New date for Prison & Community Action Team Meeting
Karen Meurer
Hello All,
Please read the email below for the latest on the Oregon Ban the Box campaign – A Fair Chance for All. This is going to be the topic of our next PCAT meeting so we can make a formal proposal for MACG endorsement. The Organizing Team meets on Thursday, November 13th, so it would be good to have something by then.
There are a few additional related items in the email below. I think it would be good if one or two of you could go to the forum on Wednesday, October 29th. I am not able to go that evening because of the leadership training at the prison.
And here’s the info for our next meeting:
MACG Prison & Community Action Team Meeting
Monday, November 3, 2014
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
The Re-entry Transition Center
1818 NE Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212
See you then!
Karen
Karen Meurer
Executive Director
PHOENIX
Rising Transitions
P.O. Box 723
Gresham, OR 97030
Phone: (971) 645-0446
Fax: (503) 666-4280
www.phoenix-rising-transitions.org
The Missing Link in Prison-to-Community Transition
From: Jess=oraflc...@mail.salsalabs.net [mailto:Jess=oraflc...@mail.salsalabs.net] On Behalf Of Jess Giannettino
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2014 2:22 PM
To: kme...@frontier.com
Subject: Fair Chance for All – Update and Action Alert
.jpg)
Why We Need Fair Chance for All – Ban the Box Laws in Oregon
There are 14,664 Oregonians currently in prison, and another 17,467 on probation. The Department of Corrections estimates that it costs Oregon taxpayers over half a billion per year in incarceration costs, at the rate of $87.08 per inmate per day.
Policies like mandatory minimums and treating juvenile offenders as adults keep growing our prison population. The rate of recidivism is another factor that makes prison a revolving door for some. Recidivism (people who return to prison) is nearly 30%. For many ex-offenders, the inability to find a job or housing is the main reason why they re-offend. Employment and stable housing is the most effective tool to reduce recidivism resulting in a safer community and lower cost to tax payers.
That is why we are working to pass a Fair chance for All – Ban the Box ordinance in the City of Portland and in the state legislature. Thank you for supporting the campaign!
New endorsements
Western States Center and Oregon Education Association has joined our list of organizations who have endorsed the Fair Chance for All campaign. We look forward to working with all our partners as the Ordinance heads for City council hearings in the coming weeks.
A special thanks to Tiffany Thompson from Oregon Trades Women Inc. for recruiting many of our endorsing organizations to support the Fair Chance for All campaign.
Don’t Forget to Vote by November 4th
November 4th is Election Day! Ballots have already arrived. If you haven’t already voted, drop off or mail in your ballot by Tuesday, November 4th. There are candidates who support jobs, affordable housing and our campaigns for social and economic justice. Find out who they are and support them with your vote. Ballot measures that also ensure the right for everyone to earn and support their families include Measure 88. The list of places you can drop your ballot can be found here.
Jobs, Housing and Justice Community forum
A community forum on Jobs, Housing and Justice will be held in East Portland on Wednesday, October 29at Glenfair Elementary School Library, 15300 NE Glisan St, Portland OR, 97230 at 6pm to 8pm. Organized by the Urban League of Portland, and sponsored by the Community Alliance of Tenants, the forum will provide support for job seekers, including ex-offenders and renter’s rights. We will also let folks know how to get involved in the Fair Chance for All - Ban the Box campaign.
Has a previous arrest or conviction affected your ability to find a job or housing? We want to hear from you. Your story will help make our campaign stronger. Personal stories of people who have done their time, and are trying to get back into society and still have difficulty overcoming the barriers are very important. If you have a story to tell, contact Patty Katz, on patty....@gmail.com
