CA Bulletin O A FAir ChANCe For FAmilieS SePArATed bY PriSoN

The Correctional Association of New York
www.correctionalassociation.org
CA Bulletin
A Force for Progressive Change in the Criminal Justice System Since 1844
Fall 2010
A Fair Chance for Families
Separated by Prison
O
n June 15, incarcerated parents and their children received long sought-after and
critical support in their efforts to maintain ties to each other and to protect parental
rights.
On that day, after years of advocacy by the Correctional Association of New York’s
Women in Prison Project, the Coalition for Women Prisoners, and allies statewide,
Governor David Paterson signed into law the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA)
Expanded Discretion Bill.
This bill amends New York’s ASFA law, which almost always requires foster care agencies
to file termination of parental rights papers if a child has been in care for 15 of the last 22
months. The median sentence for women in New York’s prisons is 36 months, far exceeding
ASFA’s timeline. Incarcerated parents often face barriers in meeting legal responsibilities
required to preserve their parental rights, like maintaining contact and finding children a
non-foster care home while they are away. The result? ASFA inadvertently tips the scales
in favor of terminating parental rights of incarcerated parents, even when such an action is
not necessarily in the long-term best interests of the child and family.
Members of the Incarcerated Mothers Committee
of the Coalition for Women Prisoners worked
with photographer James Trory to create
A Fair Chance, a short video that depicts stories
about families separated by incarceration.
These images of mothers and children are
from that video. To watch A Fair Chance,
please visit www.correctionalassociation.org
Women in Prison Project staff and members of the Coalition for Women Prisoners with ASFA bill sponsors
Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubry.
The new law—which applies to both mothers and fathers—allows foster care agencies
to refrain from filing for termination if a parent is in prison or a residential drug treatment
program or if a parent’s prior incarceration or program participation is a significant factor in
why the child has been in foster care for 15 of the last 22 months. For the first time, foster
care agencies will be required to inform parents in prison and residential drug treatment of
their rights and responsibilities and to provide referrals to social services and family visiting
programs. Because mothers in prison are much more likely to report having children in
foster care than fathers, the new law has particular importance for incarcerated women.
continued on page 4 >
Juvenile Justice • Prison Visiting • Public Policy • Women in Prison continued on page 6
We at the CA believe that art, in all
its forms, can act as a catalyst for
empathy, compassion and dialogue.
An effective tool for social change,
art can heal, uplift, transform,
and propel us towards action.
Creative expression
can give a voice to
those who suffer
silently behind
prison walls;
it enables us to shine a light on the
darkest, most hidden injustices,
speak the unspeakable, and find
community. Art can help stimulate
a much-needed dialogue about the
most important issues of our day;
and it can bring public awareness
to the critical need for constructive
change and sweeping reforms of
prison-related practices and larger
social policy.
Stacey Thompson, Giancarlo Esposito
and Anisah Thompson
CA Honors Peter Swords
with 1844 Medal, Celebrates
Art and Social Justice
O
n June 15th, the Correctional Association honored Peter Swords, a long time board
member and Treasurer of the Association, with our 1844 Medal at our annual
spring benefit.
This year’s benefit, Art for Justice, held at the beautiful Rubin Museum of Art, featured
moving performances from actor/director/producer Giancarlo Esposito; Haitian musical
legend Emeline Michel; CA staff members Stacey Thompson, Richard Bryant and Sam
Streed; poet, activist, and educator Ella Turenne; folk musician Terry Winchell; and poet
and ReConnect graduate Sharon White-Harrigan.
The CA extends its deepest gratitude to all those whose generosity helped us to create
a successful evening and to pay tribute to our great friend and ally Peter Swords. We would
especially like to recognize the invaluable work of our creative consultant, Kathy Engel, who
helped to coordinate the evening of performances. We also extend a very special thanks to the
Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation and the Rubin Museum of Art for their generosity
and assistance throughout the event planning process. n All event photos courtesy of James Trory
Terry Winchell
Anisah Thompson and
Sharon White-Harrigan
Emeline Michel
CA Executive Director Robert Gangi (L)
and former Board Chair William J. Dean (R)
with 1844 Medalist Peter Swords (C)
Ella Turenne
Spotlight on
the Juvenile Justice Project
Welcome, Gabrielle Prisco
T
Correctional Association Staff
Robert Gangi, Executive Director
Juvenile Justice Project
Gabrielle Prisco, Director
he Correctional Association is very pleased to welcome Gabrielle Prisco as the new
Director of our Juvenile Justice Project (JJP). She is a seasoned, skilled and passionate
advocate with extensive experience in juvenile justice and child welfare, racial justice, and
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. Gabrielle previously served as the Project
Manager of the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice Data Collection and Policy Project. She
also worked as a Legal Aid attorney representing children in Family Court, primarily in child abuse
and neglect cases, and developed and presented staff trainings on LGBT issues.
“Now is a critical time for transformation of the youth justice system,” says Gabrielle.
“The federal Department of Justice’s findings on the routine abuse of children in state-run
prisons, the recent media attention on the lack of mental health and educational services for
detained and incarcerated youth, and the appointment of reform-minded government officials
have created unique opportunities to improve the lives of children, families and communities.
I am thrilled to join the Correctional Association and to add my voice to the collective call for
justice and dignity for all New Yorkers.”
Gabrielle succeeds Avery Irons, now Director of Youth Justice Programs at the Children’s
Defense Fund. “Avery did invaluable work for the CA over the years, guiding and supporting
the project and advancing the cause of justice for New York’s young people. She continues to be
an exceptional mentor for the youth in our Safe Passages program. We are enormously grateful
and wish her the best in her new position,” says CA Executive Director Robert Gangi. “We
are certain that Gabrielle’s superb leadership skills and enthusiastic commitment to improving
the lives of young people will add significant energy to and aid in the movement to transform
the youth justice system.” n
Prison Visiting Project
The Political Landscape
Caitlin Kundrat, Editor
T
he visions of leaders of key juvenile justice and child welfare agencies in New York
are now more aligned with advocates’ agendas than at any other time in recent
history. Since her 2007 appointment as Commissioner of the Office of Children and
Family Services (OCFS)—the state agency that operates juvenile prisons—Gladys Carrión
has persistently addressed the system’s entrenched problems, such as high recidivism rates and
the disproportionate confinement of youth of color, and has worked closely with JJP and other
advocates to develop an ambitious reform agenda. Vincent Schiraldi, the new Commissioner
of the NYC Department of Probation, has likewise called for sweeping changes in the treatment of youth caught up in the system. Both leaders have demonstrated a commitment to
advancing more therapeutic, less punitive models of juvenile justice, greater use of evidencebased alternative programs, and placements closer to young people’s communities.
“As New York undertakes watershed juvenile justice reform, there needs to be strong advocacy
not only to help push through the reforms but also to ensure that the new system we create is
durable and sustainable.”
—NYC Department of Probation Commissioner Schiraldi
Experience has shown us it is a serious mistake to de-emphasize the role of the advocacy
community in times of progressive reform. Strong advocates like the CA are crucial to maintaining
accountability and transparency and to making certain that government advances and implements
the right reforms. Additionally, even the most reform-minded government officials are limited
by the scope of their individual roles, budgetary realities and the larger political context in
which they work. And while the current administration is reform-minded, an over-reliance on
individual government officials can eventually backfire if political winds shift. n
You can help The financial support of concerned individuals is essential
to our ability to carry out the critical work of reducing the number of youth who come in
contact with the juvenile justice system; keeping children who are incarcerated safe, healthy,
and closer to their homes and families; and saving taxpayer money. Please consider making
a generous gift to the Correctional Association today.
Jack Beck, Director
Cindy Eigler, Assoc. Dir. Special Projects
Darcy Hirsh, Assoc. Dir. Prison Monitoring
Public Policy Project
Denise Thomas, Associate Director
Women in Prison Project
Tamar Kraft-Stolar, Director
Serena Alfieri, Associate Director of Policy
Stacey Thompson, Coalition Associate
Jaya Vasandani, Assoc. Dir. Prison Monitoring
Jacqueline Velez, Administrative Assistant
Andrea Williams, ReConnect Program Director
Development
Marci McLendon, Director
Sam Streed, Associate Director
Caitlin Kundrat, Dev. and Comm. Associate
Richard Bryant, Fiscal Manager
Laura Davidson, Director of Operations
Gina Cascino, Administrative Assistant
CA Bulletin
Board of Directors
Chair
Peter v. Z. Cobb
Vice Chairs
Gail B. Allen, M.D. | Barbara J. Berg, Ph.D.
Ralph S. Brown, Jr. | Clay Hiles
Michael B. Mushlin | James D. Silbert
David D. Troutt | Gregg A. Walker
Treasurer
Peter Swords
Secretary
Seymour W. James, Jr.
Directors
John M. Brickman | Wilhelmus B. Bryan III
Hon. Michael A. Corriero | Gregory L. Curtner
William J. Dean | Baz Dreisinger
Nereida L. Ferran, M.D. | Leroy Frazer, Jr.
Richard M. Gutierrez | John R. Horan
Elizabeth B. Hubbard | Ricky Jones
Sharon Katz | Teresa A. Miller
Meile Rockefeller | William E. Schroeder
Hon. Felice K. Shea | Katrina vanden Heuvel
William J. vanden Heuvel | Jan Warren
Daphnée S. Woodley | Rev. Alfonso Wyatt
A Fair Chance for Families Separated by Prison continued from page 1
Working with bill sponsor Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubry and expert advisors, the
Project drafted the bill and, with the determined advocacy of members of the Coalition
for Women Prisoners and its Incarcerated Mothers Committee, secured its passage in
the Assembly every year since 2007. With strong sponsorship by Senator Velmanette
Montgomery, the Coalition and community partners mounted an intensified campaign
for the bill in the State Senate, including: organizing a series of advocacy days in Albany;
creating a user-friendly one-pager and photo slideshow; securing support from key
organizations and the State Office of Children and Family Services; stepping up efforts to
facilitate the leadership of women directly affected by ASFA; and providing opportunities
for mothers to share their experiences in written documents, public forums, and press
conferences. All documents, press clips and videos are available on the CA’s website:
www.correctionalassociation.org.
One-by-one, the Project garnered the commitment of senators. By April, all but
four of the majority needed to secure passage of the bill had pledged their support.
Coalition members, including many formerly incarcerated mothers, travelled to Albany
to meet with the remaining hold-outs. The action was a success. Two legislators
pledged their support that day and two others agreed shortly after. After a vigorous
floor debate, the Senate passed the bill three weeks later.
The new law places New York among the most progressive states in the country for
child welfare policies that recognize the special circumstances of families separated by
incarceration. In the months to come, the Women in Prison Project and the Coalition
for Women Prisoners will work to ensure that the new law is implemented effectively
and helps to prevent the devastating, permanent separation of families—families who
can, if given a fair chance, rebuild safe, loving and life-long relationships. n
2090 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., Suite 200, New York, NY 10027 | 212-254-5700 | www.correctionalassociation.org
more inside…
A Fair Chance for Families Separated by Prison
1844 Medal and Art for Justice Benefit
Spotlight on Juvenile Justice Project
in this issue
The Correctional Association of New York
2090 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. • Suite 200
New York, NY 10027