Criminal Justice Committee Meeting Minutes — August 31
MINUTES of the 8/31/21 Meeting of the Criminal Justice & Prison Reform Committee of the Unity Coalition
Attending: Malcolm Gissen, Bobby Jones-Hanley, Ann Rubin, Corey Weinstein, Linda Parker Pennington, David Marshak, Thomas Glaze, Jefferson Packer, Barry Weeks.
Malcolm introduced Bobby. They are both on the Legislative and Policy Committee of the SF Reentry Council.
Bobby discussed areas where he is working for change. After transitioning from incarceration, he has focused on reentry in 3 capacities. He is a reentry case worker with America Works, Deputy Director of the California Reentry Institute (CRI), and founder of the Pure1 a web-based platform that is designed to help siloed agencies and organizations collaborate to more effectively help people break free from the cycles of poverty, mass incarceration, and homelessness.
Bobby then raised 3 questions: What are the biggest problems? What can we do to make things better? What can allow us to have a major impact? He presented observations on the criminal justice system based on his experience as a justice involved person:
- Most incarcerated people are wholly unprepared for their release.
o They need to make a transformation in their lives while in prison
o How do we on the outside help incarcerated individuals make the changes that are needed
- Both a top down and bottom up approach is needed to address systemic injustices
- Top down means you change policies and vastly improve services that affect incarcerated people and those going through reentry
- Bottom up means you work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to make changes
o One of the keys is to change the negative environment that pervades prisons and reentry
- Help organizations that provide the programs to help people change their lives
Malcolm responded that the Unity Coalition is already working to change policies in prison operations and the reentry process. But how can we help organizations, or directly connect with incarcerated folks?
Bobby replied that volunteers have a huge impact on the prison population. It is less so for jails, where incarcerated are there for a shorter term and are often still engaged with what’s happening on the street. But for prison population, volunteers make an enormous difference. Many are in prison for many years, are very lonely, and have little family support. A good way to volunteer is to go into a prison with an organization that has some type of program. There are many at San Quentin. For example, when prisons reopen to outsiders, the Cal Reentry Institute will need volunteers to teach their curriculum. Building relationships, even for an afternoon, matters, Bobby said, it often helps incarcerated people understand their humanity and better understand what their barriers are.
Malcolm talked about how his visits to San Quentin in 2018 and 2019 enabled him to connect with guys there and show them that people on the outside really care about them and want them to get out and enjoy good lives. He described some of the expressions of appreciation he received from the guys.
Bobby explained that some staff care, but that those who don’t care are louder and often they humiliate. This is all the more reason for people in prison to know there are people who want you to succeed.
Linda asked what can we on this Committee do to improve reentry? Goodwill for example does hiring.
Bobby responded that it comes down to the grant proposal system and how most grants are for the short-term. He explained that there needs to be a longer grant period so that after grantees build up their programs, they can continue to operate the program without disruption. Service providers are often fighting for the same limited dollars they need to develop their program. Another problem is that multiple organizations do the same thing. Bobby is in the midst of launching a nonprofit, Pure1 portal – a better connection between agencies and organizations providing services to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people. Bobby and Pure1 advocate for equal funding in the state budget for rehabilitation and incarceration (punishment). He stated that the Unity Coalition should promote legislation that emphasized rehabilitation.
Linda asked who we should write to in order to get legislation supporting rehabilitation. Bobby reported that new legislation is now being developed and organizations are now analyzing what bills they want. They are currently working on new legislation. We should have more of an update in a few weeks. Linda pointed out that the Unity Coalition is good at writing letters and pushing for legislation in several ways. Bobby suggested that we see what legislation allied organizations are advocating and then we collaborate with them.
Bobby showed us a CNN film about CRI, its founder Collette Carroll, and the work they do with their programs addressing pre-release, post-release, living amends, and restorative justice. It was very impressive. Bobby is working with CRI, as stated above, and they welcome volunteers and donors. They have a residence in the East Bay where people being released from prison can go to live. But CDCR does not always send people who want to go there to this home. Bobby advocated that this must be improved, but in addition, CDCR should create an Office of Reentry Services in every prison to provide support for incarcerated people in their journey to improve, get released from prison, and have good jobs, housing, and health care on the outside.
Bobby showed us a video of his new nonprofit, Pure1 organization, which he will launch at the Reentry Conference in September. The film stated that since 1980, there has been a 700% increase in the prison population, while overall population increased 4%. This was because the US decided to support the narrative “tough on crime.” One goal of Pure1 is to share information and reshape the narrative through communication. It will allow formerly incarcerated people, advocates and other organizations to exchange information. It will make the narrative more positive and help people going through reentry find services and jobs and share their stories. There will be a library, regularly updated stories of new developments in criminal justice and prison reform, and discussion boards. The goal is to scale up nationally. Go to www.pure1.org.
Linda asked Bobby where he is getting his funding and asked about getting funds from tech companies, as well as volunteers for its social media needs. Bobby replied that he hasn’t sough funding, but has received low-cost individual sponsorships. Bobby welcomes help from anybody in building a presence in social media and Linda responded that she might have a person who could assist. Please reach out to Bobby. b.jones@pure1.org if you want to help the effort. They need help for the aggressive scaling they want to do to go from local to national. Also could contact him at pure1.org.
Malcolm reported that in the last hour, Apple announced funding for The Last Mile, a nonprofit that strives to break the cycle of incarceration, particularly through technology training. Malcolm is trying to introduce The Last Mile to federal prisons so that they can train incarcerated people for jobs in the tech industry, as they have done in California prisons. He is also working to convert California prisons into manufacturing hubs for green industries and tiny home manufacturing provided the companies will hire and train formerly incarcerated people. If anyone has contacts in the White House and the Governor’s Office, please help!