Category: Issue 42 – Spring 2010

by: Pamela Fadem
On March 31, 2010, the US Supreme Court upheld the rights of immigrants in the criminal justice system in the Padilla v. Kentucky decision. This decision
centered on the case of Mr. Jose Padilla, a U.S. Vietnam War veteran, green card holder and long-time U.S. resident who faced deportation after pleading
guilty to a drug charge.
Angie Junck, an attorney at the San Francisco Immigrant Legal Resource
Center (and member of CCWP?s Advisory Board) said, ?The Padilla decision
sends a clear message that in a state like California, immigration issues cannot be ignored in the representation of noncitizen defendants. Even though the law in California already dictates that lawyers accurately advise their clients
on the immigration consequences of criminal pleas, this decision further
ensures that defense counsel consider the potentially dire consequences of a criminal case on a noncitizen.?
The Supreme Court?s decision in this case acknowledges that as a result of the 1996 immigration laws, even low-level offenses?such as one-time shoplifting or marijuana possession?can lead to deportation for immigrants, including
green card holders. In many of these cases, immigration judges are not even allowed to consider immigrants? length of time in the country, U.S. citizen
spouses and children, or other equities.
For more information contact:
Immigrant Legal
Resource Center, 1663
Mission Street, Suite 602,
San Francisco, CA 94103.
Phone: (415) 255-9499 Fax: (415)
255-9792. www.ilrc.org

Continue reading “Supreme Court Decision Upholds Immigrant Rights” →

tradució por Terra Mickelson
El gobierno estatal de
California, en el nombre de
?balanceando el presupuesto,?
está elminando prácticamente
todos los medios por los cuales
la gente en la prisión puede
salir y permanece afuera y
libre. En enero 2010, la dirección
de estado hecho por Gob.
Schwarzenegger anunció un
?cambio de prioridades? en California
por medio de proponiendo
una enmienda constitucional
que ?garantizaría? un cambie de
puesto en la financiación de las
prisiones a la educación.
Sin embargo, la propuesta
del Gob. financiaría la educación
al expenso de prisioneros,
privatizando prisiones y
recortiendo más programas de
rehabilitación en las prisiones,
¡incluyendo los del salud y la
educación! En vez de reduciendo
el presupuesto de las prisiones
por medio de recortar el
desarrollo de bienes inmuebles
de las prisiones o por medio de
liberar los miles de prisioneros
quienes deben estar en casa, el
Gob. y el CDCR están eliminando
todos los programas restantes
que ayudan a preparar a gente
para apoyar a ellos mismos
y sus familias ya cuando son
puestas en libertad, incluyendo
los que dan prisioneros con
condena-a-vida la oportunidad
para conseguir una fecha en sus
audiencias de tablero de libertad
condicional.
Estemos claros?el estado de
California está desmantelando la
educación pública en total, adentro
y afuera de las prisiones.
Y como a las condiciones en
comunidades afuera, hay una
impacta desproporcionado para
gente de color y toda la gente de
sueldo bajo en prisión.
Los programas de capacitación
de habilidades básicos
de trabajo y autoayuda, tales
como los cursos de GED y
ESL, manejo del temperamento,
cursos para la educación de
padres, y programas para la
drogadicción, se están cortando
o eliminando. Hasta programas
dirigidos por voluntarios, cuales
requieren que personal esté presente,
se están cortando a la vez
que se reduce la personal de la
prisión. Se han dicho recientemente
al grupo de condenas largas
en CCWF que ya no tienen
un miembro de personal para
supervisar el programa. Recursos
como libros, armarios, salas
de reunión, y posiciones del
entrenamiento se están cortando
también. El gobierno federal
también se retiene recursos para
la educación pública cuando
se excluye a gente con convicciones
de delito mayor por drogas?
hasta después de que son
puestos a libertad y regresados
a la comunidad?de recibiendo
becas Pell de educación.
Han habido siempre, y
siempre serán, educadores de
par adentro de la prisión?personas
que se enseñan uno a otro
inglés, como leer y escribir, intercambian
información sobre la
SIDA y HepC, y discuten como
ser padres y personas mejores.
Este tipo de educación occure
porque el gente adentro tiene
la dedicación y la corazón para
enseñar y apoyar uno a otro, sin
paga ni reconocimiento. Ningunos
recortes presupuestarios
pueden parar esta energía humana
para enseñar y aprender.
Sin embargo, la educación del
par no cumple los requisitos de
programas de CDCR que son
necesarios para libertad condicional,
y no es suficiente para
capacitar a gente para trabajar.
Educación es un derecho
humano. El estado de California
ha decidido que una porción
grande de nuestra población se
merece nada más que siendo
puesta en una celda y lanzando
lejos la llave. CCWP se junta
con diez de miles de estudiantes,
educadores y activistas
de comunidad en los dos lados
de las paredes de las prisiones
quien se oponen las cortas en la
educación adentro y afuera de
las prisiones. Decimos, ?¡FUNDA
LA EDUCACION, NO LA
ENCARCELACION!?

by the Fire Inside Editorial Collective
California State government, in the name of ?balancing the budget,? is eliminating virtually all means by which people in prison can get out and stay out. In January 2010, Gov. Schwarzenegger?s state address announced a ?change in priorities? in California by proposing a constitutional amendment that would ?guarantee? a shift in funding from prisons to education.
The Governator?s proposal would fund education on the backs of prisoners by privatizing prisons and further cutting prison rehabilitation programs, including health and education! Instead of reducing the prison budget by cutting prison development or by releasing the thousands of prisoners who should be going home, the Gov. and CDCR are eliminating all prison programs that help prepare people to support themselves and their families once they are released.
This includes programs that give term-to-life prisoners a chance to get a date at their parole board hearings.
Let?s be clear?the State is dismantling education overall, inside and outside of prison. And similar to conditions in communities outside, there is a disproportionate impact on people of color and all low income people in prison.
Basic job skills training and self-help programs such as GED and ESL classes, anger management, parenting classes, and substance abuse programs are
being cut or eliminated. Even volunteer-run programs, which all require staff to be present, are being cut as prison staffing is reduced. The Long-termers group at CCWF was told they no longer have a staff member to oversee the program. Resources such as books, lockers, meeting rooms and training positions are also
being slashed. The federal government also withholds education resources when they exclude people with felony drug convictions?even after they are released into the community?from receiving Pell education grants.
There always have been, and always will be, peer educators inside prison?people who teach each other English, how to read and write, exchange information about HIV and HEP C, and discuss how to be better parents and better people. This kind of education occurs because of the commitment and heart of the people inside to teach and support each other, with no pay or recognition to show for it. No budget cuts can stop this human energy for teaching and learning. However, peer education doesn?t meet the CDCR
requirements for programming that is necessary for parole, and it isn?t sufficient to train people for jobs and employment.
Education is a human right. Apparently the state of California has decided that a large part of our population deserves nothing more than being put in a cell
and throwing away the key. CCWP joins with tens of thousands of students, educators and community activists on both sides of the prison walls who oppose
the cuts to education inside and outside of prisons.
We say, ?FUND EDUCATION, NOT INCARCERATION!?

The Fire Inside interviewed Melody about the
beautiful friendship and peer mentor she had with
Darlene while incarcerated at CIW. Melody?s mentor
helped her learn job skills, but more importantly
helped Melody to heal and grow as a human being.
FI: Darlene was a peer counselor to you. What did
that relationship look like?
Melody: You can sit across from a professional
and open your heart and spill out your soul and the
closest you?re going to get to any kind of compassion
or sympathy is an occasional ?and how did that make
you feel.? Talking to Darlene was talking to someone
who had been abused, knew first hand what it was like
to be lost, trapped, to feel alone with no help in sight.
She didn?t have to ask how something made me feel,
she already knew. To hear that there was hope from
some one that had been through the same hell made all
the difference to me.
It helps me stay clean remembering that Darlene
took time from her life to teach me things my own
family and friends wouldn?t. She shared her heart and
soul with me and the unconditional friendship she
gave me is something I will cherish forever. The only
way I do even half for her of what she has done for
me, is to be out here fighting for her release.
FI: What kind of job and life skills did you learn
from Darlene?
Melody: Computers and running. I knew absolutely
nothing of either one and by the time I left I knew
enough computer stuff to start my business and help
others, and I can do a 5k or 10k run. I have always
felt that emotionally and health-wise you have to be
straight, you need that to be strong.
I also learned coping skills, such as writing down
things that I was holding inside. Those that had hurt
me and the anger I couldn?t let go of, I learned to
express what I felt and how they had hurt me. I would
write and lash out on paper, rather than through actions
like I had in the past. I was able to release that
emotion in a positive way.
Darlene helped me get a good job at CIW in a department
that required excellent computer skills, and
I didn?t even know how to turn one on at that time.
Darlene taught me everything she could to help me
advance. I learned to create Power Point presentations
that were shown to all staff at CIW. I learned how to
create a monthly magazine that went to every employee
at CIW, as well as a copy to every institution in
California. Today I use the skills Darlene taught me to
make brochures, fliers, notifications and postcards for
my own business.
FI: How have you used the knowledge you learned
from Darlene to help others?
Melody: There?s always someone better off than
someone else and there are others less fortunate as well.
Envy, jealousy, and being judgmental are three things
that will always hold you back. I learned from Darlene
how to learn from those who may be better off, and
then take that and teach those less fortunate than me.
I share with my daughter that everyone makes
mistakes. Some people make bigger mistakes then
others, but that doesn?t make them less of a human being.
Everyone has a heart and soul; they have feelings
that can be hurt. It?s what you do after the mistake that
makes the difference in how you change or how you
better yourself.

In March 2010 CCWP said
goodbye to our dear friend
and CCWP Program Coordinator
Shawna Sanchagrin after
many years of her dedication
and hard work. With her own
experience of growing up with
a parent in prison, Shawna
first came to CCWP as a student
intern, stayed on as a volunteer
and then became staff.
Shawna was always there to
assist someone just being released
from prison, and helped
CCWP to better understand
and respect the importance of
gender identity in prison. We
wish her well in the next steps
in her life and look forward to
her return!