Join PACE: Monday, November 20th, Worcester Room
Topic: Institutional Realities
Title: “Corrections Expert Panel: What is the Vision of Prisons as a Just institution?”
Moderator: Denean Jones-Ward (Continuing Education and Workforce Development Director of Transportaion, Adult and Community Development, Wor-Wic Community College)
June Brittingham (Principal of Eastern Correctional Institution and Supervisor of Correctional Libraries, Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning, MD Dept of Labor); Ruschelle Reuben, (Director of Correctional Education, Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning, MD Dept of Labor)
Panel discussion of prison staff to raise and discuss institutional priorities, mission, realities, and goals. The panel will emphasize the role of education, reentry, and community partnership. Under discussion will be questions of access, community responsibility, safety and security, and long-term strategies for articulating a vision of fair and just prisons in the future.
Monday, Nov 27
Topic: Community Impact
Title: “System-involved Experiences: What is the effect of prison?”
Theresa Kolacz (Parole Advocate, PREPARE Parole Maryland), Kelli Loos (Director of Reentry, PREPARE Parole Maryland, Sara Citroni (Success Program Manager, PREPARE Parole Maryland) Damen D. Venable (Transformative Reentry), Kim Book (Founder and Director, Victims Voices Heard)
Moderator: Bibiana Koh (Social Work, SU)
Panel discussion on the realities of individual and community impact from incarceration. First person accounts of successful reentry and what is needed from prison policy and institutions to allow for success after incarceration.
Monday, Dec 4: Facilitated work Session
Topic: Identifying Opportunities
Title: “Where do we put our work now?”
Moderators: Timothy Stock (Transparency and Accountability), Denean Jones-Ward (Workforce Development and Reentry), Bibiana Koh (Decarceralization and Abolition, Robert Brown (Security, Policing and Criminal Justice)
Four working groups focused on reviewing the series, discussing the theme of prisons as a fair and just institutions. This will be a chance for interested attendees to participate in one of four focus areas facilitated by local experts. Ideally, this will help people meet others interested in prisons / prison reform and begin to generate ideas for how they might get/remain involved.