JUSTICE REPORT WITH PAT NOLAN
Forward this email to a friend! Enter their email address:

 


Pat Nolan, President of Justice Fellowship.

 For Pat Nolan's complete biography, please visit our web site. more

  
Take Action in Your State!
 
Georgia
 
Missouri
 
Oklahoma
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

 

Action Alert! Help Pass Justice Reforms in the States

03/13/2012

 

Dear Friends,

Several states have important reform legislation pending, and we need your help to put the bills over the top. In Georgia, Oklahoma and Missouri our reform bills are being considered as I write. I hope you will join us in urging legislators to pass them. Even if you do not live in these states you can still help us. I'll explain how you can help a little later.

First, let me tell you about the legislation. These reforms were developed by working groups in each state with input from across the criminal justice system. The bills are supported by key legislators from both parties and leading members of the executive and judicial branches. Similar coalitions passed substantial reforms in Texas, South Carolina and Ohio in recent years.

The current budget situation in each of the states has forced officials to look at the amount of public safety the public is getting for the costs of prisons. This examination has resulted in similar conclusions. We lock up too many people who are not dangerous, and it is more effective to hold them accountable and treat these low-risk offenders in the community rather than in expensive prison beds. This is particularly true of offenders who commit technical violations of the terms of their probation and parole. Swift, certain and measured sanctions are far more effective than tolerating many violations and then throwing the book at them. The proposed reforms will keep the public safe while saving millions of dollars.

The legislation in each state is tailored to fit the needs locally. However, there are several common elements in the bills:
  • Reserve costly prison beds for the truly dangerous offenders
  • Impose measured sanctions swiftly and with certainty
  • Put some of the savings from the reforms into programs that have been proven to be effective at reducing crime and recidivism
Why do we need your help? As with all reform efforts, there is always resistance to change. We need your help to make sure that the status quo doesn't squelch these significant improvements. Here are some practical ways you can help encourage the state senators to pass these bills:
  • Learn about the specific provisions of the bills in your state. We have developed individual web pages for each of the target states: Georgia, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
  • Call, email and write your legislators. Yes, I know it seems redundant, but think about it: advertisers pay to have us hear their message many times for it to sink in. You will find contact information for your senators and representatives on the state pages. We have also provided a suggested letter. It would be good if you put it in your own words, but the most important thing is that you write them today. And, then sign up so we can keep you informed of the progress of this legislation.
  • Spread the word. Even if you don't live in these states you can forward this email to your friends that do, and enlist their help in contacting their state senators. For those of you who are residents of the target states please tell your friends and neighbors. Discuss the bills with your Bible study group and members of any clubs to which you belong. Make sure to tell your pastor. Write a letter to the editor of your local papers. Legislators pay attention to the papers in their districts. Call a talk radio show and let the listeners know about this important effort. Do all you can to let people know about these reforms.
  • Most important, please pray for these efforts. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in our endeavors, and that He will open the hearts and minds of legislators to these reforms.

In His service,

Pat Nolan
President, Justice Fellowship

 


Subscribe to Justice eReport

Remove your email address from the Justice eReport mailing list.

Help Support Our Work: Justice Fellowship's work is funded through the generous contributions of individuals such as yourself. To contribute online via our secure server, please click here.

Do you find the Justice eReport interesting? Please forward to your friends!

Justice Fellowship is the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship.
 

 

To make changes to your profile information, go here.
If you would prefer not to receive emails from us, go here.
Please send any comments about this email to ServiceRequest@pfm.org

 

Informz for iMIS


Forward this email to a friend! Enter their email address:

 


Pat Nolan, President of Justice Fellowship.

 For Pat Nolan's complete biography, please visit our web site. more

  
Materials & Resources
 
More God, Less Crime
 
Byron Johnson Lecture at Family Research Council
 
Contest Information
 
Wall Street Journal review
 
Minnesota DOC Study
 
Justice Fellowship Resource Page on Faith and Corrections
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

 

Receive a $5,000 Grant for Your Faith-Based Program

03/08/2012

 

Dear Friends,

There is an increasing body of research showing religious involvement decreases antisocial behavior, including criminal activity. In the second part of this report I will discuss two important studies that add further evidence of the positive impact faith has on recidivism and other measures of reducing bad behavior. We who work in the field of criminal justice must now apply the lessons of this research to the programs in which we work. Many of you are already leading programs that use faith to address criminal behavior. These studies should give you encouragement.

Now there is an opportunity for more tangible help for your work. In order to help propagate successful programs that apply faith to the intractable problems associated with crime, Templeton Press has announced a competition to highlight how faith-based approaches are making a difference in dealing with crime in our communities, and what future collaborations between sacred and secular groups might look like in addressing problems like youth crime, offender treatment, prisoner reentry, and aftercare.

The Templeton More God, Less Crime Prize will award two $5,000 prizes. One will go to the best video entry and the other will go to the best written entry.

The contest is open to all individuals or groups using faith-based approaches to reduce or prevent crime and recidivism among vulnerable populations.

In addition to these cash prizes, the winning organizations or individuals will also receive a free consultation from Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) which will study the winners and offer their guidance for finding further program funding and increasing the ability of your organization to help more people. ISR will also generate case studies on the winners, highlighting their award-winning programs.

The deadline for entry is September 15, 2012. For more details go to More God, Less Crime Prize. This is a tremendous opportunity for you who have been working diligently in your communities to receive a substantial grant for your program, as well as expert advice on how to expand your reach and replicate it in other communities. Even if you don’t win a prize your entry will provide you with an excellent marketing tool for your good work.

This competition arises from Dr. Byron Johnson’s seminal work More God, Less Crime. In his book, Dr. Johnson, an eminent sociologist, demonstrates that religion can be a powerful antidote to crime.

He surveyed every study between 1944 and 2010 that measured the possible effect of religion on crime. He compiled the results of all 273 such studies. Dr. James Q. Wilson, whose recent death we mourn, reviewed the book for the Wall Street Journal, and reported that "90 percent of these studies found that more religiosity resulted in less crime." Those findings are truly remarkable. You don't have to accept our faith, but you can't deny the science that shows the efficacy of faith in combating the corrosive effects of crime on our neighborhoods.

Dr. Johnson's research demonstrates that if we are to deal effectively with crime, rehabilitation and offender reentry, government leaders must rely on faith-based organizations as their partners. It is not just a matter of economics, though the states can't afford to provide the individual services offenders need -- it is also a matter of effectiveness. Dr. Johnson's book reveals faith-based programs increase the beneficial impact of programs addressing the factors intertwined with crime: poverty, lack of education, and unemployment.

The second study I would like to highlight is the report of the Minnesota Department of Corrections on the outcome evaluation of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (InnerChange), a faith-based prisoner reentry program operated by Prison Fellowship in partnership with the DOC. The evaluation assessed the impact of InnerChange on recidivism among 732 offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2003 and 2009. The average follow-up period for the 732 offenders was a little more than three years.

The study found that InnerChange significantly reduced reoffending among its participants by 26-40 percent. The reductions in recidivism were:
  • 26 percent for rearrests
  • 35 percent for reconviction 
  • 40 percent for new offense reincarceration 
The DOC attributed the beneficial outcomes for recidivism among InnerChange graduates to the relationships with mentors that began in prison but continued after release. And Prison Fellowship knows that the most important part of our program is that the inmates are matched with mentors who develop healthy relationships together.

The DOC also found that InnerChange is a cost-effective program for the State of Minnesota, "Because InnerChange relies heavily on volunteers and program costs are privately funded, the program exacts no additional costs to the state. Yet, InnerChange provides a tangible benefit in the form of reduced recidivism, which includes fewer incarceration and victimization costs."

The full report is available here.

As a former legislator, I can tell you that if our Ways and Means Committee had learned of a program that reduced reincarceration of released offenders by 40 percent, the committee would have immediately acted to expand the program. The fiscal implication of such programs that increase religiosity and reduce recidivism is tremendous. With every state in the Union struggling to meet their budget projections, it is time to turn to the "faith factor" as a realistic way to provide healthy, moral programming to inmates at little cost to the taxpayers. Why would anyone turn away these helping hands? 

Prison Fellowship doesn't work in prisons to lower recidivism. We do it because God called us to this work. But these studies show that what God called us to do is very effective at changing the lives of those we touch. And that is good news for the community as a whole. To the leaders of government agencies, the Church is here - ready, willing and able to offer hope to offenders and communities.

In His service,

Pat Nolan
President, Justice Fellowship

 

Resources

 

 


Subscribe to Justice eReport

Remove your email address from the Justice eReport mailing list.

Help Support Our Work: Justice Fellowship's work is funded through the generous contributions of individuals such as yourself. To contribute online via our secure server, please click here.

Do you find the Justice eReport interesting? Please forward to your friends!

Justice Fellowship is the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship.
 

 

To make changes to your profile information, go here.
If you would prefer not to receive emails from us, go here.
Please send any comments about this email to ServiceRequest@pfm.org

 

Informz for iMIS


Forward this email to a friend! Enter their email address:

 


Pat Nolan, President of Justice Fellowship.

 For Pat Nolan's complete biography, please visit our web site. more

  
Materials & Resources
 
Justice Fellowship's Prisoner Reentry Resource Page
 
National Reentry Resource Center
 
Bureau of Justice Assistance
 
Second Chance Act
 
Benedict XVI’s homily to the prisoners at Rebbiba Prison in northern Rome
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

 

Second Chance Grants Available

01/05/2012

 

Dear Friends,

Two more Second Chance Act grants have been announced by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

The first grant competition is aimed at helping adult and juvenile offenders develop skills to build a successful career in technology. The grants will fund programs in prisons, jails, or juvenile residential facilities for offenders who are within three years of being released. The Second Chance Act Technology Careers Training Demonstration Projects for Incarcerated Adults and Juveniles competition is open to state and local governments, territories and tribes. The training curriculum must identify the skills and competencies necessary for work in the technology field, provide real-world work experience, teach job skills as well as the soft skills needed for post-release reentry and employment. BJA anticipates that it will make up to six awards of up to $750,000 for a 12-month project period to begin on October 1, 2012.

Employment in the technology field is one where specialized skills are required. With the “digital divide” a very real factor, most offenders have not had access to technology or the necessary training to work in the field. These grants will offer offenders a path to employment that they otherwise would never be able to attain. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET, March 2, 2012. You can download the solicitation here.

The National Reentry Resource Center has provided links that will help agencies apply for these grants:

NOTE: The 2011 webinar and presentation are relevant for applicants responding to the 2012 solicitation; a webinar specific to the 2012 solicitation will NOT be offered.

The second grant is part of BJA’s effort to generate new evidence about what is effective at reducing recidivism and the challenges faced by communities as offenders reintegrate into society. This grant is a collaboration among BJA and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). Applicants must be government agencies.

The Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance Through Effective Supervision, will test important criminal justice interventions and programs as part of a multi-site Demonstration Field Experiment (DFE) on prisoner reentry.

BJA is looking for government agencies to participate in the Second Chance Act-funded Demonstration Field Experiment (DFE), "Fostering Desistance Through Effective Supervision.” Over the 30-month implementation period, sites must assign at least 500 parolees to the DFE sample, and must deliver treatment services, and allow staff to receive training and coaching.

Specifically the grantees must:

  • Train parole officers in the National Institute of Corrections’ (NIC) Integrated Case Management and Supervision Model (ICMS) and Crime Desistance training curriculum and interaction techniques.
  • Coordinate services to address criminogenic needs that create problematic behaviors for offenders; and
  • Provide cognitive behavioral therapy consisting of four MET (Motivational Enhancement Therapy) sessions followed by 25 T4C (Thinking for Change) sessions.

Applicants can apply for up to $1 million for the first year. The deadline for submitting an application is February 23, 2012.

To learn more about this funding opportunity, click here.

To download the solicitation, click here.

NOTE: A webinar on this solicitation will be held on January 9 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET. For more information about this webinar, click here.

You can always find information about prisoner reentry and the Second Chance Act on Justice Fellowship’s Prisoner Reentry Resource Page. Also, the National Reentry Resource Center is an invaluable tool for everyone involved in prisoner reentry.

Before Christmas, Pope Benedict XVI visited a prison in northern Rome. This is a link to the beautiful homily he delivered to the prisoners. He succinctly stated the twin purposes of our justice system, “Dear friends, the detention system turns on two axes, both important: on one hand, the protection of society from possible threats, on the other hand, the reintegration of those who have made mistakes without stripping away their dignity and without excluding them from social life.” All of you who labor in this field offer prisoners hope for reintegration back into their communities, and give the public hope that those communities can be peaceful. Thank you for being part of this movement of God.


In His service,

Pat Nolan
President, Justice Fellowship

 

Resources

 


Subscribe to Justice eReport

Remove your email address from the Justice eReport mailing list.

Help Support Our Work: Justice Fellowship's work is funded through the generous contributions of individuals such as yourself. To contribute online via our secure server, please click here.

Do you find the Justice eReport interesting? Please forward to your friends!

Justice Fellowship is the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship.
 

 

To make changes to your profile information, go here.
If you would prefer not to receive emails from us, go here.
Please send any comments about this email to ServiceRequest@pfm.org

 

Informz for iMIS


Forward this email to a friend! Enter their email address:

 


Pat Nolan, President of Justice Fellowship.

 For Pat Nolan's complete biography, please visit our web site. more

  
Materials & Resources
  National Reentry Resource Center
 
Justice Center’s Second Chance Act page
 
House and Senate’s Appropriations Report (.pdf)
 
Second Chance Act Public Law Document (.pdf)
 
Justice Fellowship’s Second Chance Act Page
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

 

Your Voices Were Heard - Funds Restored for Second Chance Act

12/08/2011

 


Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your quick and strong response to our Action Alert. Your calls flooded the Capitol and the legislators listened. The House and Senate conferees released their Appropriations Report which contained $63 million for the Second Chance Act. (For more info see Justice Fellowship’s Second Chance Act Page.)

This is a remarkable achievement in an atmosphere in which many programs have been eliminated. Congratulations to all of you who are working so hard in reentry and giving the “reentry movement” credibility with the remarkable success you are having in helping inmates successfully make the transition from prison to home.

Here is a list of programs funded by the $2.2 billion Appropriations Report:
  • $63 million for Second Chance Act programs;
  • $9 million for Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act programs;
  • $470 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants;
  • $6 million for comprehensive criminal justice reform and recidivism reduction efforts by states, also known as Justice Reinvestment;
  • $35 million for drug courts;
  • $10 million for residential substance abuse treatment programs;
  • $20 million for Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act programs;
  • $12.5 million for prison rape prevention and prosecution, and other programs.

While we are celebrating this important achievement, I also want to express our excitement that the Justice Fellowship team has been expanded to include two terrific leaders with great experience in public policy. Craig DeRoche, who served as Speaker of the House in Michigan, is our new Director of External Affairs, and Dave Louden, who served as chief of staff to several California legislators is our new Assistant to the President. God has blessed us by bringing such experienced and talented people to our team.

By the way, I am honored that Prison Fellowship Ministries (PFM) has restructured our divisions and Justice Fellowship has been given a more prominent role within the organization with me serving as President. This shows the strong commitment of the PFM management and board to our efforts to reform the criminal justice system.

This Justice eReport marks a milestone for my work at Justice Fellowship – 15 years. We have accomplished much on behalf of the incarcerated – people who don’t have a voice in the political process. Some of the highlights are passage of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Prison Rape Elimination Act, the Second Chance Act, and the Fair Sentencing Act. We have filed amicus briefs with the US Supreme Court to successfully defend RLUIPA (twice), strike down Juvenile Life Without Parole and expose the deplorable lack of medical care in California prisons. Justice Fellowship has worked with state legislatures, governors, judges and corrections officials to improve our prison system and prepare inmates for their return home.

I love this work because it brings people together, left and right, across all denominational lines. I have seen bitter political enemies join in our efforts for human dignity and basic rights… “The lamb and the lion shall lie down together.”

One of the greatest joys of my work at Justice Fellowship is the letters from families impacted by our work. Julie Stewart of Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) shared several letters from people impacted by the reduction in sentences in the Fair Sentencing Act, which we worked on for 15 years. Reading the letters brought tears to my eyes. It is a true blessing to realize that we have brought justice for people who have no voice in government.

I’ll quote from just one of them here, “...my son was released from a federal facility today thanks to the new legislative laws concerning unlawful crack sentences. He is on his way home to pick up where he left off with his children whom he had struggled so hard to take care of. I know he has a better outlook on life and better ways of doing things for his family and hopefully a lesson to teach his children. I intend to keep up with FAMM activities and will be sending contributions whenever I can to further your cause and help some other unfortunate families to reunite and take back their lives. Thank you again and God bless you all.” I hope the readers of the Justice eReport will be encouraged by this letter. Your faithful work for justice in our system has made people’s lives better. Thank you.

Of course, there have been some ups and downs along the way, but knowing that we helped a mother and her family reunite makes it all worthwhile. As St. James taught us, “I count it all joy.”

And I wish you all a most joyful Christmas. “For a time God became a little lower than the angels…so He would not be ashamed to call us His brothers.”(Heb. 2: 9,11)


In His service,

Pat Nolan
President, Justice Fellowship

 

Resources

 


Subscribe to Justice eReport

Remove your email address from the Justice eReport mailing list.

Help Support Our Work: Justice Fellowship's work is funded through the generous contributions of individuals such as yourself. To contribute online via our secure server, please click here.

Do you find the Justice eReport interesting? Please forward to your friends!

Justice Fellowship is the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship.
 

 

To make changes to your profile information, go here.
If you would prefer not to receive emails from us, go here.
Please send any comments about this email to ServiceRequest@pfm.org

 

Informz for iMIS




Senator Webb to Keynote Symposium on Justice Reform


1/10/2011

Dear friends,

It’s no secret that our criminal justice system is broken and needs to be fixed. Many of us feel that the best, most comprehensive way to fix it is Senator Webb’s proposal to establish a National Justice Commission that will examine our current system and suggest ways to improve it. The bill easily passed the House but got bogged down in the Senate. It will have to be reintroduced in the new Congress. If you are like me, you are wondering what can I do to help it pass. Well, look no further.

This Friday, January 14th, Prison Fellowship is co-sponsoring a symposium at George Mason University with Senator Jim Webb and GMU. The symposium will address the impact of mass incarceration policies, and will include presentations on current research on what is working, along with perspective from people on the ground who lead innovative programs as well as individuals who are affected by these programs.

Senator Webb will discuss the Justice Commission and his strategy for passing it. This is your chance to hear firsthand how you can help make the commission a reality, and you will have the opportunity to ask Senator Webb questions about it.

For those in the Washington, D.C., metro area, I hope you will attend this exciting—and free—event in person. If you can’t come in person, you can participate via webinar. To register for either in person or webinar participation click here. To view the agenda, please click here.

I hope you are excited about this symposium. You will hear from the top experts in what is proven to be effective at changing lives and making us safer. And you can be equipped to advocate for reforms that implement these evidence-based practices. Plus, you will learn first hand how you can help Senator Webb make his Justice Commission a reality. I hope to see you there in person or on the web.



In His service,

Pat Nolan
Vice-President, Prison Fellowship

 

P.S. The Washington Post published an op-ed I wrote with Newt Gingrich calling on conservatives to take up the cause of justice reform. I think you will like it.


Resources

ACE! Symposium: Undoing the Effects of Mass Incarceration

Washington Post: "Prison Reform: A Smart Way for States to Save Money and Lives"



Subscribe to Justice eReport

Conservative Leaders Call for Justice Reforms


12/15/2010

Dear friends,

Today, a group of prominent conservative leaders announced the "Right on Crime" campaign to encourage newly elected governors and legislators to make major reforms in the criminal justice system. This is a seismic shift in the political landscape with conservatives departing from the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" philosophy that has dominated the political debate for the last several decades.

Among the prominent conservatives signing the "Right on Crime" Statement of Principles are former U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Drug Czar Asa Hutchinson, Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson, noted criminologist Dr. John DiIulio, chairman of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist, chairman of the Family Research Council Tony Perkins, chairman of the American Conservative Union David Keene and CEO of Concerned Women for America Penny Nance.

These luminaries were joined by leaders of a dozen conservative and libertarian think tanks across the country, led by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which has done yeoman's work in bringing reform to Texas' justice system.

The group is up front about their priorities: "The Conservative case for reform: Fighting Crime, Restoring Victims, and Protecting Taxpayers."

Until now, conservatives have often turned a blind eye to the excesses and failures of the criminal justice system. I was certainly guilty of that when I was in the California State Assembly. However, the current fiscal crisis, in which every state faces a deficit, has prompted these conservatives to speak out, calling on their colleagues to demand the same accountability from corrections officials as they do from all other areas of public spending. They called on state officials to establish accountability measures to hold justice officials responsible for "protecting the public, lowering crime rates, reducing re-offending, collecting victim restitution and conserving taxpayers' money."

In addition they support preparing inmates for their return to the community and greater involvement of families, charities and faith-based groups in rehabilitating offenders. And they joined the growing movement of those troubled by the overcriminalizing of American society, stating, "Criminal law should be reserved for conduct that is either blameworthy or threatens public safety, not wielded to grow government and undermine economic freedom."

This new campaign should encourage the many conservatives who have been working for justice reform for years. They now have a group of prominent conservative leaders pressing for these common sense reforms. It also should please the many liberals who have worked so hard to bring change to the system. They now have stalwart conservative allies with great credibility and credentials to make clear that these reforms are not soft on crime.

I have worked hard to build support for criminal justice reform among conservatives. I have found that there has been much latent support among conservatives for significant reform. Six years ago I formed a "Conservative Working Group" which met for lunch every few months to develop a critical mass of conservative leaders who would speak out forcefully in support of these reforms. When I was told that the Texas Public Policy Foundation was establishing the Right on Crime campaign, it was answered prayer. This campaign provides a framework for the members of JF’s working group to speak out together publicly and issue a call to arms for conservatives to join in the battle for criminal justice reform.

I truly think this is a turning point in the movement for practical justice reforms that have been proven effective at reducing crime and cutting costs. I hope you are encouraged by this, too. Please visit the Right on Crime website and join us in this campaign. The result will be safer neighborhoods, fewer victims and savings to the taxpayers.

I pray that you and your family will have a most joyful Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, about whom Isaiah prophesized, "In faithfulness He will bring forth justice."

In His service,

Pat Nolan
Vice-President, Prison Fellowship

Resources

Right on Crime website

Right on Crime Statement of Principles

Texas Public Policy Foundation

Justice Fellowship resource page: Overcriminalization

Hilary Swank Visits Prison Fellowship; Q&A on Wrongful Convictions, Faith


11/04/2010

Dear friends,

Hilary Swank, two-time Oscar recipient, flew to Lansdowne, Virginia, to visit Prison Fellowship's offices for a private screening of her new movie, Conviction. Following the sneak preview, Ms. Swank participated in a question and answer session about wrongful convictions and the role churches can play in advocating for reforms. It was a very special evening for all who participated. (video highlights)

Conviction is a remarkable movie that tells the true story of Betty Anne Waters, who spent 18 years working to free her brother, Kenny, who had been convicted for murder based on false testimony. I wrote of the impact of the movie in the last Justice eReport. And I wanted to share with you the secial evening we enjoyed last Thursday. Swank surprised us by bringing with her the woman she portrays in the movie, Betty Anne Waters, and her best friend, Abra Rice (played by Minnie Driver), who kept Betty Anne's spirits up during the long struggle to prove Kenny's innocence. What a thrilling experience it was to be able to visit with Swank and the two women who actually righted the injustice done to Kenny!

Hilary Swank and Pat Nolan at Prison Fellowship Headquarters
Hilary Swank with Pat Nolan at
Prison Fellowship Headquarters

The story of how the evening came about is truly a blessing. The showing and Q&A were suggested by Hilary Swank herself. Swank explained her idea behind the evening: “I have seen how important faith can be in helping prisoners through difficult times. I wanted to share the film, CONVICTION, with other faith minded people to remind them of the important role they play in reforming our justice system and helping prisoners and their families.” I never would have been bold enough to suggest this event. But God moved in Swank's heart and provided a very inspirational evening.

In answer to a question from the audience, Swank explained the reason she chose to become executive producer of the movie. “When I read this script, I thought it was a great story of faith. Faith in this other person, the faith that Kenny had in his sister that made her feel loved, to continue on,” she said. “And you know, that faith can be compared in myriad ways: to having faith in a higher power, faith in trusting your future, having hope.”

Swank spoke of the importance of the movie in provoking discussion of the need for reforms, “Knowledge is power and the more we talk, the more we learn. I carry Betty Anne in my heart and I am a better person for it.”

Swank also reflected on the role faith plays in inmates' hearts. “I’ve met twelve other exonerees since the movie has come out,” she said in an interview prior to the panel discussion. “And all of them talk about having found faith in prison, that it was what got them through their ordeal and the circumstances.”

In response to an inquiry from the audience, Betty Anne Waters spoke of the importance of support from members of the community. “There are so many things the community can do to help prisoners. Even something as simple as sending a letter or buying a coat,” Waters said. Here are some video highlights of the very special evening.

I hope that like Ms. Swank's inspiration to take the time to come and speak with our ministry, you too will find the time to see CONVICTION and discuss it with your friends and family. The story is truly a testament to the power of faith. Here is a link to help you find where Conviction is playing near you. However, I should warn you that there are many bad words in the movie. It is a prison movie, and the producers decided to keep them in because they wanted to show that Kenny was a flawed person, but no less deserving of justice. If that type language offends you, you should not see the movie.

Ms. Swank sent me a note the day after the wonderful evening:

Mr. Nolan,

I am deeply flattered to have had the opportunity to meet with you, Rev. Lee, and your Prison Ministry Fellowship last night. All that you are doing for those close to the issue of criminal justice and injustice is not only vital for our government, friends and family, but also inspirational to me as an individual.

I appreciate your support of CONVICTION and all that you do to make the world a place where we can help each other through challenging journeys like Betty Anne's (my real life hero), and Kenny's.

With respect,
Hilary


In His service,

Pat Nolan
Vice-President, Prison Fellowship

Conviction: Excellent Movie Depicts

Struggle Against Injustice 10/21/10


 

 

Dear friends,

Hollywood rarely invests big money in movies about injustice. That is what makes Conviction so extraordinary. Fox Searchlight Pictures tapped top notch talents Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell and Minnie Driver to portray the true story of Betty Anne Waters (Swank), a high school dropout who worked as a single mother while putting herself through law school so she could represent her brother (Rockwell) and try to overturn his unjust murder conviction.

The Oscar "buzz" has already begun for this inspiring depiction of Waters' 18 year struggle against the injustice suffered by her brother. The subject of wrongful convictions is sadly a timely topic. Since 1989, 259 inmates have been exonerated because of DNA; 17 of those exonorees were on death row. For each of those people unjustly convicted there is another person who was guilty who still walks free and continues to pose a threat to all of us. The true suspects and/or perpetrators have been identified in 113 of the DNA exoneration cases.

Just last week the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Henry Skinner, a Texas death row inmate who is requesting DNA tests on blood, fingernail scrapings and hair found at the scene where his girlfriend and her two sons were murdered in 1993. In March, less than an hour before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection, the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution to consider taking up the matter of the untested evidence. While the outcome may hinge on procedural formalities, the core of the case involves the significant issue of whether prosecutors should be able to selectively test some DNA evidence but not all in a capital murder case. If the government is seeking the truth about who committed a crime, shouldn't all the evidence be tested?

Such instances of injustice need to be discussed. That is why Conviction is such a blessing. Not only is it great entertainment, it is also a good jumping off point for discussions. I hope that you will go to see this excellent movie. Then, take advantage of all the Oscar hype and use the movie as an opening to discuss the injustice of imprisoning innocent people. There are reasonable procedural safeguards that would substantially reduce these false convictions, and the Church has an obligation to work for those reforms. Encourage your friends to join Justice Fellowship's work to reform the system that allows such injustices to occur.

“Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.” Exodus 23:7



In His service,

Pat Nolan
Vice President, Prison Fellowship

Resources

Justice Fellowship's Protecting the Innocent resource page

Justice eReport: "Protecting the Innocent"

Conviction Website

The Innocence Project


Boston Globe article

Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice


Frequent Errors that Lead to False Convictions and Suggested Solutions

Wednesday, September 15, 2010:
National Call-in Day

Urge Senators to Pass House Version of "Webb Commission" Act


Today, Wednesday, September 15th, please call your senators and ask them to make a priority of supporting the House version of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, H.R. 5143. Supporters nationwide will be calling the entire Senate. Please be part of this bi-partisan effort to dramatically reform our broken justice system.

Please join Prison Fellowship in making these critical calls! You can reach your Senators through the U.S. Capitol Switch Board at 202-224-3121.

BACKGROUND INFO:

We all know that our criminal justice system is failing in many ways. We lock up more of our citizens at great cost, but do little to change their lives and help them be good neighbors. We lock up many people who pose little threat to us, and therefore don’t have the resources to work with those we are afraid of.

Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) has proposed establishing a national commission to review the criminal justice system from top to bottom. He has been joined by 15 co-sponsors from both parties. Prison Fellowship has supported Senator Webb's bill from inception to now, when it awaits only Senate action and the signature of the President.

The National Criminal Justice Commission Act, H.R. 5143/S. 714, will create a bipartisan Commission to identify effective criminal justice policies and make recommendations for reform.  The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the bill.  We need your help urging the Senate to prioritize and pass this important legislation!

MESSAGE TO SENATORS:

  • Prompt consideration of the House-passed National Criminal Justice Commission Act is critical as the Senate winds down its legislative calendar. I urge you to endorse this legislation and prioritize its passage.
  • The Commission will conduct a stem to stern review of what is working and what is failing in our justice system. The Commission's recommendations will help the states make our communities safer.
  • The dramatic increase in the costs of prisons is breaking budgets in capitols across the U.S. The current costly system is simply not sustainable, particularly when inmates so frequently return to prison soon after they are released.

For more information on Webb's bill, please see Fixing America's Broken Criminal Justice System.

In His service,

Pat Nolan
Vice President, Prison Fellowship



Subscribe to Justice eReport

Remove your email address from the Justice eReport mailing list.

Help Support Our Work: Justice Fellowship's work is funded through the generous contributions of individuals such as yourself. To contribute online via our secure server, please click here.

Do you find the Justice eReport interesting? Please forward to your friends!

Justice Fellowship is the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship.

Fixing America’s Broken Criminal Justice System

By Kathryn Wiley|Published Date: February 15, 2010

The United States has the highest reported incarceration rate in the world. Recently, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted to create a blue-ribbon commission to study the nation’s justice system and offer reforms, a move endorsed in a recent New York Times editorial.

The bill’s main sponsor is Jim Webb, a Democrat of Virginia, who published an article in Parade Magazine last spring in which he said, “With so many of our citizens in prison compared with the rest of the world, there are only two possibilities: Either we are home to the most evil people on earth or we are doing something vastly counterproductive. Obviously, the answer is the latter.”

Overcrowded prisons and budgets that are spiraling out of control have some states paroling prisoners faster and in larger numbers and looking for alternatives to incarceration.

Rather than taking such a scatter-shot approach, Sen. Webb’s National Criminal Justice Commission bill (S 714) calls for the formation of a commission to unify efforts to address prison overcrowding and other criminal justice issues and offer reforms. The bill has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and sent to the full Senate for a vote.

According to the editorial, the commission also would look at “sentencing policies for drug crimes, including their impact on minority communities, something that is long overdue, as well as the involvement of foreign-based gangs in crime in the United States. Some of the proposed topics have backing across the political spectrum, including re-entry programs to help released inmates begin law-abiding lives.”

To read the editorial, click here.

To read Sen. Webb’s article in Parade, click here.

For more information on smart-on-crime solutions, visit Justice Fellowship’s resource page on Drug Policy and Mandatory Minimums, Prisoner Reentry, and Probation and Parole.