Director’s Update: June 2022
Operations: June operations are on track.
MPAC currently has a staff size of 13 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Whitney Parrish, Joelle Jackson, Cheryl Mills, Bobby Payzant, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson and Kathy Elliot
MPAC Bobby Payzant is out on sick leave till June 30th.
MPAC has 4 volunteers leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin & Leslie Manning.
MPAC staff has co-created a new Mission. Value, and Purpose statements
Our Mission is to support and advocate for Maine’s incarcerated citizens, their families and friends.
Our Purpose is to reduce Maine’s use of incarceration by advocating for a criminal legal system that is ethical, humane and restorative.
Our Vision is of a justice system that is restorative. It supports humanity in every person, and reflects and creates transformation and accountability.
MPAC has a new board member Craig Williams. Craig is MPAC's first system-impacted board member.
MPAC Staff and Volunteers meet as a full team weekly to update and resolve tensions.
MPAC staff members are in regular communications with incarcerated residents and formerly incarcerated individuals.
MPAC staff meeting in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
MPAC is waiting for our 501c3 application to be approved.
MPAC Administrative Assistant responds and directs incoming correspondence to staff.
MPAC Strategy Meeting is the second Saturday of each month and continues to be well attended.
MPAC - Legislative Strategy Meeting every Tuesday at 6pm.Weekly meetings are held to discuss Solitary confinement strategy.
Executive Director and MPAC Coordinator Whitney Parrish has been appointed by Senate President to the Commission to Examine Reestablishing Parole.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting - Saturday May 14, 2022 MPAC Strategy Meeting May 14th
MPAC - no strategy meeting in July!
MDOC - approved Olivia, Jan, and MECA intern Sophie with going into all of the facilities to explain the art exhibit. Gallery Exhibit approved to be held at Bangor Public Library, Portland Public Library, Emery Center at University Of Maine Farmington, and the Meeting House Gallery in Freeport!
MDOC - Reginald Betts Freedom Library has been approved. MDOC signed up for six.
Penobscot county jail- Planning to expand the jail. Doubling its size. MPAC signed on to a letter opposing the expansion of Penobscot County Jail.
MDOC - MPAC Coordinator Peter Lehman privileges to enter MSP has been curtailed.
MDOC - Downeast officially reopened!
MCC Reentry Center- Cheryl has indicated her capacity is stretched. She will no longer attend monthly meetings at the reentry center. She will be going to the hill twice a month to meet with the women.
Longcreek- Staffing levels are getting worse.Looks like they will be losing their restorative justice officer. Biggest complaint is there is nothing to do because there is no staff to get them from point A to point B.
MPAC staff are supporting formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with transport, peer to peer support. One on one and in group settings. Brandon supported a newly released man with housing. Cheryl picked up a woman at the airport who had been held in a Texas detention Center. Joseph connected a man and his daughter on SCCP to housing.
MCC Longtimers - meeting with Longtimers twice a month. A number of women have medical complaints. MPAC Director contacted the medical provider and MDOC Administrators and superintendents to address their concerns.
MSP - Visitors not allowed to use the bathroom during visits. Policy allows visitors the ability to use the bathroom. Grievances have been filed!
MPAC Staff is collaborating with the Rest Center in Lewiston on a peer support group for formerly incarcerated individuals entitled Pros and Cons. Group is engaging in outside activities such as softball. Andre started a peer support group in Portland. First meeting was held Monday.
MPRN- continues to support reentry transition.
Mountain View - dropped off boxes of library books for incarcerated residents.
Projects:
Gallery Exhibit Project - Jan Collins/ Olivia Hochstadt lead, along with our new MECA & D intern Sophie Craven
Charles Jordan House - Joseph, Ryun, and Dan Black leading.
Franklin County Recovery/ reentry center - Jan Collins and members of the area recovery community.
Library books in Maine's prisons and jails. Jon Courtney leads! MPAC Library Book proposal for MDOC
Arts Programming Team - meets every Friday at 8:30 to discuss avenues for increasing arts programming at DOC facilities.(Jon, Jan, Olivia, Adriane Herman, Sophie Craven)
Art History Class at MSP - MPAC volunteer and former intern, Olivia Hochstadt(Jan Collins assisting) in conjunction with Colby Museum of Art will be offering an Art History and fine art workshop at MSP, June 15, 22, and 29
Reentry Support - Peter Lehman leads.
Higher Education In Prison - Joseph Jackson leads.
Justice Scholar Strategy - Joseph Jackson leads.
Freedom And Captivity - Catherine Besteman leads.
Juneteenth Celebration June 17th Kennedy Park- Joseph Jackson leads.
Communications:
Still looking to create more structure around communications. Created new MPAC brochures. MPAC Brochure
Public engagement is On-track.
Jan is working with Bates college classes, staff, and student projects regarding parole research, messaging and public perception.
Brandon participated in a panel on Maine Calling. Maine Calling: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE and was featured in a Downeast article on parole State of Maine vs Parole
Donors/ funders:
MPAC awarded 10,600.00 from UMA Mellon Foundation.
SparkPlug foundation turned us down.
Maine Initiatives -Maine Initiatives has selected five organizations to distribute discretionary grants to in response to the violence happening in various places in the country, specifically targeting Black communities. MPAC will receive$2000.
Legislative:
Assistant Director Jan Collins and MPAC board member Craig Williams will attend a convening of organizations working on solitary confinement bans in their states in Baltimore June 19.
Candidate survey developed to ascertain candidate positions on solitary confinement and parole.
Proposing holding a vigil for the man who died in Cumberland County Jail this past weekend. Daria Cullen organizing.
