[AicapAifap] US Prison Reforms

[Alliance of Incarcerated Canadians/Foreigners in American Prisons]

ADVOCACY INSIDER
Want to stay in-the-know on advocacy and criminal justice reform? Read
on for news and updates.
It's Second Chance Month!
At Prison Fellowship, we are in the business of second chances. We
offer programming in 428 prisons across the country, walking
shoulder-to-shoulder with incarcerated men and women and equipping
them for transformation and life on the outside. Though returning
neighbors have a lot to offer employers and communities, those with a
criminal record are often relegated to the margins of society. When
Prison Fellowship decided to launch Second Chance Month last year, we
were overwhelmed by the positive response.
This year, the movement is growing. We have over 130 organizations who
are official Second Chance Month partners, and the list keeps getting
longer. The diversity of views represented in this coalition is proof
of a concept that everyone can embrace: the one in four Americans who
have paid their debt to society deserve a second chance. The movement
has also caught the attention of policymakers: proclamations
designating April 2018 as Second Chance Month have already been issued
in D.C., Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Minneapolis and St.
Paul. Just recently, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Rep. Tony Cárdenas
introduced bipartisan resolutions to declare April as Second Chance
Month.
You can get involved, too! Visit prisonfellowship.org/secondchances to
see the many opportunities to participate this April.
News on Eliminating Rape in Prisons
After decades of advocacy to eliminate sexual assault and rape behind
bars, Prison Fellowship was pleased to see Congress include $15.5
million in funding to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act in the
recent spending bill signed by President Trump. This is a 50-percent
increase over last year’s budget amount, and will contribute to
improved training, detection, investigation, and punishment of
incidents of sexual assault, making correctional facilities safer for
both prisoners and corrections officers. For more information, you can
view Prison Fellowship’s press release here.
Prison Fellowship Meets With Vice President Pence
On Monday, March 26, Prison Fellowship’s president and chief
executive officer, James Ackerman, and senior vice president of
advocacy and public policy, Craig DeRoche, were honored to meet with
Vice President Pence in his West Wing office in the White House. Vice
President Pence recalled many memories with Prison Fellowship’s late
founder Chuck Colson, who was a personal friend. He noted the
importance of faith-based programs like the Prison Fellowship Academy
to help people transform their lives while in prison, so they can lead
productive and crime-free lives when they return. James Ackerman
briefed the vice president on Second Chance Month and other ministry
initiatives.
Prison Fellowship seeks to advance reforms that recognize the dignity
and value of every human life. Join us in advocating for justice that
restores!http://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/
44180 Riverside Pkwy, Lansdowne, VA 20176, USA

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