Coming events:

1. Orientation , Tuesday, April 21st, at 1:00 pm at MIC -Concord

2. Annual Meeting: Thursday, May 21st at 7:00 pm at West Concord Union Church-- please mark your calendars!

3. Current programs running at the two Concord prisons: two AVP weekends at MCI- Concord

Human Relationships: Joys and challenges, March 24- May, at NCC

Job Search Skills march 30- April 28 at NCC

Read to me Daddy- at NCC March 18-April 8; and a new program starting at MCI-Concord in late April

Art, and music theory, NCC

tutoring in both facilities; weekly Fathers' Group at MCI

Family day-- coming in early May, for children of inmates and their parents.

4. Peace Video- see it April 29th, 2-5 pm, and available to churches and community groups: tells the

work of a small group of friends who decide to act after Jamhal Norfleet, a teenaged peacemaker, was killed.

5. --from the State DOC other programs and opportunities -- needs for volunteers

6. An opportunity to hear the Chair of the MA parole Board, Mark Conrad, at the Annual meeting

of the Criminal Justice Policy Coalition on Tuesday April 28th, at 6:00pm--invitation and info

Please do read about the many issues and opportunities we have to make a difference in changing

the climate of our prisons, and the lives of all those who are touched by them.

"I was in prison, and you visited me..."

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Now, the details:

1. Orientation: at MCI-Concord. Park in the lot across the street, bring your license, and call Lenore (978-369-1430) ahead to sign up. This Orientation is required before you can be a volunteer at any DOC prison.

2. Annual Meeting-- a great chance to catch up on all we've been doing this year! All are invited! Agenda will follow in May.

3. Programs: in addition to the above:

Needed and requested: someone to guide chess players at NCC; more folks to play with kids in Kids Korner; a man or couple to join the team meeting with fathers in Father's Group at MCI-Concord. And a licensed dietician to run a short program on healthy eating, at NCC...If you know of others who might be intrigued, please ask them directly.

4. Peace Video

City Mission Society and the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church have produced Jahmol's Plan for Youth Peace, a video about slain peacemaker Jahmol Norfleet, who worked to protect the youth of Boston's neighborhoods. The 45-minute video is available for showing to churches, schools, and community groups accompanied by members of the CMS PeaceKeepers program, a public speaking and leadership program.

The Youth Peace video was featured at a meeting of the Boston Foundation on March 9 and will be shown as part of the University of Massachusetts at Boston's "SEEDS" Day (Spring Enrichment and Engagement Days) on April 29 for 2:00-5:00 p.m. SEEDS is an annual event where UMass identifies ways that the university can contribute to the Boston community as a whole.

To arrange for a presentation of the video at your own site, contact Minister Annie Belmer at 617-742-6830, ext. 202 or minbelmer.peaceworkshops@gmail.com.

Keep peace, pray peace, seek peace, think peace, make peace and live peace.

About the Video

Jahmol Norfleet was a ray of hope. Now his younger sister Teah and a close circle of friends struggle every day to fulfill Jahmol's vision of peace in the streets. The documentary focuses on the challenge facing this group of young people to stay committed to promoting youth peace even in the horrific climate of escalating teen handgun violence.

Their efforts take them from peace parties to talking to the renowned Harvard professor and lawyer Charles Ogletree. The goal of the video is not simply to memorialize Jahmol Norfleet, but to reach the young people of America's neighborhoods and encourage them to end the cycle of gun violence that has gripped our neighborhoods, cities, states and country.

Praise for Jahmol's Plan for Youth Peace
Awarded "Jury Recommended" at "Kids First! Film Festival 2008-2009"

"People are spreading the story of the gangster-turned-peacemaker."
- USA Today

"He took steps to change his life around and worked to help others do the same."
- Boston Globe

Jahmol's Six (6) Point Plan for Youth Peace

1. Withdraw- I will not go into another "hood" to start trouble, cause harm or threaten the life, health or safety of anyone.

2. Responsibility- I will take responsibility for myself and any of my legal, moral and social obligations.

3. Rebuild- I will focus on my spirituality, employment, education and leadership.

4. Resources- I will connect with my church, community, organizations and others who can help me achieve my goals.

5. Autonomy- I will create my new path to peace and success anywhere I want to.

6. Sector Meetings- I will work with other youth to "dead problems" and initiate peace-keeping conversations with other "hoods" to resolve conflicts.

prevention strategy. Promoting Respect and Tolerance, Managing Anger, Resolving Conflicts Peacefully, Supporting Safety, and Uniting in Action.

This campaign strives to unite communities in their efforts to address youth violence by encouraging participating schools to host in-school violence prevention conferences, workshops, and community roundtables in order to develop action plans to reduce youth violence throughout the year.

Tools that you will need to coordinate and promote this important initiative are available from National SAVE. We hope that you will use the information as general guidelines for planning, and then tailor your efforts to your unique needs and resources of your school and community.

Join this nationwide effort to show that our youth and our communities are committed to being violence-free. For further information on activities planned in your area contact National SAVE at 1.866.343.SAVE or www.nationalsave.org.

5. From Bill Milhomme, Director of Volunteer Services, DOC:

I am pleased to forward several exciting DOC volunteer opportunities for your consideration.......
1. Volunteer(s) to teach arts & craft to small groups of women offenders at MCI-Framingham. Staff will consider submission of arts and crafts projects that volunteer(s) knows and thinks would be of interest to the offender population.

2. Volunteer(s) to teach male offenders the fundamentals of organic flower and/or vegetable gardening at Pondville Correctional Center located in Norfolk. Program will incorporate basic knowledge of seeds, topsoil, fertilizer, mulch, planting, irrigation, weeding and nurturing.

3. Volunteer(s) Buddhist mentor to provide for male offenders at the Massachusetts Treatment Center located in Bridgewater, programs and practices associated with the beliefs and practices of the Buddhist spiritual/religious tradition.

4. Native American volunteer(s) to provide for male offenders at the MCI-Norfolk, MCI-Shirley, Old Colony Correctional Center & Massachusetts Treatment Center located in Bridgewater, North Central Correctional Center located in Gardner, programs associated with Native American spiritual practices and traditions, i.e. Sweat Lodge and Sacred Pipe ceremonies, as well as participating in Native American Spiritual Circles.

If you are interested, or if you know of someone who may be interested to explore any of the volunteer opportunities please contact Bill Milhomme.

Bill Milhomme
Director of Volunteer Services
Massachusetts Department of Correction
2 Merchant Road
P.O. Box 351
Framingham, MA 01704
508-620-6437 x104
wtmilhomme@doc.state.ma.us

15 Barbara St. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

www.cjpc.org / email:jpentlarge@cjpc.org rg rg

The Criminal Justice Policy Coalition

Invites you to attend the

Annual Meeting and Dinner

On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at 6:00 P.M.

At the Suffolk University School of Law
Sargent Hall, First Floor Function Room
120 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108

Our Guest Speaker will be

Mark A. Conrad,
Chair of the Massachusetts Parole Board

Speaking on: The Future of Parole in Massachusetts.

This year CJPC is pleased to be honoring

Ernest "Tony" Winsor

Cost:
Members $25
Non-members $30
Students and low income $20

Add $5 for reservations after Friday, April 24 or at the door.

Please R.S.V.P by Friday April 24.

To reserve tickets and/or renew your member ship online click here and follow the directions for giving to CJPC with the Wainwright Bank.

To reserve tickets by mail please send your check to:

Lloyd Fillion, Treasurer
Criminal Justice Policy Coalition
563 Mass. Ave.
Boston, MA 02118

Map showing the location of Sargent Hall at 120 Tremont Street.

For Direction go to: http://www.law.suffolk.edu/about/directions.cfm.

Parking is available in paid lots at the Boston Common Garage, 73 Tremont Street and 1 Beacon Street. Note: Several of us will be going and we can car-pool. Call win wilbur 978-369-5126

Public Transportation: The Law School is across Tremont Street and half a block up the hill from the Park Street Station of the T. The Red Line and all branches of the Green Line stop at the Park Street Station. The Down Town Crossing Station on the Orange Line is just a block away on Washington Street.

Handicapped Access: Suffolk Law School is fully handicapped accessible.

Joel Pentlarge

Executive Director

(617) 390-5397