The Fortune News Volume XLII, No. 1 • October 2009
Reentry: A Current Snapshot and Recommendations for the Future
“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” —Dostoevski • Published by The Fortune Society •
Table of Contents Letter from JoAnne Page, President and CEO............................................................................................................................................................................1 Letters to the Editor..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................2 Faces of Fortune......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Eye on Fortune........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 News from The David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy................................................................................................................................................5 Justice Beat...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 World Report...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 Lentes Latinos, por Yolanda Morales New & Noteworthy Prison Programs...........................................................................................................................................................................................8 Head Count: People with Disabilities A Question of Reentry..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Center Stage..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 The Long Road Home – A Reentry Journal, by Carl Dukes................................................................................................................................................11 The Castle: A Play in Four Lives....................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Surviving Reentry, by Barbara Allen...........................................................................................................................................................................................13 Family Matters, by Jaimee Nelsen................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Food for Thought
Letter from the CEO This past year has been a challenging one for so many people across the nation. As the economy continues to writhe in unforseen ways, there have been moments for many of us where the only thing that we can be sure of is that nothing is for sure. In these unpredictable times, however, we can all find strength in what we know to be our unshakable truth. Each individual’s truth is unique, rooted in their faith, their family, or their own experience. After more than 40 years, The Fortune Society knows that in times of change, our mission is our strongest truth.
The Fortune Society believes in a world where everyone can become positive, contributing members of society, including those who are at-risk, incarcerated or formerly incarcerated. Our work supports the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated men and women and promotes alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. This mission is the cornerstone of all the work that the men and women – staff, clients, and volunteers – of The Fortune Society do every day. From discharge-planning programs at Rikers Island, to housing, Alternatives to Incarceration, education, and much, much more, Fortune’s programs are based in a belief that each individual has the power to put their own truth to work to create a positive new life.
It’s no accident that this issue of the Fortune News, returning after a hiatus with a new look and feel, is all about reentry. Reentry is at the core of Fortune’s services, and in these uncertain times, it makes sense for us to revisit our core. As the details of various services change throughout the years, reentry services remain a constant truth of who we are as a Fortune community. I like to think of this as building a bunker to protect these vital services and the thousands of people who use them every year.
However, we cannot allow uncertainty to stop us from moving forward. Even as we “build our bunker” and renew our commitment to the core reentry services that Fortune provides, we are also planting seeds in the fields of tomorrow. In the pages of this issue of the Fortune News, you will read about the reentry process, and the unique challenges and successes of different individuals as they reenter. You will also read about new, exciting projects that The Fortune Society is launching to sow the seeds of change in reentry. From the advocacy work of the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy to the new building for which we broke ground this past winter, Fortune is keeping one eye toward the future, even as we hold tight to our mission and roots. As you read this issue of the Fortune News, I encourage you to also to hold fast to your truth as you continue to dream - and know that those dreams are possible. I thank each of you for reading and for sharing our vision for a better world. Warmly,
JoAnne Page, President and CEO
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Letters to the Editor September 29, 2008 Peace and Blessings!
First and foremost, props and gratitude go out to each of you there at Fortune News. I admire and applaud your spirit, compassion, work, and effort.
Honestly, I could write a volume on each article from the thoughts they provoked in my mind. But “Derrick’s View” really impressed upon me how often we (from teens to young adults – young men and women), growing up in and subjected to the harsh realities of America’s impoverished communities, make choices without thinking of the life-altering and long-term effects. And then when faced with them, we seek a quick fix or easy way out. This is not to be judgmental, but to bring to the surface a simple lesson. We have to be honest with ourselves and about ourselves in making the choices we make – or we will always find ourselves faced with circumstances that are more than we can handle.
Fairness goes out the window when we are not fair to ourselves. This is something to think about, especially when it comes to choices that can mean breaking the law. I certainly never thought I’d be faced with a circumstance as overwhelming as this!
And it has only been by the grace of the Creator that I have been able to endure.
So, to each of you there at Fortune News, continue in the spirit you do… to uplift and inspire hope (where there might be none). Thanks! Humbly,
Michael Branson Tehachapi, California » » September 9, 2008
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Dear Editor,
I received the summer 2008 edition of Fortune News and was very much moved. First, allow me to extend my utmost gratitude to the magazine for caring enough to speak up for the voiceless.
Throughout the prison system and California in particular, there exists a tightly controlled network of “ruffian subcultural lifestyle.” Many of the socalled leadership is doing nothing but perpetuating a system of dejection, recklessness, exploitation, and disillusionment. And this insanity is being asked by these “degenerates” to uphold in the name of our cultural identity (tribalism).
Necessary reforms are becoming harder and harder to sell to the general public when you have incarcerated inmates hurting their own cause by openly supporting a network of inmate misbehavior while intimidating correctional employees. Many low-level gang members want out, but cannot muster the courage it takes to renounce their participation for fear of either isolation, ridicule, or most importantly, the “threat of violence.” So many lack basic education skill levels, but make an effort outside of their tribal influence to seek assistance. These channels become absolutely necessary as the individuals seek to rehabilitate themselves from “a culture of subjugation.”
I’ve recently made that personal transition from a lifestyle of backwardness to taking control of my own life’s responsibility for change – and others can too! I wanted to share the news of my own story (which is no cakewalk) to encourage other prisoners to “be bold and take their lives back”! Respectfully submitted, Anthony Miles Crescent City, California
The groundbreaking ceremony for our new building in West Harlem, in February 2009.
Please see the Eye on Fortune section on Page 4 to learn more, and to see a full list of attendees, including those pictured here.
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Faces of Fortune Staff Profile Ray Tebout Manager of Volunteer Services My first exposure to The Fortune Society was on a cold November day in 2003. I was walking along Eighth Avenue in Manhattan on a job search and saw a smallframed, middle aged woman carrying two heavy bags. I asked the woman if she would like some assistance with her bags, as I was going down the street about ten blocks and would be more than happy to walk with her. She gladly accepted my offer.
As we walked, she asked me where I was going and I told her that I was going on an employment search. I had been home for less than a week and needed to get a job. “Mary” confided in me that she was formerly incarcerated, but had found employment at The Fortune Society as a group facilitator. She described Fortune as a place where the formerly incarcerated could go and receive services and understanding. She stated that both she and her husband had found help and support within the walls of the agency and encouraged me to stop in for an intake. I agreed that I would and we parted company. I spent the next two years working as a professional cook and culinary student. Cooking was fun, but something was missing. There was something that drew me to wanting to help people, particularly those who had been affected by the criminal justice system. So I took a break from cooking, started exploring my options, and was eventually referred again to The Fortune Society. I came to Fortune as a volunteer and have worked here over three years, in three different roles. I have met a lot of wonderful and caring people, but none stand out in my memory the way “Mary” does. I never saw her again, but I never forgot the passion and love she displayed for the mission of the agency. She was my first taste of The Fortune
Society, and I believe a spiritual marker in the direction of positive change and personal power. I hope that the woman, whose full name I do not recall, has found the success she wished me on that cold November day.
Client Profile
Robert G. Walker I met Carolyn Mayfield in September 2008, at Marcy Correctional Facility. Ms. Mayfield explained how The Fortune Society worked and what was available for me – having acquired HIV in 1987. I was skeptical. A month after being released, I transferred from Buffalo Parole to NYC Parole, and arrived soon after at the Fortune Society.
Within two days of my arrival to NYC, staff members Bobby Staley and Kevin Carter found me permanent housing that suits all my needs and issues. Ms. Green and Dr. Chin directed me to a medical facility that has enhanced my life. Adelaide Connaughton, my case manager at Fortune, has also been an incredible help. Referring and helping me through the maze of social service agencies in NYC, Ms. Connaughton did not forget me and always kept up with my issues. She helped me deal with hunger, communication, housing, education, accepting who I am, what I am – never judging, just showing me how to go about it safely. Six months later, I am attending Lehman College – with gratitude to Charlene at the College Initiative Program. My goals of independence, freedom, and selfsufficiency are attainable now. Finally, after ten years in the DOCS and parole system, I am hopeful. Thank you Fortune Society. Skepticism is in the past.
Community Profile Melanie Johnston Member of the Board of Directors For me in the fall of 1968, the world seemed bleak: Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy had been assassinated. But my husband and I had a child in December of that year. The story that David Rothenberg tells is that I came into his office at 45th and Broadway (half David’s PR business, half work with ex-convicts) with that baby on my back. What I experienced was a group of persons: black, white and brown, male and female, helping each other after returning from America’s prisons. The world was no longer so bleak. I had hope. My volunteer work at Fortune began with addressing envelopes and emptying ashtrays one day a week. Then a counselor, Danny Keane, needed help in reading – his brother-in-law couldn’t read at all, and another counselor, Charlie Jackson, wanted his GED. I began teaching one day a week. We all could see that the need for education was very great. I was overwhelmed.
Later, two former Peace Corps members – Linda Brown and Lynne Ornstein – came into our office. One planned to start an education program at the Bronx House of Detention and the other taught GED classes for an innovative New York City program. Linda began tutoring Teddy Jones, (who had come to Fortune’s doorsteps drunk and completely illiterate) and Lynne taught some of my students while I was away and then stayed. Lynne and I worked together and soon began the Education Department – open year round (no summer vacation). Working at Fortune fulfilled the highest ideals I had. It was, and still is, an incredible community.
If you are a Fortune client or community member, and you want to share your story, please write to The Fortune Society, Attn: Colleen Koch, Editor of Fortune News, 29-76 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101
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Eye on Fortune Vice President of Capital One; John S. Zeiler, CEO of Hudson Housing; Alfred A. DelliBovi, President of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York; and hundreds of supporters.
The Fortune Society Breaks Ground on New Housing Development in Harlem On February 19, 2009, The Fortune Society broke ground on an 110,000-square foot, mixed use, affordable housing development adjacent to the Fortune Academy, our emergency and phasedpermanent housing facility in West Harlem. On hand for the groundbreaking were Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, JoAnne Page, President and CEO of Fortune Society and Jonathan F.P. Rose, President of Jonathan Rose Companies, Congressman Charles Rangel; Borough President Scott Stringer; City Council Speaker Christine Quinn; City Council Member Robert Jackson; Acting Commissioner Marc Jahr, Department of Housing and Preservation; Commissioner David Hansell, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; President/CEO of New York State Housing Finance Agency Priscilla Almodovar; Michael Colgrove, Director of NYC Office for NYSERDA; Keith Fairey, New York Director and Regional Operations Officer for Enterprise Community Partners; Patricia Jones, Chair of Community Board 9; Mark Ginsberg of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects LLP; Nick Lettire of Lettire Construction; James Covington, Senior
This development will expand on the housing and services already offered at the adjoining Castle to formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as provide affordable units for low-income families in the community. Additionally, 20,000 square feet of program space will offer enhanced services, possibly including job training, counseling and education. The project will be completed in early 2010, and service space will also be available for community use. “Supportive housing is essential for the health, safety, and dignity of many vulnerable New Yorkers who are weathering hard economic times,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The City has set the stage for a stunning new green housing complex that will become an important anchor in this West Harlem community.”
Working at The Fortune Society for more than 20 years in various capacities, all of which are related to the field of human services, she has devoted her life to making a difference by believing in the power of individuals to change.
People from vastly different backgrounds have reached out to her to learn how to better their situations and their communities, and she has assisted them with services that range from substance abuse treatment, location of stable housing, counseling, referrals, and aftercare follow-up and treatment. Nancy has also worked in close collaboration with a number of other organizations, including schools, health departments, housing authorities, and community groups, to develop and promote programs for young adults. Through her diverse roles at The Fortune Society, she has not only changed the lives of staff and clients with her devotion to their welfare, she has also demonstrated incredible leadership time and again. We’ve known for a long time how amazing Nancy is, and we’re proud to see her good work recognized by El Diario. Employer Education Act Signed into Law, a DRCPP Success
The Employer Education Act, the first bill ever drafted by the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP), was signed into law in New York State by Governor Paterson in 2008 (see following page for additional details). It Nancy Lopez and Justice Sotomayor at the 2009 El Diario Mujeres requires employers Destacadas Awards Ceremony in May. to give job applicants a copy of New York’s Nancy Lopez Honored by El Diario as a anti-discrimination law whenever a 2009 Woman of Distinction criminal background check is performed, and to post the law conspicuously in Nancy Lopez, Fortune’s Director of the workplace. This new law will prove Admissions, was honored this May by instrumental in protecting the rights of El Diario La Prensa’s 2009 Mujeres qualified job seekers with criminal records Destacadas (Women of Distinction) Award. in their efforts to enter the labor market One of 26 women who were honored, and become productive, self-sufficient including newly appointed Supreme citizens of New York State. Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Nancy was recognized for a lifetime of service.
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News from The David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy Introduction While Fortune has always engaged in advocacy and community education, we have recently launched the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP), in honor of our founder David Rothenberg, which focuses primarily on public policy advocacy. The DRCPP coordinates The Fortune Society’s policy development, advocacy, technical assistance, training, and community education efforts. The Center integrates Fortune’s internal expertise with research and evaluation to advocate for a fairer criminal justice system. It seeks to promote effective program models and needed supports for people with criminal justice histories, and to change the laws and policies that create unjust barriers to the successful reentry of people with such backgrounds into our communities. The DRCPP is committed to pursuing the following agenda from 2009-2011:
» Increase the systematic utilization of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) and close “surplus” correctional facilities » Remove counterproductive barriers to employment that hinder people with criminal records » Expand the voting franchise to people on parole » Increase access to affordable housing for people with criminal records
» Increase access to higher education in prison and post release
For additional details about the current agenda, or to learn more about advocating with DRCPP, please visit our website: www.fortunesociety.org.
The Word in Reform By Glenn E. Martin, Director of DRCPP and VP of Development and Public Affairs While the nation’s newfound focus on the reentry and reintegration of the approximately 700,000 people returning home from state and
Rockefeller Drug Law Reform: Re-sentencing Guidelines
David Rothenberg, Fortune’s Founder
federal prisons each year is important and overdue, the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP) is convinced that the way to help solve the nation’s criminal justice debacle is to reduce the number of people incarcerated in the first place. Consistent with The Fortune Society’s efforts to increase the systemic use of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI), redefine drug use as a public health issue, and halt the utilization of mass incarceration as a response to addiction, DRCPP spent the most recent legislative session working collaboratively to successfully advocate for the reform of New York State’s notoriously ineffective Rockefeller Drug Laws (RDL). Unlike the lesser reforms from 2004, the recent RDL reforms contain many far-reaching changes, including reducing sentences for the majority of drug offenses, restoring judicial discretion, ending mandatory minimums for most drug offenses, expanding and funding community-based drug treatment programs – including Alternatives to Incarceration for people convicted of drug offenses, and potentially providing retroactive sentencing relief to approximately 1,500 people who are currently incarcerated in NYS prisons. Now that we have helped to change the law, DRCPP is committed to ensuring that the affected men and women have access to the myriad services available to people with criminal records at The Fortune Society, including career development, HIV/AIDS health services, education, family services, housing services, and substance abuse treatment. While we relish this significant victory, won just before the legislative session became marred by tumult in the NYS Senate, DRCPP realizes that the fight to convince policymakers that drug addiction should be treated as a public health issue is far from over. Onward!
Due to recent drug law reforms, some people who are in the custody of the NYS Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) can apply to be re-sentenced. You may be eligible to apply for re-sentencing if: »
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You are serving an indeterminate sentence with a maximum term of more than three years for a B level drug felony.
You have not been convicted within the past 10 years of either a violent felony offense or an offense for which merit time is not available. You have not been incarcerated for any reason during the period between the commission of the previous felony and that of the present felony.
You have not been convicted of more than one violent felony.
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If you have a B level drug felony conviction that was imposed at the same time as or included in the same commitment order as C, D, or E drug sentences, you may apply to have them changed as well. You may be eligible for representation by a defender organization. To find out, you should contact a defender group from the county of your conviction. If you do not know of one, please contact William Gibney at the Legal Aid Society (199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038) for a full list.
To speed evaluation of your case, you should send a copy of your Criminal History Report (rap sheet) along with your request for representation. You can obtain a free copy from: NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, Record Review Unit, 4 Tower Place, Albany, NY 12203. Also provide as much information as you can about your situation – specifically, please include: the indictment number of the drug case in question, the sentence, and any other convictions you may have.
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Justice Beat ‘Redemption’ in an Era of Widespread Criminal Background Checks By Alfred Blumstein and Kiminori Nakamura Abstract President Obama’s crime and law enforcement agenda seeks to break down employment barriers for those who have a criminal record but have stayed clear of the criminal justice system. In the past, determining how long it takes for a record to become irrelevant has been a random, subjective decision. However, the National Institute of Justice recently funded a study conducted by Blumstein and Nakamura that sought to estimate the point in time when a formerly incarcerated person has stayed arrest-free long enough to be considered “redeemed.” The researchers wanted to determine when an employer could safely disregard a criminal history. More than 80 percent of U.S. employers perform criminal background checks on applicants. In 2006, nearly 81 million criminal records were on file, and every year 14 million arrests are recorded. As a result, the question of whether there is a time period after which employers can disregard a history of arrest and/or incarceration has become one of particular importance.
The researchers looked at the subjects’ age in 1980 as well as the type of crime, focusing on 18-year-olds whose first offense was robbery, burglary, or aggravated assault. It was found that by age 25, roughly seven years after the initial arrest, individuals who had served time for robbery had the same chance of recidivism as those in the general population. For burglary and aggravated assault, the probability became the same at around age 22. However, for all three crimes, the younger a person was when first arrested, the longer that person had to stay arrestfree to reach the same hazard rate as the general population. Public Policy Implications
This analysis provides evidence that the probability of new arrests declines over the years and eventually becomes as low as that of the general population. It contains statistical data showing when a criminal record should no longer have any bearing on a hiring decision. This information has the potential to alter policies surrounding the maintenance of and access to criminal record databases – particularly as regards criminal background checks. The data could also influence the passage of state laws to protect employers against liability claims related to hiring individuals with records.
Furthermore, it could help determine when a person’s record is so “stale” that it is no longer relevant, possibly leading to policies that seal or even expunge records after a certain point. And finally, the information could be used to help decide when to grant pardons. The Need for Further Research
In the future, Blumstein and Nakamura want to look at other years, other states, and the specific types of crimes that lead to a second arrest. They also want to review whether those in the study group who appeared arrest-free in New York could have been arrested in another state. The authors do believe, nonetheless, that they have the first scientifically based evidence that can show “redemption times.”
Alfred Blumstein, Ph.D., is the Professor of Urban Systems and Operations Research at J. Erik Jonsson University and a former Dean at the Heinz College of Carnegie Mellon University. Kiminori Nakamura is a doctoral student at the latter institution. This abstract is from an article in the NIJ Journal, Issue No. 263. A comprehensive discussion of findings and research methods appears in Criminology, May 2009.
The Research
Blumstein and Nakamura acquired the records of 88,000 people who were arrested for the first time in New York State in 1980 and ascertained whether they were arrested again during the next 25 years. The study group was then compared with two other groups: 1) people of the same age in the “general population” (the civilian population, including those never arrested and those who had recently served time), and 2) people of the same age who had never been arrested. The goal was to establish when the first study group could be considered to be of no greater risk than the others. This analysis is based on a concept called the “hazard rate,” or the likelihood over time that someone who has stayed out of jail will be arrested again.
The Fortune Society R.I.D.E. (Rikers Island Discharge Enhancement) Team, at Rikers Island. From left to right: Anthony Diaz, Adria Rodriguez, Patricia Wysock, Yolanda Morales, Damaris Rodriguez, and Richard Elie.
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“States Seek Less Costly Substitutes for Prison” Washington Post – July 13, 2009 Article by Keith B. Richburg
“Missouri System Treats Juvenile Offenders With Lighter Hand” New York Times – March 27, 2009 Article by Solomon Moore
As a result of the recession, over half of states in the U.S. are turning to alternative sentencing, as well as new probation and parole procedures, in order to reduce the growth of their prison populations – and the related costs. President Obama has asked Congress for more than $200 million for prisoner reentry programs, largely to keep low-level offenders out of the criminal justice system and in their communities. Adam Gelb, Director of the Public Safety Performance Project for the Pew Center, had this to say: “The research has pointed to a path for [states] to more public safety at less cost.”
Missouri has one of the lowest youth recidivism rates in the country, something for which they credit the “Missouri Model” of juvenile justice. This approach emphasizes “rehabilitation in small groups, constant therapeutic interventions, and minimal force.” The juveniles themselves are taught how to hold each other accountable for bad behavior and - with guidance and supervision - to deescalate situations on their own. Using this approach nationally has resulted in a 12 percent decrease in juvenile offenders from 1997 to 2006.
Tengo un sentimiento calido y maravilloso hacia mi comunidad latina al empezar esta columna que será la contribución en español para Fortune News. Estoy ansiosa por esta oportunidad de hablar con todos ustedes y espero que me escriban con sus pensamientos y sugerencias mientras la columna sigue desarrollándose.
encarcelación. Nuestras familias nos abrieron sus puertas y nos alojaron cuando volvimos a la comunidad. También nos brindaron apoyo financiero (a través de Metrocards, comidas, vestimenta, etc.) y nos apoyaron en cada paso ¡hacia un mejor mañana! El apoyo de las agencias como The Fortune Society también fue instrumental, ya que brindaron esperanza a nuestras familias cuando llamaron para pedir información sobre servicios de reinserción.
“On This Tour, No Breakaways” New York Times – June 11, 2009 Article by Samuel Abt The Tour de France Penitentiare, a bike race in which 450 prisoners participated, embarked the first week of June on a 1,400 mile trip around France that ended in Paris on June 19. The race, whose goal is to “help … men reintegrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem,” aims to show incarcerated men and women that – with training and hard work – there is always the opportunity to begin anew. Says Daniel, a 48-year-old prisoner in Nantes, “It’s a kind of escape for us, a chance to break away from the daily realities of prison.”
Lentes Latinos, por Yolanda Morales
En este número nos enfocamos en los desafíos y las alegrías en el proceso de reinserción, entrevistando a varias personas con el fin de entender su perspectiva. Sorprendentemente, todos parecíamos compartir un pensamiento similar: “Ser latino no hace la experiencia carcelaria más o menos difícil, pero la reinserción en si misma presenta desafíos culturales únicos.” También nos dimos cuenta de que al examinar lo que ha contribuido a nuestras exitosas reinserciones en la sociedad, la belleza de la familia y su importancia se vuelve inmediatamente aparente. Son nuestras familias las que cuidaron a nuestros niños, depositaron dinero en nuestro comisariato y mantuvieron sus visitas y cartas durante nuestra
A pesar del intenso apoyo dentro de nuestras comunidades y de lo afortunados que somos al recibirlo, el reto para muchos latinos continua siendo el dominio del idioma. Hay muchos para quienes inglés es un segundo idioma y otros quienes no lo hablan por completo. Para estos individuos es muy fácil sentirse perdidos en la experiencia de transición, lo que los lleva a una vida de crimen. Un joven a quién entrevisté recientemente me dijo que pensó vender drogas nuevamente (el mismo crimen por el cual cumplió su condena) para mantenerse cuando recién salio de la cárcel. Fue a través de nuestros servicios que pudo hacer la solicitud para recibir los beneficios a los que tiene derecho y registrarse en clases ESOL (Inglés como segundo idioma). Hay que tener en mente que la mayoría de las clases ESOL no son ofrecidas durante el período
de encarcelación y que los programas tienen un cupo muy limitado, lo que hace difícil registrarse en ellos al momento de la liberación, dejando a los ex presos mal preparados para reingresar a sus comunidades como ciudadanos productivos. En consecuencia, vuelven a hacer lo que creen que hacen mejor. Sin embargo, como este joven demuestra, la situación no tiene que ser de esta manera. Este joven hoy esta aprendiendo a leer y escribir en ingles y es optimista de que pronto podrá llenar solicitudes de trabajo que le abrirán las puertas a un mejor futuro sin el estigma de ser un ex preso latino. Yo mantengo el optimismo de que pronto todas las agencias gubernamentales y privadas que proveen servicios de reinserción considerarán la enseñanza del inglés en su matriz de servicios, dando a todos la misma oportunidad de éxito. Espero ansiosa poder compartir mas historias y perspectivas de la comunidad Latina, y deseo que hayan disfrutado leyendo “Lentes Latinos.”
Yolanda Morales es ex presa y hoy trabaja para The Fortune Society como Directora de Servicios de Transición, incluyendo el programa R.I.D.E (Rikers Island Discharge Enhancement) cuya meta es mejorar el proceso de liberación.
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New & Noteworthy Prison Programs The “Getting Ready” Program, Arizona Corrections Christina Duran, a correctional officer at Arizona’s Lewis Prison, says that before the “Getting Ready” program was developed and implemented, the prison was in “an undeclared state of war.” Former Director of Arizona Corrections Dora B. Schriro, who was recently appointed Commissioner of the NYC Department of Correction, indicated the problem was that inmates were “told when to eat, when to sleep and not helped to develop positive past-times.” This lack of autonomy left prisoners restless, prone to violence, and resentful of authorities. Also, after years existing in this highlycontrolled environment, ex-offenders were “ill-prepared” to reenter their communities, often resulting in recidivism. The goal of the new Getting Ready program is to facilitate this transition by creating a “parallel universe” that reflects the challenges and opportunities present upon release and reentry.
Getting Ready has dramatically changed the experience of prisoners inside Arizona’s prisons. The program prepares inmates for life after incarceration from the minute they enter the system, a process that starts with individualized corrections plans. Prisoners are expected to work, study, or participate in selfdevelopment activities seven days a week. Success is measured by meeting plan goals, and incentives that mirror those available in society are given each step of the way. For example, more job opportunities become available to prisoners who choose to complete their GED, along with higher pay. In contrast, if prisoners choose not to pursue the GED option, their wages are frozen at entry levels. As participants accomplish their goals – which might include completing substance abuse treatment or attending cultural workshops – they can receive additional privileges, responsibilities, and stature in the community. When the Getting Ready program was
implemented in the Arizona prison system in 2004, the budget had just been cut and the prison population was up 17 percent. Schriro was able to launch the program without any additional funds by simply providing additional training to the corrections staff and by reevaluating the use of prison space, a model that is highly replicable.
The success in Arizona has brought national attention to the program. Since the program began in 2004, 75 percent of the participants have earned their GED, inmate-on-inmate violence in the prisons is down 46 percent, inmate-on-staff violence is down 33 percent, and drug use, suicide, and sexual assault are also down. At the time of publication, the program was a finalist for the Harvard Kennedy School Innovations Award.
Excerpt taken from “Program Helps Arizona Prisoners Get Ready for Real Life” by Sarah Moore McCann, featured in the Christian Science Monitor on July 31, 2008.
Head Count: People with Disabilities Antonio Graham’s three-quarter housing isn’t designed for people with disabilities, so he has learned to balance carefully on one leg while taking a shower and getting ready for his day. But he’s grateful for the home in Brooklyn, to which he was referred by Fortune staff, especially after being turned away from so many housing and residential programs because they weren’t set up to accommodate his disability. “My current place, it’s a brandnew place, really beautiful,” he says. For him, it is not just a place to live, but an ideal environment to stay clean and sober, and to work towards getting his life back on track while he follows up with doctors and case workers and navigates the complicated maze of reentry.
For Antonio, and thousands of other New Yorkers with disabilities coming home from jail and prison each year, medical needs relating to his disability attach an additional layer of challenges to the reentry process. Antonio lost his leg after a violent run-in with some drug dealers years ago, and has experienced firsthand the frustration of trying to get appropriate medical care while he was incarcerated.
“They have only one institution in New York City, [for people with disabilities]” he explains, “and everyone – [people who are] blind, deaf, amputees – all go there.” He says that there were times when it would take weeks to get medical care, and that he often wasn’t able to get necessary medications. Upon his release from incarceration, Antonio found that housing for people with disabilities is rare, especially people with disabilities who have been incarcerated, and most appropriate housing has long waiting lists and many restrictions. These days, Antonio is working to get a prosthesis, so that he can get rid of his crutches and be more self-sufficient. But calls back and forth from Antonio to the hospital where he was last seen and to his orthopedic clinic all seem to be leading to dead ends. He isn’t giving up, though, and is working with staff at Fortune to advocate for his medical care, especially since arthritis in his hands is making it hard to use his crutches. Title II of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people
with disabilities from discrimination while in jail or prison. This means that people with disabilities are entitled to accommodations, including communication aids and services for people with hearing, vision, or speech impairments. However, because many disabilities are not immediately visible, and because the ADA is not consistently or rigorously enforced, many inmates do not receive appropriate accommodations. Additionally, people may acquire a disability while incarcerated due to illness or injury, and may need additional support in learning how to live with their disability. Regardless of what level of service and care people receive while incarcerated, reentry for people with disabilities presents a unique set of challenges that mainstream service providers are often not prepared to meet. The Fortune Society provides comprehensive services to support people with disabilities who are coming home after incarceration. For more information about The Fortune Society’s services for people with disabilities, please call 212-691-7554.
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A Question of Reentry Question Which aspect of reentry did you find the most challenging?
Answer Casimiro Torres (16 years in prison – “installment plan”, 4 years home) Toughest for me was being sober and not being allowed to be with my daughter, because of my past. I knew I was done with my past but no one else did. We are a family now, and I take my daughter to school every day.
life. I had two kids and I had to learn how to be a mother. In time, everything has worked out beautifully. Hector Perrera (26 years in prison, 18 months home)
Resocializing and communicating with people. Being able to open up and express myself has been difficult. Being involved with Fortune, I found companionship and people who understood. Being cared for has helped me to open up.
restaurant, I was given a menu, but I was used to being given a tray. There were too many choices on the menu. Just deciding what you are going to do or where you are going, means you have to make decisions. When you first come home, that is tough.
David Levine (30 years in prison, home 2 years)
Adapting to the changes in society, the technology, the terminology, and getting around the city using public transportation. Damaris Rodriguez (8 ½ years in prison, home 2 years)
Reengaging with my daughter who was 18 months old when I went away and was 9 years old when I was released. I had to understand her ways and learn how to be a parent.
The lack of trust society has, which is still a problem. I paid my debt and I’ve worked steadily for seven years, doing everything the “right” way. But at every corner there is a deliberate roadblock, no matter what I’ve done.
Dealing with people when I got out, people who hadn’t been in prison. I had more in common with folks who have been locked up. Others would shy away from me when they learned of my record. I have learned not to share about my past. Even though I have been home for over 20 years, it still seems like yesterday, the longest year of my life. Of course, the hardest part was re-establishing trust with my family and trying to love a drug free
Making the daily decisions of living, because all decisions had been made for me for so many years. Sometimes making a decision was so burdensome that for a fleeting minute, I would wish I was back inside. Time has conquered that, and now making a decision is a joyful challenge. Mark Klass (10 years in prison, home 7 years)
Bruce Jones (24 years in prison, 2 years home)
Carolyn Mayfield (1 year in prison, home almost a lifetime)
Larry White (32 years in prison, home 2+ years)
Steven Sacks (4 years in prison, 3 years home) Andres Rosado (16 years in prison, home 2 years) Adjusting to people on the outside, and making decisions about anything - what to eat for example. When I went to a
Getting in touch with my family. My two kids are still angry at me for getting locked up. My boys are now 21 and 19. One won’t talk with me. I think about it every day.
9 The Fortune News
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Center Stage —for Uncle Dale By Joe Ricky Knight, Poinsett County Orange-red gravel roads crisscrossed fields where the flat farmland yielded bales of cotton and tons of soy beans.
We planted, chopped, and picked cotton from spring into summer through autumn for fifty cents an hour, and on July 4th, watched turtle races down Main Street. We caught pollywogs, crawfish, and bull frogs by hand as we waded
muddy ditches filled with run-off and scum. Swatting down bumblebees in flight behind the barn, we collected them in grandma’s Mason jars. Down the road we explored the weedy rooms of abandoned houses for broken treasures, the odd bent spoon, curling calendar of a year long gone. In the distance, derelict timber bridges sagged into cottonmouth-infested creeks. Between Marked Tree and Black Oak,
Wayne Houff, “Indian Chief” (original in full color) Pendleton, Oregon
at the edge of Lepanto, we passed the old bone yard where grandma, grandpa and Uncle Darryl lay in unmarked darkness.
—for Uncle Dale won Second Place in the PEN American Center’s 2009 Prison Writing Contest. To learn more about this contest, please write to: PEN American Center, 588 Broadway, Suite 303, New York, NY 10012.
Comics by Matt Matteo Mercer, Pennsylvania Submit your creative work to: The Fortune Society, Attn: Colleen Koch, Editor of Fortune News, 29-76 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101
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The Hard Road Home – A Reentry Journal, by Carl Dukes I had to take a moment to write you and let you know of my condition. First, I pray that you and your family are continuing to enjoy the best of health.
Day One, January 22, 2008: Today I got up at 4:30 A.M. To me it was like any other day, except that I was to be released on parole. At no time during my 31 years of incarceration did I ever think I wasn’t going to get out; to me it was just a matter of time.
I was released at 10:30 A.M. and was scheduled to live in what is called “threequarter housing,” in Brooklyn. The set-up was semi-private rooms, a shared kitchen, and shower facilities. However, when I arrived I was denied entry – my first of three denials – because of my medical condition. I had cervical spinal surgery on my neck in December. In any event, at the time of being denied entry I became “homeless.” On top of 31 years of incarceration, this was not supposed to happen. I was unprepared for a rude awakening. Before I left prison, I talked with my parole officer several times about where I was to live, and each time I was assured everything was in order. Everything in New York City has changed,
so I was left trying to find my sense of direction – train stop, bus stop, what street, which way – I was lost. This is the point where one has to reach deep inside to remain focused and get help.
For the next six to seven hours I was sent from one shelter to another. The second one was “The Notorious Bedford & Atlantic,” where I stood in line for almost four hours before I reached the entrance window, only to be denied once again. During the time I was waiting, the strap came loose on my bag; I bent over to reconnect it and almost passed out. The reason was I had not eaten or drank since 5:30 A.M. that morning, and now my energy was low. At that point I prayed silently, “God don’t let me go out here.” Well, by the time I would have come to, I would not have no money, no shoes, no I.D., and probably no bag. I get to the window and it goes like this: (Q) What bed are you in? (A) I am here to get a bed. (Q) Where are you from, Bellevue? (A) No, I am here to get a bed. Then, “I’m told you can’t stay here, you got to go to Bellevue.” Finally, I enter the Bellevue “homeless shelter” around midnight, exhausted, beat, hungry, but not broken. By the way, all of time I was going from shelter to shelter I’ve got this heavy bag with all I own in it. Minutes later I was informed I could stay for the night, but that the next day I would have to move to another shelter. Day Two, January 23, 2008: In my mind I know there were a number of appointments I had to keep, and I could not carry that heavy bag around. As faith would have it, I was able to place my bag in storage while I handled my business. I had to report to my parole officer, which must take place within 24 hours after release. The clock was ticking and I made it with few minutes to spare. Upon leaving parole, I immediately headed for the Public Assistance office (better known as Well Fare).
On the same day I reached my fourth shelter about 9:30 P.M. and was interviewed and told to wait. At approximately 10:45 P.M. I was informed I could not stay there because I was not in the system. This shelter is on Ward’s Island, where the last bus leaves at 12:15 A.M., so I waited. Well after midnight I finally was called and given a bed.
Day Three, January 24, 2008: I picked up my Benefit Card and bag with all I owned and returned to Ward’s Island. I applied for Social Security and Senior Citizen Housing. I knew I had to put these things into place, looking at the future. Because of the cervical surgery on my neck my physical strength has been compromised, therefore limiting the kind and amount of work I can do. I finally get around to showering, where changing of underwear or any other clothing is not half of my problems. I’ve managed to get underwear, but because of my size it is difficult if not impossible to get a winter coat. In the meantime, I am not eating anything of good nutrition.
January 24th to March 9th: Ward’s Island was where I lived and would not want anybody to go through that experience. It is a breeding ground for one to return to crime and return to, yes that’s right, prison. In the meantime, I was making my move to be accepted at the Fortune Academy, where the opportunities are what you make them. There I’m given the chance to work things out – it’s like a laboratory; ok, you’re going to make some mistakes and that’s fine. However, you can’t do the same thing over and expect different results. This leads to insanity. I just wanted you to know I was still alive, but not free, don’t even feel like it at all, but each day I grow a little more. Take care and keep me in your prayers.
Carl Dukes, after serving thirty-one years of incarceration – and being denied parole three times – was finally granted release in January of 2008. He is now living at the Fortune Academy (“The Castle”) and is adjusting very well. Carl also works parttime at The Fortune Society as a community liaison.
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The Castle: A Play in Four Lives
Kenneth Harrigan
Vilma Ortiz Donovan
14 months. The Castle has also been performed in nine prisons and jails (including Green Haven, Arthur Kill, Bayview, Rikers Island, and Queensboro), for correction officers on Rikers Island, and at a special showing to an audience of 200 parole officers at the New World Stages. It has also been presented at over a dozen colleges and universities, several community and church groups, and a number of other venues.
A Letter of Thanks November 22, 2008
Dear Mr. Rothenberg,
Angel Ramos
Casimiro Torres
About The Castle “The Castle”, formally known as the Fortune Academy, is The Fortune Society’s community abode for homeless men and women who are working to change their lives for the better. “The Castle” is not just a residence, however. It is also a theatrical drama, conceived and directed by David Rothenberg, which features the personal accounts of four formerly incarcerated individuals and their reentry into society. The original cast – Casimiro Torres, Kenneth Harrigan, Vima Ortiz Donovan, and Angel Ramos – have collectively served more than 70 years in prison. All four have now moved out of the Fortune Academy, are settled in their own apartments, and are holding down fulltime jobs at Fortune. The Castle premiered at the Fortune Academy in early 2008, where it was seen by producers Eric Krebs and Chase Mishkin. They were inspired by its message and worked together to take the production Off-Broadway to the New World Stages in Manhattan’s Theater District, where it played once a week for
I attended your theatrical presentation (The Castle) yesterday here at Green Haven C.F. I am still resonating to those powerful voices. Not only did the four monologues speak to my life, they humanized the setting, the prison, in ways that are truly reformative.
Casimiro Torres, with more arrests than a forest has trees, is he who goes “from the prison to the throne.” Knowing how to say a word in season to the hopeless, he’ll pull many from the edge of the precipice. Casimiro Torres is the role model par excellence.
Your monologue format is a versatile motivational tool; the new paradigm long awaited. You can have a reformative impact upon younger offenders and their inept custodians. The genius of your paradigm is that it doesn’t scare offenders straight, it cares them straight. Caring is transformative. Congratulations Mr. Rothenberg for verifying, in dramatic fashion, the Frenchman’s maxim that “Men [and women] are like rabbits – you catch them by the ears.” Best wishes to The Fortune Society.
From the abyss, James E. Morse
Angel Ramos is proof positive that there is life after death, life that demonstrates how hope springs eternal from the human heart. Having witnessed the light from Angel Ramos, we left with the vibrant sense that we too are lights shinning out of this darkness. Angel Ramos is a shining star.
Vilma Ortiz Donovan reminds us that emotion is the music of the soul, a lyrical force that strikes a chord of truth in the far corners of existence. Her testimony is now our truth; it’s the background music of the life we now have left. Having descended into the abyss and returned empowered; having struggled and prevailed, Vilma Ortiz Donovan has attained a measure of immortality. Kenneth Harrigan’s narrative is every prisoner’s story – past, present, future. We spend lifetimes never knowing the power of love. Attempts to fill our emptiness with drugs, alcohol, street life, and prison, overleap the obvious: love is richer than gold. Kenneth Harrigan is the fabled wounded healer.
If you would like The Castle to come to you, please contact David Rothenberg at 212-691-7554.
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The Fortune News 12
Surviving Reentry, by Barbara Allen How naïve I was.
My husband had accepted a plea bargain which would result in his being incarcerated in a NYS maximum security prison. My attorney asked if I wanted to give a statement prior to sentencing. I suggested that he tell the judge that one day, my husband Gene would be coming home. He would return to the community, but first he would return to me and to our children. I asked if he would receive help for the behavior that caused his being sent to prison. When I was told “Yes”, I believed it. The day my husband was sentenced to prison, my children and I prepared to begin doing our time. The fear of the unknown loomed over us and I knew we were in for a bumpy ride. I just did not know how traumatic an adventure we would have. We learned to survive our incarceration by making adjustments in our lives that did not involve Gene – making day-today decisions without his input or presence. I became independent. I was the breadwinner, the disciplinarian, and the nurturer. I had to be all things to everyone.
He was on parole and our lives were further disrupted by curfews and restrictions. I now had to not only chauffeur my children, but I also chose to drive Gene to job interviews, parole, and medical appointments. He could have taken public transportation, but I was so fearful that he would be snatched from me again that I wanted to put him in a protective bubble. He did not like that bubble. He wanted to be free and autonomous. Living on the outside was a challenge for us both. We survived the incarceration. Now, we had the harder task of surviving reentry. Barbara Allen is a former schoolteacher, a wife, and a mother whose husband was imprisoned in 1966. She is one of the founders of Prison Families Anonymous, a support group for those with loved ones involved in the criminal justice system. By writing articles, speaking before
policymakers, sitting on the board of multiple criminal justice agencies, and much else, Barbara has worked tirelessly on behalf of families affected by incarceration. Barbara Allen lives in New York and continues her good her work with Prison Families Anonymous. Barbara can be reached at Prison Families Anonymous: 45 Prairie Dr., N. Babylon, NY 11703; (516) 616-3191.
The offender and his/her family live in parallel universes. Neither is familiar with the experiences the other has gone through. As the years go by, although there might be many prison visits, the realities of daily living become more and more difficult to express. Then he came home!
During our visits we spoke of the magic that awaited his release. How once again we would be a family unit (which, by the way, was not quite utopian before his arrest). And so our lives resumed. No one is prepared for the reentry process. And we walked on eggshells. I did not know that I could not touch him as he sleeps or that he would want to immediately resume his role of Daddy; he was resentful that his position had been usurped. Our children had to accept a new person setting rules. For the first time in years they had to share me. I would have to try to become my former self, a team player, one half of a couple, just the mom and wife.
Photos of several of Fortune’s clients with their families, taken at our holiday party in 2008. From top left to bottom right: Angel Pagan, David Martinez, Robert Minkoff, and Gherri King.
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Family Matters, by Jaimee Nelsen In this feature, Family Law expert Jaimee Nelsen will answer a reader’s question.
where your child lives to ensure you are established as the legal father of your child. Without legal status, you are as good as a stranger in the court system. Once you have established paternity, you have all of the legal rights and responsibilities that come along with being a father. This includes the right of visitation, the right to pass along your property if you die, and the right to pay child support! Filing for visitation is the first step to ensuring regular parenting time with your child. Surprisingly, this right isn’t so much your right to see your child as it is your child’s right to see YOU! Every child deserves a dad and stepping up to have some parenting time is an excellent first step.
Question I’m about to come home and my baby’s mom said that I can’t see my son because I haven’t been there for either of them for the past five years. What do I do? ~ Rasheem H., Green Haven, NY
Answer If you haven’t already, the first thing you need to do is establish paternity. You may know that the child is yours because he looks just like you, but that doesn’t mean that you will be legally recognized as his dad in a court of law. If you weren’t married to the mom at the time your son was born and your name isn’t on the birth certificate, you will probably have to file a petition at the local family court
Food for Thought
If you haven’t seen your child in a while, you will probably be granted supervised visitation at first. This is because your child might not know you very well, and the judge doesn’t know you either. This is about making sure your child is safe and has a safe space where he can get to know you. In addition, it gives the judge a chance to get to know you a little better through a neutral supervisor who will report back to the court. Chances are your child will have a great time, and the visit supervisors will report that back to the judge. If the supervised visitation continues to go well, the judge will typically slowly increase the duration and frequency of your visitation and sometimes even allow unsupervised or overnight visits if both you and your child agree to them. If the mom tries to interfere with your court-ordered visitation, you will have the
What is the one thought, motto, phrase, or quote that keeps you going through hard times?
appraise myself more, to really not care what other people think. ~Adam, aka “A Butta”, Rikers Island
“If who you are is what you have and what you have is lost, then who are you?”
“Live, laugh and love, cause at the end of the day, tomorrow is a new beginning. But tomorrow is not a promise!”
When I read that quote, it made me think like wait a minute, I’m locked up, I ain’t got shit. Who da f--- am I? From then on I just started to see what kind of individual I really am. I found out that materialistic shit don’t make me anything…I learned to
I’ve lived life to the fullest but not to my best ability. I feel like I’ve experienced the good, bad and ugly by being here in prison! I’m so lucky, to be here healthy, well, and alive. I’m still not going to give up. I’ve come a long way to realize that I
power of the court behind you to enforce the order. This means that the mom could potentially be fined or even incarcerated if she is found to be in contempt of court. Please remember that the time you spend with your child is for you to be the best father you can, so don’t use the time to talk bad about your son’s mom. You wouldn’t want anyone speaking bad about your mom, would you? Good luck. Jaimee Lynn Nelsen, Ed.M., Esq. received her masters degree from Harvard University and her J.D. from City University of New York School of Law. She formerly worked for the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) in New York City where she prosecuted neglect and abuse cases. She has been working at The Fortune Society for nearly two years. Do you have a question for Jaimee? Please write to: The Fortune Society, Attn: Colleen Koch, Editor of Fortune News, 29-76 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101 *This column is not a consultation with an attorney and should in no way be construed as such or as a substitute for such consultation. Anyone with legal issues or concerns should seek the advice of his or her own attorney.
Who inspires you the most, and why? Please submit your Food for Thought to The Fortune Society, Attn: Colleen Koch, Editor of Fortune News, 29-76 Northern Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101.
love my life cause I’m still here to fix it and to be successful. Cause at the end of the day, tomorrow is a new beginning. ~Jose E. Montanez, Rikers Island “The sky is the limit.” I like this quote because it let’s me know nothing is impossible. Any goal you make you can reach as long as your mind is set to it. And one of my favorite rap artists, Biggie Smalls, used it in his song called “Sky is the Limit”. ~Gabriel Cesar, Rikers Island
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