Join our first ever statewide UU FaithAction “common read” book group for Danielle Sered’s amazing book on restorative (versus solely punitive) justice practices, Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration and a Road to Repair
Tag: Criminal Justice
Statewide Common Read
2018 Fall Issues Conference
Register Here!
UU FaithAction’s Fall Issues Conference takes place on Saturday Oct. 20 from 10:00 am until 4:00 p.m. Hosted this year by our member congregation, Beacon UU Congregation of Summit in Summit summitbeacon.org, the conference features Senator Raymond Lesniak as our keynote speaker, issues-related break out groups and a working lunch. The Summit congregation is active in antiracism and immigration justice work and we are very pleased to partner together in support of a more just and hopeful New Jersey.
Red Hot UU Minute !
Introducing our new monthly e-newsletter: The Red Hot Minute. Why “red hot?” Because it provides our supporters with a short, focused overview of the hottest social justice issues facing New Jersey.
We hope you will scan through the article titles and short descriptions, following the links to go deeper on a subject that catches your eye.
Know Her Truths : Life Behind Bars for Women of NJ
Come learn about the persistent injustices women face in the New Jersey prison system. Joining this panel discussion will be returning citizens, Nafeesah Goldsmith and Ivelisse Gilestra, and NJ prisons researcher and activist, Prof. Johanna Foster (Monmouth University) and Prof. Joanna Christen (Rutgers).
Convenors: Reproductive Justice and Criminal Justice Task Force chairs.
UULMNJ Fall Issues Conference: Register Today!
Registration is now OPEN for the Oct. 14 Fall Issues Conference–only 3 weeks away!
The Legislative Ministry’s Fall Issues Conference takes place on Saturday Oct. 14 from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Hosted this year by our member congregation, the UU Congregation of Monmouth County in Lincroft www.uucmc.org, the conference features a keynote speaker, issues-related break out groups and a working lunch. The Lincroft congregation is active in antiracism and immigration justice work and we are very pleased to partner together in support of a more just and hopeful New Jersey.
For those new to UULMNJ, the Fall Issues Conference is the premier opportunity for UUs from across the Garden State to learn, discuss, and become involved in the most pressing social justice concerns facing our state. It is the time each year when our six volunteer Task Forces (listed below) decide on their advocacy, education and legislative priorities for the coming year. We work on a collaborative model, so make sure to come help shape the UULMNJ agenda and the outcome of long-term policy and culture change in our home state.
We are very pleased to welcome our 2017 keynote speaker, Johanna Calle. Johanna is Program Director of our partner organization, the NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, one of the most effective and vocal immigrant rights groups active in the state today www.njimmigrantjustice.org.
Ms. Calle will be joined by Rita Dentino, Executive Director of the Monmouth County immigrant rights organization, Casa Freehold www.casafreehold.org and a partner with the UU Congregation of Monmouth County. Johanna and Rita will bring us up to date on the increasingly punitive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions and deportations and what we can do to mitigate harm and call out for justice on the public stage. Johanna and Rita expect to be joined by a NJ undocumented resident or family member willing to speak out about current conditions in our state.
Ted Fetter, long time Immigration Reform Task Force chair, will give an update on our State Sanctuary Challenge initiative–our 6 month-long effort to involve all 21 UULMNJ member congregations in advocating for sensible and human immigration reform locally, and against the mass criminalization of undocumented people.
Additional speakers during the break-out groups include Lena Smith from Food and Water Watch, Dr. Dione Johnson, CEO of JARC: Juvenile and Adult Re-Entry Connections, and Andrea Long, long-time reproductive rights activist and clinic escort.
As if that were not enough, there will be six break out groups during the working lunch to cover the issues we advocate for in Trenton and our member congregations: Environmental, Criminal, Reproductive, Economic and Immigrant Justice and Gun Violence Prevention.
Come also for the official launch of the NEW NAME, mission and vision statements, and special presentation of the logo and website design. Thanks to a generous donation, we are retooling to better serve justice-making, congregational liveliness, and “soul growth” in 2018 and beyond.
Finally, we sure to add your name and concerns/hopes/dreams to an interactive art installation, “Wall of Anger/Wall of Hope” over the course of the conference.
Questions/concerns? Please email the UULMNJ office at admin@uulmnj.org. We will make every effort to accommodate accessibility/special needs but it is very, very helpful to know in advance, so please do reach out.
Be sure to join us, 12 to 6 p.m. for a day devoted to justice-making and spirit-reviving. See you there!
We will make every effort to accommodate accessibility/special needs but it is very, very helpful to know in advance, so please do reach out.
Be sure to join us, 12 to 6 p.m. for a day devoted to justice-making and spirit-reviving. See you there!
What is the 287(g) policy and why is it bad for New Jersey (and the nation?) (RG May 2017)
Thanks to Steve Ramshur and the Hudson Civic Action Group for this excellent discussion of the immigration policy–called “287(g)” in government speak–that pays counties to do the work of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency–by providing local jails and detention facilities.
287(g) is a totally voluntary program. Hudson County is now one of only 41 counties in the entire country (out of 3,144) to sign–effectively putting greed for dollars before the necessary boundary between local law enforcement and national immigration policies.
In other words–now Hudson Co. taxpayers are now subsiding the increasingly harsh, arbitrary and wholly unnecessary pursuit of nonviolent, often long-established undocumented people. Throwing many parents and hard-working people who have been here for 5, 10, 20 years into immigrant prisons.
Here is the link to the Hudson Civic Action article. It’s an easy and good read–highly recommended. http://hudsoncivicaction.org/287g/
ACTION ALERT: Ask Gov. Christie to sign S2806/A4913
On Monday evening NJ Assembly bill A4913 passed the Assembly by a vote of 46-28. On December 10, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reported favorably and with committee amendments to expressly require the Commissioner of Human Services to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the bill’s purposes. UULMNJ provided testimony before the committee. (Read testimony.) This bill passed the NJ Senate on December 17, 2015 by a vote of 26-8. Thanks to the NJ Drug Policy Alliance and our Criminal Justice Reform task force members who took the time to contact assembly representatives and the Speaker in advance of Monday’s vote. Advocacy is making a difference!
This bill would remove the eligibility restrictions for receiving general assistance benefits under the Work First New Jersey program for persons who have been convicted of an offense involving the use, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Under S2806/A4913, people convicted of offenses involving controlled dangerous substances would be subject to the same eligibility requirements to receive general assistance benefits as apply to the general population, with no additional requirements or restrictions.
Currently, persons convicted of offenses involving the use, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance are ineligible for general assistance benefits, except that a person whose conviction involves possession or use may become eligible for benefits if the person enrolls in or completes a licensed residential drug treatment program. For persons enrolled in a treatment program, this exception is contingent on continued participation in the program and periodic drug screenings demonstrating the person has not used any controlled dangerous substance. There is currently no exception to the general assistance eligibility restriction for persons convicted of offenses involving distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
The bill now awaits Governor Christie’s signature. With his signature we can roll back this lifetime punishment and give everyone the second chance they deserve to rebuild their lives and become productive citizens! Call his office (609-292-6000) or email today and ask him to sign this important piece of legislation for a stronger New Jersey.