates about the NYS Parole Reform Campaign, ways to help and become involved.

1.  Parole News - June releases, the First Department of NYS Supreme Court's Appellate Division overrules Judge Huff's ruling in the case of Kozlowski v. NYS Board of Parole.

2.  Parole Reform Campaign - The Prison Ministry of the Riverside Church in New York City will launch their year-long campaign to  overhaul New York's failed parole policies and practices with a weekend of inspiring performances, workshops, and worship. SAVE THE DATE: Nov 8-10. [To participate, please contact Sheila Rule, or call her at 877-267-2303.]

3.  The status of the SAFE Parole Act after two Legislative Sessions.

4.  Legislative Report on the status of the six bills, among those the Prison Action Network has been following, which passed in both houses.

5.  Don't give up on Merle Cooper! Click here to sign the petition.

6.  Prisoner Justice Network shines the light on the many struggles to put criminal justice and injustice on everyone's radar, nationally and globally. This visibility gives justice activists and advocates an opening to get out the truth about over-incarceration, racial targeting, and abusive prison conditions, and to organize for change and justice.

7.  Ageing in Prison, a report by Karima Amin. Everyone loves grandma… and grandpa too. But when incarceration enters the mix, love and respect often disappear and attitudes change. This will be the topic at the next meeting of Prisoners Are People Too, on Monday, July 29 at 6:30pm.

8.  Corey's Column: Your mind-set is the biggest challenge in succeeding at reintegration.

9.  Hip-Hop for Prisoner Justice features artists from around the world to promote justice for prisoners. In Troy NY at Freedom Square, Saturday August 3, 5pm - 8:30pm.

10.  Capital Region RJ Conference will discuss the effectiveness of restorative justice circles in both minor and serious criminal cases. September 20, 9am - 4pm in Saratoga Springs.

11.  Baba Eng's message to us: A shift in perspective and paradigm is required to meaningfully address the effect(s) of the unjust application of criminal justice.

12.  An updated, easy to understand, one page description of the SAFE Parole Act is available. If you would like a copy, please contact the Prison Action Network at prisonactionnetwork@gmail.com.

New York State Parole Board Members

Current members of the New York State Board of Parole, updated to include those appointed on June 19 2013:

Stanford, Tina, Chairwoman
Alexander, Ellen
Coppola, Marc
Crangle, Joseph
Elovich, Lisa Beth
Ferguson, James
Hallerdin, Gail
Hernandez, Christina
Johnson, Milton
Ludlow, G. Kevin
Sharkey, Edward
Smith, Julie
Smith, Walter Wm., Jr.
Thompson, Sally