Disability Rights California’s Post

Sharing our recent research on women and jails in Massachusetts. This has been a product of the work of students and members of the Women and Incarceration Project at Suffolk University. https://lnkd.in/gS5SD9cz Key points addressed in the report: Most women in the jails are classified as pre-trial, often spending a few days or weeks incarcerated. Sentenced women spend, on average, several months in jail. These stays are unlikely to have rehabilitative value and do not contribute to community safety. Women in county jails trend younger than women in prison. Most women in county jail are in their childbearing and childrearing years. Nearly all women in county jails suffer from chronic mental and physical health challenges. Jails are not well-equipped to manage these problems. Even short stays have adverse consequences for women and their families. These include disruptions in medication and relationships with healthcare providers and shifting children into the care of others. Jails are increasingly serving as back-up solutions for unhoused and ill people. Treatment inside of jails (and prisons) is less effective and more costly than treatment in the community. Sheriffs have a great deal of authority to release many of the people under their supervision on day reporting, GPS monitoring, and work release programs. However, they make little use of these options. Massachusetts does not collect data on issues of key concern to women. For example, we have not been able to locate data on the number of women who are pregnant.

I served NYC for 34 years as a Correction Officer, elected labor leader, activist for safer jails and advocate for criminal justice reform. I served under 5 of the last 6 NYC mayors, and I observed that all 6 used variations of the same game plan when it comes to Rikers Island and NYC jails. As the saying goes, 'the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome'. That's why I presented a new Blueprint detailing a Plan B to reset and reform our approach Rikers Island and NYC jails. Learn more about it at www.rikersreset.com #criminaljustice #reform #rikersreset

The construction of more jails not only amplifies the issue of mass incarceration but has a particularly detrimental impact on women. Over half of incarcerated women are held in jails, where they face a unique set of risks: 👉🏽Women have higher mortality rates in jails compared to men. 👉🏽They are more likely to enter jail with preexisting medical issues or serious mental illnesses. 👉🏽Their mental health often deteriorates further during their stay. This grim reality prompts urgent questions about the fairness and efficacy of a system that seems ill-equipped to address the specific needs of women, often exacerbating their vulnerabilities rather than offering rehabilitation and care. 📑 Prison Policy Initiative

FCC: Reduced Rates for Phone and Video Calls. https://lnkd.in/gN9GGKBY The FCC voted to set price caps for phone calls of ·      6¢ per minute for prisons and large jails, ·      7¢/minute for medium-sized jails, and ·      slightly more for small and “very small” jails. Video calling ·      Prisons will be required to keep video calling rates at or below 16¢/minute ·      Depending on facility size, jails must keep rates between 11¢/minute and 25¢/minute. FCC finally prohibited companies from charging additional fees for “ancillary services,” such as depositing to fund an account. ·      Blocks companies charging fees to consumers who choose to make single calls rather than fund a calling account and deliberately steering new consumers to this higher-cost option to increase fee revenue. ·      The FCC’s order prohibits companies from paying most kickbacks—or “site commissions”—to contracting agencies. ·      Alternative Pricing. Companies can only offer alternative pricing plans that show cost savings for consumers as a group and individually. For those with disabilities. ·      Telecom providers must make “advanced communications services” (e.g., audio or video communications services and electronic messaging) and any equipment associated with those services accessible for people with disabilities except when doing so is “not achievable.” ·      In cases where it is not achievable, providers must ensure that their services and infrastructure can integrate with “existing peripheral devices” commonly used by people with disabilities. (The deadline for comments is 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register, which probably will be at least a week after today’s vote.) Questions? 240.888.7778 Dr. Blatstein (Marc) Physician Presentence Report Service (PPRSUS.com) • Sentence Mitigation  • Humanizing Yourself To The Court • The Narrative, Release Plan, Allocution • Expectations of Daily Life in Prison, The Do's and Don'ts

Today we're excited to share a new report, 'Criminal Justice Reform in Massachusetts: A Five-Year Progress Assessment,' written in partnership by Boston Indicators and MassINC. Five years after MA passed landmark criminal justice reform legislation in 2018, this report finds strong evidence that these laws led to significant reductions in incarceration while putting us on a course toward safer and more resilient communities. The study also offers recommendations for how MA can build on its progress as it works to counter longstanding challenges to remedy racial disparities, build capacity in communities to offer alternatives to incarceration, counter gun violence, and repair the economic harms of mass incarceration. Read the report: https://bit.ly/48LGvSX

Activist #SheelaBarse breathed her last just few days ago in her 84th year of life. In year 1983 #SanjaySuri and then in year 1986, #SheelaBarse (Both Journalists) had come forward to call up to Supreme Court of India for release of minors locked up in Jails as adults. The excuse for placing minors in Prisons in those times used to be lack of adequate accommodation in State's Remand Homes and workload of Prison Officers. Bench consisting of two legendary Judges of that times Justice #PN_Bhagwati and Justice #Rangnath_Misra answered their calls and while pronouncing prohibition on placing minors in Jails for whatsoever reason, issued directions which seem to have worked in those times to some extent. But the monster was not buried at all. It resurfaced vociferously riding on institutionalized bias, hatred and contempt for children in conflict with law. This recent article written by Yamina Rizvi and Shrutika Pandey duo from iProbono not only summaries the Judicial endeavors made to address this concern in recent times but also goes into further details to demonstrate how the practice of incarcerating minors in Jails is rather systemic, requiring deeper and sustained redressal commitment from those who have duty to enforce Juvenile Justice Law and Criminal Law. I am glad that the issue of incarceration of minors in Jails is gaining momentum once again. National Legal Services Authority has just last month in February 2024 concluded its nationwide campaign on identification and release of such minors from jails all across India and we all Child Justice Observers in India are awaiting to see the outcome of this unprecedented campaign of NALSA. While there are optimistic solutions at work and also under consideration, some, like me, say this illegal antichild malpractice shall not subside until accountability is fixed for each child who had to spend even a day in jail.

“Too often, the conversation about criminal justice reform starts and stops with the question of “non-violent” drug and property offenses. While drug and property offenses make up more than half of the offenses for which women are incarcerated, the pie chart reveals that all offenses — including the violent offenses that account for over a quarter of all incarcerated women — must be considered in the effort to reduce the number of incarcerated women in this country. This fact underscores the need for reform discussions to focus not just on the easier choices but on the policy changes that will have the most impact. Particularly in light of the fact that many survivors of domestic and sexual abuse have been incarcerated for violent crimes that occurred in response to gendered violence and abuse, exclusions from reforms based on entire offense categories make even less sense.” https://lnkd.in/eXWRbbvv

Happy International Women's Day! . . We'd like to take the opportunity today to draw your attention to the issues of incarceration and reentry disproportionately impacting women across the country. . A few facts about #women and #reentry: DID YOU KNOW? According to a report by the Prison Policy Initiative, "reentry is another critical point at which women are too often left behind. Almost 2.5 million women and girls are released from prisons and jails every year,  but fewer post-release programs are available to them — partly because so many women are confined to jails, which are not meant to be used for long-term incarceration. Additionally, many women with criminal records face barriers to employment in female-dominated occupations, such as nursing and elder care.  It is little surprise, therefore, that formerly incarcerated women — especially women of color — are also more likely to be unemployed and/or homeless than formerly incarcerated men, making reentry and compliance with probation or parole even more difficult." Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dnBBfqed

Happy International Women's Day! . . We'd like to take the opportunity today to draw your attention to the issues of incarceration and reentry disproportionately impacting women across the country. . A few facts about #women and #reentry: DID YOU KNOW? According to a report by the Prison Policy Initiative, "reentry is another critical point at which women are too often left behind. Almost 2.5 million women and girls are released from prisons and jails every year,  but fewer post-release programs are available to them — partly because so many women are confined to jails, which are not meant to be used for long-term incarceration. Additionally, many women with criminal records face barriers to employment in female-dominated occupations, such as nursing and elder care.  It is little surprise, therefore, that formerly incarcerated women — especially women of color — are also more likely to be unemployed and/or homeless than formerly incarcerated men, making reentry and compliance with probation or parole even more difficult." Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dnBBfqed

Cost, Savings and Revenue of Rebuilding Rikers Anyone talking about criminal justice reform must discuss how to pay for it and in this case look for a return on the investment. The fact is how can we have a conversation about criminal justice and jail reform and not discuss how we’re going to pay for it. It should be understood by anyone invested or interested in reducing recidivism, rehabilitation, or ending generational incarceration that we must have a discussion about cost. For more information visit www.rikersreset.com