IDEAS FOR
Meeting to form Coalition
between disparate prison activist groups
August 27, 1 pm Culvers
restaurant in Cross Plains
Ideas for Agenda/please add and change anything- this is just my
overactive brain.
Goals of coalition: Find ways we can connect and work together to
more effectively case change.
Possible Over all goals are
to
1)end over- incarceration and 2) end overuse
and abuse of solitary confinement , 3)bring back rehabilitation into
corrections and 4)greatly increase alternatives to incarceration.
Reason for coalition: Each of our groups has different ways in
which above goals are addressed. All are needed but unless they work in concert
. there will be little real change. I.E. each group has a piece of a very
complex puzzle- can we fit them together for a real campaign? The democratic
candidates for governor these last months all came together to voice their
support for prisoner reform- this would have been unheard of earlier . It is
time to bring it all together. My hope is that we can form connection links
where we can work in concert where it is most effective and continue our
individual efforts also ( parallel play)
FFUP’s immediate need: 1)Beneficiary
of Prisonforum checking account.
Because FFUP is a respected non profit. WE have a fairly successful Gofundme account
and Paypal kicks in and pays all gofundme fees and both paypal and gofundme
teams have given donations . The
checking account is where all donations go. Although I have NO time to
do fundraisers, we still get donations and were something to happen to me, all
this will end. This beneficiary needs to be one person. That person will get
instructions on what to do should I die or be incapacitated, AS it is now, I
spend NO TIME at fundraising- need help with that also- could bring in lots.
See latest update:
2) Coalition Group? FFUP needs structure as I start to bow out
with age and I think we all need it as all our groups come to maturity- form a board? We
once had a group called "Incarceration coalition” or
we could resurrect “Second
chance” as subgroup of FFUP where we could all connect online and begin to
help each other and actual get a movement going . Either would be
members from all groups (Would invite all including MUM and PAM and all Wisdom
groups – there are a myriad). coalition”
3)
Immediate need of FFUP are a few people to discuss advocacy for specific people
as the DOC has never been so corrupt and
murder by deliberate indifference IS happening. -
Proposals for coalition:
A)Overall:
1) One person in each group
be responsible for reporting on projects they are doing through email or other
way to designated person in other groups, citing ways other groups can help-
shout outs, sit ins. Calls etc.
2) FIND PROJECTS we all care
deeply about and discuss getting division of labor going so each
group does what they do best at the same time- example protests led by IWOC
while WISDOM visits legislators and FFUP Gets prisoners to activate their
families etc. , does blogs etc. I believe once the public knows there is an
action in legislature or courts to push for- they will better engage in
protests and other “actions” and your average citizen will want to join the
movement.
3) The consequences of our
corrections policies for the wider public need to be better articulated. Once the public sees the relationship between
lack of community resources and absurd cost of education, housing are direct consequences of our prison nation policies –
they will engage-
Some ideas where we can gather
B)Spread word about prison conditions ( and whatever) by setting up a workable way for to all of .
us contribute and share information we get from families of prisoners and
prisoners themselves- thinking there could be several stages – We would all
contribute and help with IWOC CCI and MSDF campaigns. What do you know about
the new HSU complex/building in CCI? Some prisoners are saying it is just
infinitely
more cells of solitary torture.
connecting online:
1)one simply posting on a
conducive site, hopefully by category IWOC has one of these at least
2) volunteers collate and
typed and summed ( each picking subject?)
3) the summed type collated be put on public
blog in easy to read form and REGULAR REPORTS be sent to legislators
,media and all who are interested
(FFUP can blog the sums)
Projects like IWOC CCI shout
outs and Close MSDF could get wider base. FFUP could pinpoint the individual
cases that highlight these conditions and we could get changes through public pressure
as well as through the law and legislature- I envision using all at once.
Reports are powerful- could do regular coalition reports and send to
legislators and media etc
Above method could be used
for all aspects of this cause- revocations, problems of the newly released ,
scams DOC , etc= endless list- this would be a way to collect data
and have it collectively used. Would be made availble to all
interested and could include documented evidence. .Each prisoner
contributor would need to tell us if he /she needs to remain anonymous on the
web or not ( most want names out there )
C) REDUCE PRISON POPULATION< ENHANCE ALTERNATIVES/Comprehensive
parole campaign/end revocations/all related
1) Start with compassionate release campaign which shows the real
inhumanity and stupidness of holding elderly and dying prisoners so long- am
doing one effort now- need for elderly
dying woman= could use brainstorming help.
Media is very important and education that there IS an executive order
ignored and denied by DOC that specifically lets these guys out.
Here is link to the Executive
order that the DOC denies exists: https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/exec-order-31.pdf
2)FAMILIES OF PRISONERS PLUS A FEW FROM OUR GROUPS/bring back real
parole/end revocations for non felonies
a):
possible structure for coalition: resurrect
“Second chance”- This was a subgroup of FFUP of prisoner families – very
committed families but almost no expertise on the web or ability to work in
concert and too much work for me to do all the coordinating - We were working
on parole campaign and still have the petitions
and blog and domain name-
Could we ignite a new comprehensive
campaign only this time have web savvy and broad view IWOC and WISDOM members
helping. With the web and petition logistics etc?
b)Needed – co- coordinator to help me figure out a way to build on a
very good beginning – someone good on web and good at communicating. A few
hours a week to connect to wider public,
FFUP will do connecting through mail to prisoners and they get their
families activated. Would start with those families who worked at this before.
3) Resubmit Parole rule change petition using statute 227- this
time work on getting all groups to support and push for. The arguments for the
changes have changed but the rules are really fine- much worked on by prisoner
litigators. Here are rules put together
by prisoner litigators and FFUP: https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/1-1aarule-proposal-plus-need.pdf
4) PRESENT parole rules/ guide line changes to key members of legislature and contact
Governor candidates that were interested in reducing prison population.= build
on that.
Always counter the myth that reducing population is about letter
rapists and murders outs. Educate strongly on failed system and its
consequences to society as a whole
5 .Use FFUP blog showing sums of parole eligible- Needed =help
updating that blog.
Here are some projects we
can possibly all work on:
C.)GRANTS
1) Work together to secure
grants and get need program started using them
2) NEEDED volunteers to use
internet to find Grantors and applications. Volunteers to present finished
application and speak for the proposals. A few prisoners have volunteered to
write the grants once we supply the date etc.
3)Grant
proposals possible and rough drafts set up-funding needed for coordinators
a
Bussing to prisons –we have the van owners/drivers willing
to participate and will charge less if vans are full. Coordinator funding
needed and grant for funds to help pay for families who cannot pay fare.
b RELEASE
READY : Coordinator funding needed .POPS
program redone to fit WI- this is a CA program where volunteers work with
prisons set up stable situations for when they are released- urgent for most
TIS prisons and would be most helpful in securing release for Old law prisoners
so all prisoners would be eligible for the program. Project Return might want to direct this one.
c. Refuge
for newly release prisoners- a way to regroup – incredible vision by two
prisoners. This deserves serious consideration.
D) BIGGEST NEED FOR LAST .PRISONER
LITIGATORS NEED HELP . Access to courts is diminishing drastically for
prisoners and yet the courts have been the only path for reform. .
Volunteers needed to help – internet lookup for case law (Law Libraries usually closed,)
help getting funding to
send online law guides and buy stamps,
send documents etc Postage costs are enormous. We would like to get
enough funding to underwrite more multiple plaintiff suits like our present
suit against solitary.
Screening
inmate cases- anyone who understand and knows the law is needed- also legal
guides for beginner litigants are needed badly. They do not do the case but
they read it and guide. There are several prisoners that do this for other
prisoner and mail is difficult and retaliation is rife= would be nice to have a
few three ways- overcome mail disappearing.
Volunteers need at every level here.
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