B. Arneson

Many other Amsterdam participants had papers promised elsewhere, but without them, the discussions would not have flourished as they did. Big thanks to @xarnesonx.bsky.social, Bridget Conley, @rafeefz.bsky.social, Rhys Machold, @casesofyou.bsky.social, Kali Rubaii, Emily Gilbert /9

Friends and community,

I have two formerly incarcerated loved ones—both students of the Tufts University Prison Initiative—who are moving into new homes and could really use some essential items to support their fresh starts.

Can you help?

Here’s Nathan’s wishlist: www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/...

We hope that you can make it for Transformational Prison Project's legislative briefing tomorrow on An Act to End Lifetime Parole for Juveniles and Emerging Adults. This legislation recognizes the capacity for growth and offers a pathway for reintegration. RSVP here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

An Act relative to elder and medical parole (HD 1114/SD 1137)
+This bill expands parole eligibility for incarcerated people 55+ who’ve served half or 15 years of their sentence and revises medical parole to include cognitive decline and terminal illnesses expected to cause death within 18 months.

An Act establishing a jail and prison moratorium (SD 671/HD 523)
+ This bill enacts a 5-year moratorium on building, expanding, converting, or majorly renovating correctional facilities in Massachusetts, except for maintenance, safety upgrades, and transferring up to 30 beds if a county jail closes.

Here are two bills focused on decarceration. The first is led by Families for Justice as Healing, while the second is a joint effort by Families for Justice as Healing, Prisoners’ Legal Services, Drop LWOP New England, and CELWOP.

A special shout out to my friend, @smhwpf.bsky.social.

On February 14th, at 12pm, folks are gathering at the Bandstand in Boston Common to Stop the Coup.

This action is about demonstrating our resistance, anchoring our movement in love for justice, and being visible and inspiring. We are coming together to create change.

An Act relative to immigration detention and collaboration agreements (HD 3596/SD 1107)
+ Prohibits MA entities, including sheriffs, from renting detention beds to ICE and bans contracts, like 287(g), that deputize local officials as ICE agents or donate resources to ICE.

Bills to support:
An Act ensuring equitable representation in immigration proceedings (HD 4072/SD 2057)
+ Establishes a publicly and privately funded program for free immigration legal defense for immigrants at imminent risk of deportation, including those in federal immigration detention.

Important bill led Juvenile Justice: malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD...

An Act relative to health care quality for children and youth
+ This amendment ensures children in DCF care receive pediatric-standard medical and mental health services with stricter oversight of healthcare contracts.

An Act to increase opportunity by ending debt-based driving restrictions (“Road to Opportunity Act”) -- www.aclum.org/.../aclum_ro....
+ This bill stops Massachusetts from suspending licenses for unpaid fines, promoting economic fairness and preventing criminalization of low-income individuals.

Services — Clean Slate Massachusetts

An Act to Remove Collateral Consequences and Protect Presumption of Innocence -- www.cleanslatema.org/why-a-clean-...
+ This bill accelerates record sealing, auto-seals non-convictions, ensures access to sealed records, and reinforces the presumption of innocence.

Services — Clean Slate Massachusetts

An Act Requiring Clean Slate Automated Sealing -- www.cleanslatema.org/why-a-clean-...
+ The bill mandates the automatic and rapid sealing of eligible criminal and juvenile records, requires prisons and jails to report release dates, and establishes an 18-month timeline for full implementation.

These bills are categorized under reentry! The first two are spearheaded by the Clean Slate Coalition. The third is spearheaded by the National Consumer Law Center, Greater Boston Legal Services, Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, and others.

Important rally in support of currently incarcerated women and girls. Register today: secure.everyaction.com/z_vEQZJUBUCK...

+ This bill defines "Transformational Youth" for those sentenced to life for certain offenses at 14–21, excludes them from "youthful offender" status, and mandates parole termination after three violation-free years.

This bill is spearheaded by the Transformational Prison Project:

An Act to End Lifetime Parole for Juveniles and Emerging Adults -- HD 819/SD 24 13

An Act creating an independent correctional oversight office to facilitate the recommendations of the Special Legislative Commission on Structural Racism in Correctional Facilities of the Commonwealth - plsma.org/REICIBill
+ Investigates and addresses racism, enforcing necessary reforms.

An Act relative to human rights and improved outcomes for incarcerated people - plsma.org/RehabReentry
+ Supports rehabilitation and reentry with a focus on programming.

An Act to build restorative family and community connection - plsma.org/.../01/Visit...
+ Protects access to daily visits, ends caps on number of vistas, creates child-friendly spaces, and reduces discrimination.

I will be more intentional about sharing and advocating for key criminal justice and immigration reform bills that warrant support in Massachusetts.

Let's start with @plsma.bsky.social:

An Act creating an independent correctional oversight office to facilitate the recommendations of the Special Legislative Commission on Structural Racism in Correctional Facilities of the Commonwealth - plsma.org/REICIBill
+ Investigates and addresses racism, enforcing necessary reforms.

An Act relative to human rights and improved outcomes for incarcerated people - plsma.org/RehabReentry
+ Supports rehabilitation and reentry with a focus on programming.

An Act to build restorative family and community connection - plsma.org/wp-content/u...
+ Protects access to daily visits, ends caps on number of vistas, creates child-friendly spaces, and reduces discrimination.

New Year, Same Plymouth Detention Center - World Peace Foundation Leah Hastings, Hamza Berrios and B. Arneson discuss conditions for people held in ICE detention at Plymouth County Correctional Facility and implications of the practice of immigrant detention, critic...

In this conversation with Leah Hastings & Hamza Berrios, we discuss the harsh conditions at ICE detention in Plymouth County Correctional Facility, MA. A recent report from @plsma.bsky.social and IRHTP reveals 25 years of violations. worldpeacefoundation.org/blog/new-yea...