Director’s Update: October 2023
Operations: October operations are on track.
MPAC Board consists of 6 members, Co-Chair Ryun Anderson, Co-Chair Carla Hunt, Executive Secretary Julian Rowand, board members Jadirah Ortiz, Craig Williams, and Rosalani Moore.
MPAC currently has a staff size of 11 individuals. Joseph Jackson, Jan Collins, Peter Lehman, Joelle Jackson, Daniel Fortune, Brandon Brown, Wendy Allen, Andre Hicks, Antonio Jackson, Linda Small and Kathy Elliot
MPAC has 6 volunteers leading projects. Doug Dunbar, Jon Courtney, Jamie Peloquin, Leslie Manning, Cheryl Mills, Olivia Hochstadt and Lani Graham. Special thanks for their work and dedication.
MPAC 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 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: Justin Gilcrist is MPAC’S new intern and is working on research to reduce violence in prisons and jails.
MPAC staff meeting in-person with incarcerated residents at MSP, Bolduc, MCC, SMWRC.
MPAC Ways of Working committee has shifted staff roles to correspond to accountabilities.
MPAC Strategy Meeting is the second Saturday of each month from 10-12.
MPAC Legislative Strategy Meeting every Tuesday at 6pm.
Arts Programming Team meets every Thursday at 8:30 to discuss avenues for increasing arts programming at DOC facilities. Jon, Jan, Olivia(departed for Boston but still participating), Adriane Herman, and Nicole Lund.
MPAC Website Committee: meeting every other week.
On-going: Advocacy, correspondence, and Direct Dialogue.
MPAC Strategy Meeting - Met October 14, 2023. 15 people attended.
MDOC - Brief meeting with Deputy Commissioner Tony Cantillo. Women unable to open savings accounts. Tony is addressing this issue.
MDOC - complaints about new policy at the ACU. Questions around lack of notification for public input on policy changes.22 hour lock down. Many Health care complaints.
MDOC - Raised the issue of men reporting having to wait 8 months after approval for SCCP. He is looking into those issues.
MSP- Speaker of the House met with the MSP NAACP on the earned good time bill.
Bolduc unit - reports residents are threatened with write ups if they approach the Commissioner with complaints. Residents also report having to wait 8 months after SCCP approval before release. Residents with jobs are finding it difficult to access their final paychecks in a reasonable time.
Bolduc Unit - MPAC partnered with Recovery Connections of Maine to hold a softball game and cookout at the prison. The current cons soundly beat the ex cons. The cookout was good, looking to make this an annual event.
MCC Reentry Center - Over 50 women registered to vote at voter registration. They are going to do some peer education about the ballot.
Longcreek - Andre is in Long Creek every day. More people were detained in August. We are supporting 14 youth in the community. Interaction involves lunch, school clothes, and support with obtaining driver's licenses. Communications through snapchat.
MPAC - staff continues to support formerly incarcerated individuals in reentry, with transport, peer to peer support. One on one and in group settings.
MCC Longtimers - meeting with Longtimers twice a month. Linda joining! Van to conduct Mammograms for women visiting MCC.
MCC Longtimers - women complained they have been denied the ability to open bank accounts. Men have been allowed to open accounts for years. Deputy Commissioner is looking into it.
MSP - Locked down, no classes, 9 overdoses last week, another shake down, strip search in close. Volunteer tricked into bringing in documents Laced with drugs.
MSP: New ACU Privilege Level, 2 hours of rec a day (as opposed to the 3 they were getting). Level's 1 and 2, reportedly are not being allowed out for programming, ie; art class and creative writing class.
MSP - Dan has permission from the commissioner to start a podcast. I am more than my story What do you need to be heard.
MSP-NAACP - Event honoring Anthony Cartlidge and Jeff Evangelos on Friday was very successful with lots of beautiful speakers, including MPAC Executive Director Joseph Jackson and MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown. MPAC staff Jon Courtney, Jan Collins, and Dre Hicks were in attendance.
MERN - Wrapped up Training. Last day session today and last evening session on Thursday..
Penobscot county jail: plan to ask voters for approval next year to build an enormous new jail at a likely price tag in the ballpark of $100 million.
Projects
Reentry Support - MPAC supported 6 people in reentry transition.
Gallery Exhibit Project - LA Arts exhibit has been canceled due to the tragic events in Lewiston. LA Arts are prioritizing community events. We will reschedule.
Book drive - Jon Courtney took a load of books to MCC, and MSP. MCC is training a new person to take over the project inside. Over a thousand books have been delivered this year
MPAC Film Series: attendance for the art Film series at MSP was low. Close was locked down. The Women’s Center was able to attend via zoom for the first time
Reentry Sisters: recruiting women to speak with Justin about their solitary confinement experience!
Sustainer learner: Craig and Joseph participating.
Justice Radio: Listen live at 90.9 WMPG FM or stream online: https://www.wmpg.org/ Sunday at 1:30
Freedom And Captivity - Catherine Besteman leads. Freedom and Captivity: Linda Small is facilitating the workshops this fall with 3 incarcerated facilitators. 30 people enrolled in the workshop including intern Nicole Lund.
MPAC'S Speakers Bureau - creating a structure to hold the work. We plan to make changes to the webpage for recruitment. Looking to create a meeting space and time to support the project.
Behind the Door Podcast - MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown co-host with the Executive Director of Recovery Connections of Maine Jeremy Hiltz.
MPAC Intern - Reduction of Violence in Prison research. Research is going well. Conducting interviews!
Communications
MPAC brochures. MPAC Brochure
Public engagement is on-track.
Public engagement - higher Education in Prison Conference in Atlanta with F & C. MPAC staff Linda Small, Brandon Brown and Antonio Jackson paneling.
MSP Dream Team: MPAC Executive Director Joseph Jackson, MPAC Coordinator Brandon Brown, Antonio Jackson paneling.
Beyond the Bars Conference: MPAC Coordinator Dan Fortune presented.
Behind the Door Podcast, MPAC Executive Director appeared on the podcast. Behind the Door Podcast with Joseph Jackson
Donors/ funders
Maine Humanities Council- grant for $1000 submitted.
Borealis - Grant submitted
Become A Sustainer campaign - A sustainer is a Donor or Supporter who commits to making monthly or yearly donations of time or money to the organization. Sustainers play a crucial role in providing a stable and predictable source of income for us by allowing us to plan and execute long-term initiatives with greater confidence.
Legislative
Assistant Director Jan Collins leads!
Legislative Committee Zoom meetings resume.
Solitary confinement
Parole4Me - Zoom meetings have resumed. They meet every other Monday afternoon.
Indigent Housing - working with the Speaker of the House
Earned Good Time - working with the Speaker of the House
Longcreek Bill - working with MYJ and the Advocacy table.
Criminal Records Committee - MPAC Executive Director appointed by Senate President Troy Jackson to serve on the committee.
Strategic Partnerships: ongoing- MaineTransnet, GLADD, Portland Outright, MIO, MYJ, Maine Law School, Disability Rights, Maine Equal Justice, ACLU, Muskie, Recovery Connections, Recovery Housing, JJAG, Women’s League of Voters, MPRN, MPDA, MSP-NAACP, Colby College, Bates College, UMA, RJIM, Maine Immigrants, Maine Family Planning, Maine Humanities Council
New Partners: Pubic Health Committee for Maine Medical Association, Knox-Waldo Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women. No Penobscot County Jail Expansion , ME-RAP, Southern Maine SURJ(Standing Up for Racial Justice), Amistad, Maine CDC, Vera Institute, Curative, Augusta Recovery Center, Reform Alliance, College Guild, Project Home, Maine Health Equity Foundation
