by mosesmadison | May 22, 2015 | Advocacy, Meetings
MOSES ADVOCACY RESULTS IN IMPROVED CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND JAIL RESOLUTION 556 BEING PASSED BY COUNTY BOARD.
Tireless advocacy by the volunteer members of MOSES, an inter-faith social justice organization, led to numerous improvements to Resolution 556, which was 
UNANIMOUSLY PASSED tonight by the Dane County Board. “The passage of this resolution demonstrates that when everyday people organize in solidarity, the community can significantly improve our County’s criminal justice system” said Morris Wexler, VP of MOSES, and longtime regulatory consultant. By passing resolution 556 “the County board is unequivocally stating its support for eliminating racial disparities, reducing incarceration, reducing the number of jail beds as well as its opposition to the construction of a new stand-alone jail” (RES 556, 316-319) as well as creating three community Work Groups to investigate solutions and make budget recommendations to realize the comprehensive reform of Dane County’s criminal justice system.
Specifically MOSES efforts led to:
- Unequivocal language that rejects the construction of a new stand-alone jail.
- An official commitment to comprehensive reform of the Dane County Criminal Justice System.
- Adoption of a set of guiding principles for future action.
- Inclusion, as partners, of people of color, people with mental health needs and people affected by incarceration within the Work Groups.
- Focus on racial and mental health disparities in the Work Group investigations.
- Prioritization of racial equity in access to and participation in community-based programs and alternatives to jail.
- Grounding future criminal justice budgets and jail planning in the recommendations of the Work Groups.
- Encouraged a competitive bidding process for criminal justice reform on contracts.
MOSES is proud of its contribution to this victory for justice in Dane County – but this is just the beginning. “The MOSES Jail Task Force will be transforming into smaller task forces to support the resolution’s Work Groups to ensure that our vision for criminal justice reform and investing in community-based alternatives becomes a reality” said Jeanie Verschay, a member of the MOSES Jail Task Force, and the Executive Director of Employment Connections. MOSES recognizes and thanks all supervisors who voted for and sponsored resolution 556 and especially supervisors, Stubbs, Bayrd, Corrigan, Pan, Wegleitner, Dye, Hendrick, Pertl, and Willett for their work either on committee or in meetings with MOSES. MOSES also recognizes the work of other community groups that helped shape resolution 556: YGB, NAMI, No Dane County Jail Working Group, MUM and DD Coalition among others.
Get INVOLVED HERE!
Donate to MOSES MADISON HERE!
For more information please contact: info@mosesmadison.org
by mosesmadison | May 18, 2015 | Advocacy
On Tuesday, May 19th, the Joint Committee on Finance may consider a budget amendment to pass the Second Chance Act, moving most 17-years-olds out of adult corrections and into the juvenile system. Please take 30 seconds to call your State Senator and Assembly Representative with this message: “Please support the Second Chance proposal to return 17-year-olds to the juvenile system, which will be considered in the budget discussions. 
Don’t let another year go by without making this needed reform, which will be good for kids, for families, and for our communities.” Per David Liners: “We might be close to winning this one!”
On Thursday, May 21st, the County Board will vote on Resolution 556. MOSES Jail Task Force has had a huge win in getting nearly all of our most important policy recommendations incorporated.
Resolution 556 commits to implementing significant improvements to the Dane County criminal justice system to eliminate racial disparities, dramatically reduce solitary and incarceration for people with mental illness, and increase community alternatives. Additionally, the resolution strongly states the County Board’s support for reducing the number of jail beds, and explicitly opposes the construction of a new standalone jail. A copy of Resolution 556 is attached to this email.
WE NEED YOU TO CONTACT YOUR COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR THIS WEEK TO TELL THEM TO PASS 556!
MOSES Jail Task Force members have put several months and countless hours into this important resolution; it’s now YOUR TURN to ensure that the whole County Board feels the power of MOSES in support of Resolution 556!
Attached is a brief statement of support you can use.
Letter to send to your legislators about Res. 556
Resolution 556 with edits
by mosesmadison | Mar 5, 2015 | Events
During the week of March 9th, stop by The Stream in the Theatre Arts building at Edgewood College in Madison WI to experience life in a solitary confinement cell. This experience is contemplative in nature and campus-wide participation is encouraged. The Solitary Cell can be reserved for an individual over a 30 or 60 minute time period. Please contact Tony Garcia, tgarcia@edgewood.edu, for group/classroom visits.
by mosesmadison | Jan 15, 2015 | Newsletter
(click here to download and print the newsletter)
Welcome to the New Executive Committee
On December 6, 2014 a new executive committee was elected for MOSES, effective immediately.
President: Rev. Jerry Hancock, First Congregational
Designated Vice President: Belinda Richardson, Breaking Barriers
Vice President: Bev Buhr, James Reeb UU Congregation
Vice President: Caliph Muab-El, Breaking Barriers
Vice President for Recruitment: Morris Waxler, First Unitarian Society
Secretary: Susan Millar, First Unitarian Society
Assistant Secretary: Nancy Kosseff, First Unitarian Society
Treasurer: Ann Lacy, Plymouth Congregational UCC
Financial Secretary: Pat Anderson, First Unitarian Society
A blueprint for achieving 11×15 by 2015
MOSES has worked for 2 years with other state affiliates of WISDOM on the 11×15 campaign, with the goal of reducing the prison population in Wisconsin from 22,000 to 11,000 by the end of 2015. Now at the start of 2015 there is a clear blueprint to arrive at this goal. Can we do it? Yes we can!
On December 10, 2014, over 150 people representing the ten WISDOM affiliates gathered at the state capitol for a press conference at which WISDOM representatives—including MOSES members Na’Zeeya Bey, Judy Cooper, Kate Edwards, Jerry Hancock, and Carol Rubin—spoke passionately about each section of the plan, before delivering copies of the 11×15 Blueprint for ending Mass Incarceration in Wisconsin to the offices of senators and assembly members from around the state. In the afternoon, ten WISDOM work groups were formed to achieve the 23 Calls to Action specified in blueprint.
How can Wisconsin reduce the prison population by almost 10,000 in one year?
3,000 through TAD, or Treatment Alternatives and Diversions programs 2,800 potential parolees, who, though eligible, have not been paroled because they were sentenced before “truth in sentencing” became the law, and so their sentences presumed parole after requirements were met 4,000 through reducing revocations that are due to infractions of rules rather than new crimes = 9,800 people each year who aren’t in prison.
To learn more about how to advocate for justice in Wisconsin, download the blueprint at http://prayforjusticeinwi.org Contact the MOSES office at info@mosesmadison.org or (608) 622-2360 for a hard copy of the blueprint, or to learn how to get involved with a work group.
A Call for Reflections on Solitary Confinement Cell
A model of a solitary confinement cell has been traveling around Madison for the past several months. Anyone, who saw that exhibit in any of its locations, is invited to write the Communications Committee about their thoughts and reflections regarding the exhibit. Send your submissions to newsletter@mosesmadison.org!
Do you have an upcoming social justice event that you think MOSES members might be interested in? Do you have an article or item to submit to the Newsletter? Send all submissions with necessary information to the MOSES communications committee for inclusion on the official calendar and newsletter at calendar@mosesmadison.org!
by mosesmadison | Jan 12, 2015 | Advocacy, Meetings
The MOSES Jail Task Force gave an update at the January monthly MOSES meeting about Dane County’s plans to study and invest in new jail facilities. MOSES opposes spending county money on new jail construction or on redundant studies.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW to act and mobilize others is available in four documents from the MOSES Jail Task Force:
- PowerPoint – explaining the discussion surrounding the Dane County Jail and MOSES’ position
- Mobilization Letter – to send to Dane County Board members and other officials
- MOSES Jail Task Force position statement with data
- Mobilization Actions List – detailed list of what you can do now
THIS TUESDAY: The Dane County Public Protection and Judiciary Committee (PP&J) will discuss several issues related to the new jail (see agenda here, items on final page) including additional funding requested by Sheriff Mahoney to expand the Mead & Hunt study (with little additional study on mental health) as well as a request from Supervisors Bayrd and Pan to study Criminal Justice Reform.
What can you do NOW?
**Be prepared to stay two hours or more, as testimonies and discussion about the jail proposals may take that amount of time.
In the news:
MOSES JAIL TASK FORCE
Meets 3rd Thursdays, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Optional orientation for newcomers 6:00
(Sub-committee work teams have additional meetings)
St. Mark’s Church (in basement)
605 Spruce St., Madison (Off S Park St.)
Contact: Ann Pooler, apooler@charter.net, 608-658-6847
