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DCPC Newsletter

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DC PROJECT CONNECT EXPLORES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY CHILD ADVOCACY EFFORTS Strangeways Prison Sites in England WINTER Issue 103 DC Project Connect Explores International Family Child Advocacy Efforts SUPPORTING FAMILIES OF THE INCARCERATED THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES WWW DCPROJECTCONNECT COM DC Project Connect Ventured to England Scotland and Wales to Research Child and Family Advocacy Efforts disturbances and recommended corrective actions were chronicled in or document entitled The Woolf Report From Riots to Reform During late October and early November 2016 Executives from DC Project Connect DCPC conducted exploratory research study in the United Kingdom Our initial site visit was to HM Prison Manchester shown below which has held historical significance as an execution center during the first World War and more recently the prison was the center of prison reform after inmates riots occurred in April 1990 Both the prison and riots are commonly referred to as Strangeways which is also denotes the prison facility s location in Manchester England For historical significance the riots began on April 1 1990 and lasted for approximately 25 days these were the longest penal riot in British history Local residents commented that during this period prisoners danced on the roof of the prison facility However this was not a bloodless event as one prisoner died and over a hundred prison officials were injured The cause of the riot was determined to be tied to deplorable prison conditions and inmate complaints that seemingly were ignored For example Strangeways was built to hold 900 prisoners however during the riots the facility held approximately 1600 inmates It was also reported that prisoners in one wing of the prison were routinely locked in their cells for over 20 hours in a day Ironically the conditions at Strangeways were not unique to the treatment of prisoners in the UK the riot also instigated rebellion in other prison facilities and riots occurred in prisons in Wales Scotland and England During an interview with DCPC a prison official who was sent to help resolve matters at Strangeways said that at the height of riots inmate family members who were also part of Partners of Prisoners POPs prison family advocacy group were used as conduits to calm prisoners and negotiate their grievances The prison service launched official public inquiry into the The riot at Strangeways shed light on inhumane treatment of the prisoners Thereafter improvements were made in prison standards and conditions including upgrades in sanitation and grievance procedures The Woolf Report also recommended better prospects for prisoners to maintain their links with families and the community through more visits and home leaves and through being located in community prisons located as near to their homes as possible More to come Askam Grange Director Ben Raikes Researcher Dr Avon Askham Grange prison behind group During our journey in the United Kingdom we also visited a female prison facility which recognized the importance of maternal interaction and family visitation Askham Grange prison shown above encourages family interaction through several unique programs For example understanding

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DC PROJECT CONNECT EXPLORES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY CHILD ADVOCACY EFFORTS WINTER Issue 103 that being incarcerated poses challenges for women to reenter their family unit the prison has made accommodations for women to receive overnight visits for children at an annex on the prison facility These visits are not for conjugal purposes rather they are designed to give women the opportunity to reconnect with their children and establish or reestablish maternal nurturing relationships The prison also has an area where pregnant inmates give birth and a special unit for mothers to bond with babies DC Project Connect Disseminates Its Family Advocacy Efforts On Gospel Radio On December 7 2016 DC Project Connects President and Vice President were interviewed on the air by Board Advisor Dr Vernelle Brown and Dr Anthony Mays The 45 minute interview was featured on the World Power Gospel Radio network Discussed topics included DCPC efforts to strengthen families through psycho educational grief support the hurt and trauma experienced by children and families that are adversely affected by mass incarceration the 20 year ramifications of Washington D C not having a prison facility DC Project Connects collaboration efforts and mentoring program at The Fairview Residential Reentry Center and other topics to raise awareness about incarceration and its impacts on families Live Camera shot Dr Avon and Geoff at Radio Station The broadcast ended with a question and answer session that included callers from North Carolina New Jersey and other parts of the country Several callers were interested in initiating family advocacy efforts in their own communities Guest Speakers Provide Valuable Information for Fairview Residents DC Project Connect has tried to uplift the very fabric of women s lives through words of empowerment and information During the past year members from the D C business community have provided presentations on range of topics at The Fairview For example Cassandra Allen PEPCO Human Resources has lead discussions on interview preparation and job readiness Tokeitha Wilson Life Coach shared her story of empowerment and making dreams come true through vision boarding Dr Vernelle Brown Mentor Coordinator provided spiritual encouragement and practical solutions to otherwise vexing problems for returned citizens Pedro Alfonso Dynamic Concepts Inc provided insights into nontraditional jobs and careers for women and Dr Hart Johnson DC Project Connect provided training workshops on financial planning These initiatives received such positive feedback that DC Project Connect encourages our Board members volunteers and readers to consider sharing their talents and life experiences with The Fairview residents DC Project Connect The Purse Drive for Christmas DC Project Connect in collaboration The Fairview Community Relations Board and with our mentors and volunteers collected over 100 new and gently used purses for women at The Fairview The purses were more than Christmas gifts they represented promise of finding employment and assimilating back into the D C community as productive citizens DC Project Connect would like to thank all of the persons who so kindly gave gifts to the residents The smiles and gratitude expressed by the women are a true testament on the power of giving as well as tomorrow s promise and possibilities 2 DC Project Connect Children Book Illustrations Andy Houng Author Dr Avon HartJohnson DC Project Connect recently announced our children s book on parental incarceration entitled Jamie s Big Visit 2016 We are still seeking funding to publish the book in quantities large enough to disseminate freely throughout the Washington D C area Through this wonderfully illustrated book children and their non incarcerated caregiver will read about the chronicled journey of Jamie the bear whose dad went to prison This book is designed to reach an audience of children under 8 years old According to a recent Rutgers University study almost half of children with incarcerated parents are under 10 years old Call to action This book will be distributed to children and parents at no cost To contribute to the campaign to fund this project visit www dcprojectconnect org and click the donate button Please support our efforts Reference Rutgers University 2014 Children and families of the incarcerated fact sheet DC Project Connect Google Dinner Dr Hart Johnson coordinated with Google host and representative Malika Saada Saar The Fairview Board Chairman Reverend Cheryl Mercer and Executive Director Joseph Penca to provide a Gold Fork dinner and promote positive social change for approximately 50 female returned citizens The event was held at Google s spacious D C venue on Massachusetts Ave NW

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DC PROJECT CONNECT EXPLORES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY CHILD ADVOCACY EFFORTS WINTER Issue 103 3 with the arrest and incarceration of a loved one The handbook includes a brief discussion on local legislation that has impeded family interaction Thereafter the handbook is the broken into three primary areas Gifts for the Fairview Mothers Flicia at Table DC Project Connect extends special thanks to Google as well as volunteers Felicia Smith Goodie Girl Bags Tokeitha Wilson Empowerment Station and Kerron Moore Helen Charles Charlie Inc Dr Vernelle Brown DCPC Sharnikya Howard Life Abundantly and others who assembled gifts for The Fairview women Implicit in this holiday gathering that both recognized and welcomed our resident s return to the Washington D C community was the following Google theme SOCIAL CHANGE LEADERSHIP VISION If you re changing the world you re working on important things You re excited to get up in the morning Larry Page Google Co Founder DC Project Connect Round Table Discussion with Advocates from POPS Providing Support to Families of Offenders United Kingdom DC Project Connect met with family advocates from POPS in Manchester England POPS has a very unique history as being on the vanguard of prison reform initiatives in England Their mission has incorporated the important role that families can perform in assisting their incarcerated relatives make successful transitions back into their communities In fact part of their mantra advocates for strong family relationships to curb the likelihood of reoffending Positive family relationships and friendships are also important for individuals with particular needs such as mental health problems learning disabilities or autism POPS Relative Justice 2015 p 3 Partners of Prisoners Advocacy Manchester England Avon and Geoff in the Middle Many common and unique issues were discussed during our multi hour meeting with POPS officials however a fundamental theme which emerged from POPS was the notion of decency which has even been adopted by the UK prison service Specifically at the heart of their prison reform initiatives is the concept of treating people inmates humanely with basic standards of human decency DC Project Connect Grass Roots Efforts to Help the Homeless On Christmas morning 2016 DC Project Connect distributed toiletries care packages coats and clothing to homeless residents in the Benning Trinidad and Shaw neighborhoods of the city Most of the clothing and supplies had been gathered by DC Project Connects executive staff and volunteers i e Tokeitha Wilson DC Project Connect provides clothing to Fairview residents and the homeless on a regular basis Churches businesses and persons wishing to donate gently warn clothing or other items to help those in needs can connect us at our website www dcproject connect org DC Project Connect Family Handbook How to Survive a Loved Ones Incarceration DC Project Connect has assembled information to assist families with issues associated Section 1 discusses dynamics which affect a spouse and or head of household including the trauma associated with a family member s incarceration and the implications of symbolic imprisonment on spouses and family members The handbook also delves into the financial implications that typically arise when a breadwinner is imprisoned Section 2 addresses the needs of a child when a parent is arrested and involuntarily separated from the household This section discusses the needs of a child and the challenges that they often face at their schools and in their communities The handbook also discusses the dynamics of a child s visitation to a prison and the challenges associated with a parent s reentry back into the household Section 3 provides some context on the incarcerated parent including means of communication The handbook also provides information on reentry planning including city services and possible sources of support for health housing and employment The handbook is a family friendly guide that we hope will empower families with basic need to know or at least need toconsider information concerning a loved one s incarceration DC Project Connect Crisis Management SIG C Training DC Project Connect continues to provide training and assistance to members of the D C community who are adversely affected by a family member s arrest and or incarceration Dr Hart Johnson provided grief training and related assistance with trauma consistent with symbolic imprisonment to individuals and groups both virtually and in community settings 2014 Serving Time on the Outside

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DC PROJECT CONNECT EXPLORES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY CHILD ADVOCACY EFFORTS WINTER Issue 103 4 Community Connections Geoff and Avon at Scottish Parliament with Panelists on Incarceration and Rights of Family Figure 5Dr Avon Dr Brown Hon Susan Molanari Figure 1Google Androids DCPC is looking for volunteers for the following positions Social Media Updater Grant Writer Newsletter Editor Mentors 25 and Older Human Services Intern Bookkeeper Accountant Graphic Artist Figure 6 Ladies Leaving and Receiving gifts Figure 2 Dr Avon Addressing Google Dinner Audience Figure 7 Google Lounge DC Project Connect is a nonprofit organization that provides all services to its constituents pro bono We are funded by community sponsors and grantors To volunteer contact dcprojectconnect gmail com Figure 3 Gold Fork Dinner Figure 8 Ms Helen Charles Dr Avon Hon Susan Molinari Figure 4 Google Fiber Optic Welcome Note Hon Susan Molinari is a politician journalist and lobbyist from New York She was a member of the U S House of Representatives for three terms She is vice president for public policy at Google

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DC PROJECT CONNECT EXPLORES INTERNATIONAL FAMILY CHILD ADVOCACY EFFORTS WINTER Issue 103 Figure 9 Rev Cheryl Mercer Google Reception Heading to HMP Parc Prison through the country side of Bridgend South Wales Figure 10Google Backboard Part of the Wall that Circles York England A view from a Castle in Bridgend South Wales Historic Ruins Castle in Bridgend Wales Figure 11 Edinburgh Castle View from Train Ride En Route to HMP Edinburgh Scotland Prison 5