Prison Gangs

Over the month of October, CSG Justice Center staff provided office-based technical assistance to support non-SCA grantees and projects. Staff conducted approximately 17 phone calls, 3 emails, 1 information request, and 14 NRRC Helpline requests.

Over the month of October, CSG Justice Center staff provided office-based technical assistance to Second Chance Act grantees and responded to inquiries from the field. Staff conducted approximately 135 phone calls, 117 emails, and 1 information request.

Over the month of September, CSG Justice Center staff provided office-based technical assistance to support non-SCA grantees and projects. Staff conducted approximately 9 phone calls, 9 emails, and 2 information requests.

CSG Justice Center staff met with Kellie Dressler-Blue and Nicole Dennis to discuss next year's solicitations in an effort to align with Second Chance Act work with the new_Administration's priorities._

In an effort to hone our findings and recommendations for UDC, the UT team developed remaining questions for UDC leadership regarding their policies and practices. Ongoing correspondence with our site lead (Jerry Pope) enabled the Vera team to integrate the answers to these questions into our preliminary findings and recommendations. The Vera team discussed with our UDC site lead the format for the UT findings and recommendations presentation along with ideas for future blogs re. UDC operations and relationships with external stakeholders.

In November, Vera had a check-in call with VADOC's Tori Raiford in preparation for follow-up on-site meeting with VADOC leadership scheduled for November 16th. The goal of the November meeting is: 1) to hear how VADOC is progressing with their reforms to date, and 2) to have VADOC leadership identify which of our VA team's recommendations they are ready to start implementing, versus those recommendations that may require additional information and/or discussion.

In November, Vera coordinated emails regarding a future visit to present findings and recommendations and coordinated emails outlining Vera's TA process and needs for presenting findings and recommendations. Additionally, there was an email discussion regarding the potential move of 200 men out of state from Nevada to Arizona into a private prison facility. Vera had a call with CO Duran to check in on reforms in NV and coordination with Vera and before the end of the month, there was confirmation for January visit for findings and recommendations.

In November, the team emailed to MNDOC to share a system map analysis of pathways into segregation. There was a conference call to review analysis and plan for future meetings with step down coordinator and an email exchange regarding MNDOC support needed from Ohio DOC Director Gary Mohr. The team learned about the MN step down program successes and challenges, and provided MN DOC staff with further review of reform efforts.

The Vera team worked diligently on drafting their findings and recommendations for the LADOC in November. The team finished analyzing the DOC’s policies and data and is now preparing for the presentation of recommendations in February. The team also set up a call with MASS Design Group, an architecture firm, for 12/1/17 to discuss repurposing Camp J (the restricted housing facility at Louisiana State Penitentiary). Lastly, the team is planning an upcoming meeting with Andrea Armstrong from Loyola Law School to discuss oversight mechanisms.

In October while the Louisiana team continued with the data and policy analyses, Senior Program Associate David Cloud and Project Director Sara Sullivan held a call with Louisiana DOC (LADOC) site partner Seth Smith and Secretary James Le Blanc to discuss the agency’s intentions to close Angola’s Camp J restricted housing unit as well as to invite the LADOC to apply for a new grant from Vera’s Center on Youth Justice that would offer technical assistance to convert space into a young adult facility.