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The Center for Church and Prison, Inc.
Strategic National Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry Summary Report:
Submitted by: Rev. George Walters-Sleyon M.Div. S. T. M, Doctoral Student/Boston Univ.
Author, Founder/Exec. Director
Mass incarceration is generally defined as the overwhelming incarceration of Americans in the criminal justice system. In 2012, the United States has 5% of the world’s population but 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. With over 7 million Americans in jails, prisons, on parole, probation or under some form of correctional supervision, the United States prison population has increased remarkably with prison construction expanding in several parts of the nation. Presently, there are over 2.3 million individuals imprisoned with a statistical breakdown of more than one in 10 Americans behind bars.
The racial statistics are equally predictive with Massachusetts providing a glaring example of the disproportionate rate of racial incarceration evident in the United States prison system. In
Massachusetts, Hispanics are 9.6% of the general population but are 28% of those incarcerated in the prison system. Blacks are 6.6% of the total population of Massachusetts but are close to 35% of those imprisoned in Massachusetts including those in the juvenile detention facilities. Hispanics and Blacks in Massachusetts are less than 17% of the total population but more than 55% of those imprisoned in Massachusetts. It is with this background that The Center for Church and Prison, Inc. embarked upon the establishment of a platform for dialogue and strategic solution development and intervention from October 18th-20th at Boston University School of Law in the form of a Strategic National Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry.
The Center for Church and Prison, Inc. 2012 Strategic National Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry began promptly on October 18th in the Law Auditorium at Boston University with a band playing the tunes of the Civil Rights Movement fused with some original Reggae compositions. By 4:30 pm people began to stroll into the lobby. With online and mail-in registration which began several months ago, attendees at the conference came ready to move into the conferencing mood. Their expectations were influenced by several factors. These factors included: the need to dialogue about mass
incarceration and its implications, their personal involvement with reentry, their search for answers regarding imprisoned relatives and friends, the caliber of speakers with both national and local
recognition, the topics for discussion, and their own personal experience with law enforcement officials and the American criminal justice system. Thanks to the following funders who made this conference possible: The Boston Theological Institute, Boston Rising, The Shaw Foundation, The Episcopal City Mission and The NAACP/Boston Branch.
Speakers included Michelle Alexander, author of the book: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Mr. Joe Madison, Civil Rights Activist, Radio Host, and Television Commentator, Dr. Harold Trulear: National Director of Healing Communities Prison Ministry and Prisoner Reentry
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Project, Judge Arthur Burnett, Sr.: Senior Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and National Executive Director: National African American Drug Policy Coalition, Dr. Peniel Joseph:
Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Tuft University, Dr. Linda Daniels of the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, et al.
The specific goals of The Strategic National Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry were four- fold:
Highlighting the certainty that the criminal is still a human being, a candidate for redemption, restoration and adequate reintegration into society as a viable and contributing citizen.
The necessity to intervene by calling for a moratorium on prison construction.
An educational and consciousness raising campaign regarding mass incarceration and its sociopolitical, economic and health implications especially for minority communities:
o Sociologically: the breakdown of family and community structures, increase in fatherlessness and single parenting, social marginalization from main stream America and stigmatization as a result of conviction records, lack of opportunities for social mobility in the American society, etc.
o Economically: the increase in poverty and intergenerational impoverishment, lack of adequate means of economic mobility and increase in joblessness as a result of conviction and felony records, etc.
o Politically: the marginalization of individuals with misdemeanor and felony convictions resulting in a criminal record from participating in the political and democratic process of America, the consequences of prison-based gerrymandering and the shifting of both political and economic power from the urban sectors of America where most inmates are taken from to suburban and rural America.
o Health: As Senator Jim Webb has intimated several times, the American prison system is littered with individuals with increasing mental health issues, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, Hepatitis C, etc.
Providing resources and training for formerly incarcerated individuals, reentry and prison ministries professionals with the focus on healing, prevention, and adequate reintegration.
Scheduled to speak at the opening night was Professor Michelle Alexander. But before she took the podium, several religious and community leaders including Hon. Mel King, former State Representative of Massachusetts, were lined up to provide their individual and organization’s position on mass
incarceration and its implications. Excerpts from MCI Concord prisoner Mac Hudson’s letter were read as well. Michelle Alexander spoke for almost an hour to an over capacity room full of students,
politicians, community leaders/activists, professors, formerly incarcerated individuals and concerned citizens.
Concisely deliberating on the above goals from a legal perspectives, Professor Alexander underscored the following salient points regarding the consequences of mass incarceration: The creation of what she refers to as a “caste system/a second class citizen status” for formerly incarcerated individuals, the war
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on drugs and the systematic criminalization of especially minority men, the structural process of impoverishment for individuals with felony records thus their systemic exclusion from America and the high rate of recidivism. She concluded by calling for the emergence of a “Movement” to dismantle mass incarceration. This movement, Professor Alexander believes, incorporates the mandates of civil rights but equally articulates the humanitarian principles of justice, fairness and equality that transcend race, creed, sociopolitical and economic backgrounds.
Professor Alexander’s analysis and critique of the American criminal justice system set the basis and platform for the conference’s workshops and further discussions. On Friday morning, October 19th, the conference began with a general session within the historic walls of Marsh Chapel at Boston University with Judge Burnett providing a presentation on Alternatives to Incarceration: He urged compassionate release for the aged, infirmed and the sick inmates who when released would not pose a threat to public safety. As for youth and juveniles, he urged broad program of prevention activities, including mentoring and prevention of our youngsters dropping out of school, and placement in apprentice internship programs at 14, 15 and 16 years of age. Judge Burnett was followed by Jack Cole: Founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Tatum Pritchard of Prisoners Legal Service of MA who conducted an entire workshop on Sentencing in the Criminal Justice System. The rest of the day was centered on several workshops and panel discussions taking place in the various classrooms of Boston University School of Law. The Friday session came to an end with Dr. Peniel Joseph providing a comprehensive historical analysis of mass incarceration in “post racial” Obama era at the Freedom Night and Awards ceremony.
The array of topics covered included: The war on drugs, the drug laws and sentencing, Zero tolerance and Children of incarcerated parents, transition for men and women coming out of prisons and the issue of mental health, rehabilitation, reentry and post-prison after-care, forced sexual relations and HIV/AIDS in US prisons, racial profiling, phobias and taboos of mental health for men and women of color in transition, the role of faith in reducing mass incarceration, reentry programs and prison ministry development and sustainability, etc. Just Detention International, Inc., a Washington D.C. based organization along with Dr. Stuart Grassian presented an entire session on Rape, Torture and Death in U.S. Prisons.
Saturday morning’s general session brought together Dr. Bruce Western of the Kennedy Center at Harvard University and Dr. Ward Churchill in a lively two-men panel discussion moderated by Superior Judge Arthur Burnett. Dr. Western’s presentation on Mass Incarceration and Economic Inequality highlighted the causes, process and means of solution development associated with reforming the American prison system based on the following: sentencing reform, reentry policy reform and social policy reform within the context of mass incarceration and economic inequality. A major panel discussion on Racial Profiling and Men of Color was held in the Law Auditorium. The panel was moderated by Michael Curry, Esq. president of the NAACP Boston branch.
One of the highlights of the conference was the bringing together of different religious leaders to discuss the role of religion and faith in reducing mass incarceration. Moderated by Rev. William
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Dickerson of Greater Love Tabernacle, the panel included Minister Don Muhammad of the Nation of Islam in Boston, Minister Randy Muhammad of the Nation of Islam, Bishop Felipe Texeira of the Catholic Church, and Dr. Fred Allan of Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century from Nashville. The panel concluded that:
Christians and people of faith should embrace prison work as our responsibility in sharing our faith.
More faith-based organizations need to collaborate in outreach activities to prisons and prisoners.
Faith and religion should be seen as fundamental to the reentry process and strategic means of intervening and reducing the high rate of recidivism.
Men of color should not be targeted for incarceration.
The minority community should collectively confront law enforcement officials regarding the destruction of their families and communities due to mass incarceration.
Some of the best practices on reentry should be replicated from the Nation of Islam which was recognized as being very productive in regards to positive reentry practices.
Churches and religious groups should also focus on the preventive end of solution development by structurally reaching out to the younger population to prevent them from entering the prison pipeline.
There should be a focus on education and training as vital elements in the correction and reentry process.
Before the closing ceremony on Saturday October 20 with keynote speaker Mr. Joe Madison, conference attendees were brought together for a strategic session with the focus on formulating a conference position statement. The general body adopted the above goals of the conference but called for a post conference next-step initiative session to discuss the implementation phase of the conference
document that is being formulated from a survey conducted. Conference attendees will be meeting in November for a post-conference next-step initiative discussion and implementation session. Prior to Mr. Madison’s address, a letter was read from inmate Chuck Turner, imprisoned in USP Hazelton, WV, which outlined national solutions similarly echoed throughout the Conference.1
The Center for Church and Prison, Inc., 2012 Strategic National Conference on Mass Incarceration and Reentry ended at a general session with Mr. Joe Madison presenting the keynote address. He
highlighted the need for education. Mr. Madison referred to education as the “New Currency” and the necessity for this generation of minority youths to be educated as a fundamental preventive means to dismantling mass incarceration. Mr. Madison went on to condemn the inherent inconsistency reflected
1 The Mac Hudson letter echoes the theme of redemption through education and offers an online petition to the Governor to require the MA Dept. of Corrections to obey MGL Chapter 127, Sections 20 + 20A, by providing measurable prisoner
educational and cultural programming. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/community-safety-through-prisoner-cultural- literacy-pro.html.
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in the American sentencing process and criminal justice system that fundamentally and systematically incarcerate minority youths and men in the prison system. He concluded with a mandate to the general body of the conference to continue the work that has begun to dismantle mass incarceration knowing that this kind of work will require a unique amount of sacrifice and selflessness that is inherently consistent with the success of dismantling mass incarceration in the United States.
Rev. George Walters-Sleyon
Founder/Exec. Director: The Center for Church and Prison, Inc.
Website: www.churchandprison.org Email: churchandprison@gmail.com Tel: 617-599-5091
