ADULT FORUMS

• Details
• Parent Category: Landmark, 2012
• Published on Tuesday, 31 January 2012 17:28

Feb 19^th Anger and Forgiveness with Sonali Chakravarti, Assistant Professor of Government at Wesleyan University, who studies the role of the emotions in political life after war. She recently completed a manuscript on the role of anger at the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission; her current project is on post-genocide justice at the local level in Rwanda.  Both will be discussed in her presentation.  She graduated from Swarthmore College and received her Ph.D from Yale University.

Feb 26^th Slavery in Connecticut???  Human Trafficking is the focus of Pamela Pillsbury, who leads workshops and trainings on the topic.  She is Co-Director of the Pennsylvania Center for Public Safety Innovation and was trained by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  This is the third in a series of discussions on the issue of slavery and human trafficking.  Unfortunately, as we are learning, slavery is alive and well in the USA.

On the Horizon:  Prison Reform in CT - David McGuire, staff attorney for the ACLU, gave us a comprehensive update on current progress in state prison reform.  His audience included state senator Ed Meyer, as well as prison reform advocates Sandra Wiens, Bev Plyer, David Colton, Charlotte White, and Patty Ann Meyer.  We learned that the prison budget is 3 times higher than that for higher education in the state, that the disparity of incarceration between Hispanics and Whites is the worst in the USA, and that the ratio between Blacks and Whites is forty-sixth.

McGuire reported that the state is working on alternatives to incarceration for certain minor crimes.  After establishing programs to help ex-offenders adjust to civilian life, NY has reduced their recidivism rate by approximately 30%.  Connecticut is hoping to enact similar programs.

Charlotte raised concern that York Correctional Institute for Women is a Level 5 [highest] for security concerns, although only 10 women fall into that category, thus placing the majority of the inmates at a disadvantage.  Frequent counts, up to 8 in a 24 hour period, interrupt all programming, and make visitation sessions uncertain.

McGuire encouraged us to make our voices heard in Hartford on legislation we feel is important.  He offered to notify us when reform bills are coming forward so we can call legislators and/or go to Hartford.