MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

MCPCC met on March 9, 2005 in West Newton. Mary Ann Donaldson, Beverly Wilkins, Tom Crowther, Judy Lustig, Joanne Glover, Dorothy Weitzman, and Marjorie Moerschner were present. Our guests were Stacy Kullgren, a seminarian and staff member of the City Mission Society, and two men who are part of the CMS Public Voice Project, Ronald and Robert.

The Public Voice Project's aim is to provide a strong public voice for reform of the Massachusetts prison system" by coaching former prisoners in public speaking and providing platforms for them so they can share their stories and their prison experiences with others.

Ronald, who is black, was born in Dorchester. As a youngster he was bussed to private school in the suburbs, experiencing two different worlds; later he attended St Mark's where he was an outstanding student- and where he got into trouble with drugs and alcohol. He graduated from public school and went into the military, He ended up in prison in Florida for drug related crimes and became interested in law. He returned to Massachusetts and served six more years here- fourteen years of incarceration in all. He was released with no provision for after-care. He had lost contact with his family who blamed his example for the death of a younger brother killed during gang violence. After his release he taught classes at WAITT House and also became involved with CMS and with the resource book Mike Myers was putting together. This book, designed to help inmates find post-release resources, is or should be available in every prison library. We know that Billerica has copies. Efforts are underway to get this book on the internet for all prison case workers to use. Ronald is also involved with the Lionheart Foundation and Houses of Healing. He is a facilitator at the Veterans Shelter in Boston and encourages the men there to use this book. He is a member of Side by Side: The Community Circle in Jamaica Plain, a place where those who have been incarcerated, or who are struggling with negative issues, or who just want to join in, can meet once a week to share a meal and then gather in a circle session where everyone is free to speak about feelings and concerns.

Ronald is clean now and very focused on helping men coming out of prison make a successful transition to life on the outside. He is an advocate for both literacy and financial literacy. He wants to see tangible results but knows it's better not to try to do too much at one time.

Robert, who is white, is 62 years old and has spent 46 years in confinement, beginning with reform school. Reform schools, he said, turned brats into killers. with no feeling left. At twenty-one he was sentenced to prison for the rest of his natural life for robbery . He was in Walpole for forty years and was there during its most violent period. He got too “political" and was sent for a time to Marion in Ohio, a prison for men who were regarded as incorrigible, He also somehow managed to survive five years in the DDU in Walpole. He became involved in getting educational programs, including AIDs education programs started in the prison and though he had had only a 7th grade education, he was able to get a degree from Curry College. He was a leader and became a good jail house lawyer. He refused to accept his state and was finally able to get his life sentence overturned last October.

He now works for the American Friends Service Committee. He's against prisons in theory.

We briefly discussed the Harshbarger Report as it's usually called. The Public Voice Project has closely studied the report and its recommendations and though some have reservations, everyone agrees with the finding that the Dept. of Corrections must undergo a major overhaul. The report is a first step.

The Public Voice Project now has seven speakers and is looking for more. Men who have been out Of prison for at least five months are eligible. PVP will speak anywhere- churches, community organizations, public forums, classrooms, business groups. The speakers work in collaboration with prison policy experts, advocates for prison re form and representatives of

prisoner re-entry programs to prepare programs suited to the interests or concerns of specific audiences. To accomplish change it is first necessary to inform- and to make people care.

PVP is trying to partner with other groups with similar inte interests: the Criminal Policy Justice Coalition, AFSC. The Episcopal City Mission, All of Us or None, Partakers and others.

Ronald and Robert are very impressive speakers. Each has his own style, but both get their stories across honestly and effectively. We hope many more people will have the opportunity to hear them, as well as the other members of the Public Voice Project. They have important things to say. We thank Ronald, Robert and Stacy for meeting with us!

The Criminal Justice Policy Coalition is having its annual meeting on April 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 at First Church in Roxbury. Frank Cousins, Essex County Sheriff, will speak.

At our next meeting George Gallitano, Director of Health Services at Billerica, and two Billerica social workers will talk to us about the new regional psychiatric evaluation unit at the prison. Note that we will meet in Bedford.

NEXT MEETING: APRIL 13 AT 7:00 PM

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, CONGREGATIONAL, 25 GREAT ROAD, BEDFORD