News — Alabamians for Fair Justice

Relatives of Alabama Inmates Call on Prisons Task Force to Improve Conditions, WBHM, 12/4/2019

On the third floor of the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Dothan Pastor Kenneth Glasgow read aloud the names of 21 men who have died in Alabama prisons this year. Sandy Ray then showed a photo of her son Steven Davis, who was beaten to death two months ago by correctional officers at Donaldson Correctional facility.

“My son was beat,” Ray said. “We don’t do our dogs this way. Please, please, we have to have change.”

Glasgow and Ray were among several prison reform advocates who gathered Wednesday ahead of a meeting of Gov. Kay Ivey’s study group on criminal justice policy. Ivey established the task force in July to discuss ongoing issues affecting the state’s prison system. Wednesday’s meeting marked the first time family members and former inmates were invited to share their stories and present reform proposals.

Families of inmates describe violent conditions to panel, AP, 12/4/2019

Family members and advocates of Alabama inmates crowded into a state task force meeting Wednesday to plead for changes to the state’s criminal justice system and in state prisons that have come under national scrutiny for violent and crowded conditions.

The Governor’s Study Group on Criminal Justice heard from family members, attorneys and advocacy groups at the meeting. Speakers urged an overhaul of conditions, medical care and current sentencing laws and described their fears for loved ones who are incarcerated.

The Alabamians for Fair Justice Coalition, a coalition of advocacy groups, at the news conference placed signs on empty chairs with the names of 21 inmates they said died in state prisons in the last year from homicides, suicides and drug overdoses.

Families fear for Alabama inmates’ health, safety, AL.com, 12/4/2019

Two mothers waited to confront Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn today after a meeting of the Governor’s Study Group on Criminal Justice Reform.

Sandy Ray showed the study group a photo of her son Steven Davis taken after she said he was beaten beyond recognition by correctional officers at Donaldson Correctional Facility. He died from his injuries at UAB Hospital in October.

Ray asked Dunn how long she would have to wait to hear the results of the investigation into the death of her son, who was 35.

Sentencing reform needed, advocates say, but state official says it won’t come easy or cheap, Alabama Political Reporter, 10/4/2019

Despite gains in reducing the inmate population through previous sentencing reforms, some groups and concerned citizens worry that further substantive changes are needed.

Members of Alabamians for Fair Justice, a coalition of advocacy groups, faith leaders and citizens, met at the State House an hour before the study group meeting and discussed the need for further sentencing reforms.

Carla Crowder, director of Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, a nonprofit legal advocacy group and a member of the Alabamians for Fair Justice, said at a press conference prior to the study group meeting that the prison problem is dire.

“Our elected leaders have refused to adopt real, meaningful reform, and the crisis gets worse,” Crowder said. “We are counting on leadership from Governor Ivey’s criminal justice study group to finally make meaningful change, and we’re here to help.”

No easy, free fixes for Alabama prisons, study group told, AL.com, 10/3/2019

A group called Alabamians for Fair Justice showed up in force at the meeting, wearing yellow T-shirts.

The coalition is calling for changes in the law on marijuana and other drug offenses and for repealing or modifying Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act.

Opinion: Alabama prison population is on the rise again, Alabama Political Reporter, 10/2/2019

Articles like this and this cite data that seems to indicate Alabama prisons are on the right track. It’s true, the state decreased the prison populations through 2017, the result of a concerted, bipartisan effort that resulted in the 2015 Justice Reinvestment Act. While we are glad to see media outlets write about the prison overcrowding crisis, we want to take a moment to encourage journalists, along with every Alabamian, to look at the data after 2017 and consider the facts about Alabama’s prisons today.

The Alabama Department of Corrections’ Monthly Statistical Reports, publicly available on the ADOC website, show that since October 2018, more people have entered Alabama prisons each month than have exited, marking the first time this has happened in the last five years. April 2019 was the first month since February 2013 that the in-custody population at ADOC was greater than the previous year with almost 300 more people in-custody in 2019 than in April 2018. Furthermore, total annual admissions increased each year for the past four years. We are headed in the wrong direction.

opinion: Criminal justice study group offers Alabama a chance to set the right course toward reform, Montgomery Advertiser, 9/23/2019

Thousands of Alabamians would have better lives if our state updates and improves its criminal justice system. And people who have been involved in the system have valuable insight into ways it can improve. In particular, people who were formerly incarcerated can help identify needed improvements and recommend ways to avoid some pitfalls of current operations.

The study group has a chance to make desperately needed strides toward reform before the next legislative session. The solution must be broader than just building new prisons while keeping outdated sentencing procedures and resource allocations.

EDITORIAL: Inmate State, The Auburn Plainsman, 9/19/2019

Alabama has a prison problem because it has a problem with prisoners.

Opinion: Parole Suspensions Play Politics with People’s Freedom, Alabama Political Reporter, 9/14/2019

Which Charlie Graddick will lead Alabama’s parole board? Will it be the tough but fair public service custodian? Or will “lock-em-up Charlie” have one last chance to marginalize the people and families caught up in Alabama’s criminal justice system? Advocates for reform believe in the power of redemption. We’re hoping even Charlie Graddick can transcend the worst things he’s done and said.

Opinion: 36 Years for a $50 Robbery, New York Times, 9/5/2019

The State of Alabama fully intended for Mr. Kennard to die in prison for this crime. He was one of more than 250 people in the state serving life without the possibility of parole for robbery, according to a document provided in a legal proceeding this year by the Alabama Department of Corrections. Many of them have been behind bars since the 1980s.

At prison group meeting, 2 views of conditions in Alabama’s correctional facilities, Montgomery Advertiser, 9/4/2019

In the back, many of those who had experienced life in those prisons said they heard little about the actual conditions for inmates.

“Many of them said they were working on safe, secure and humane environments,” said Karen Norris, living in a Montgomery halfway house after serving 14 years at Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka on a theft of property charge. “In the dorms at Tutwiler, it’s an average of 92 to 96 degrees. That doesn’t seem safe, secure and humane to me.”

Alabama prison study group to turn to sentence reforms next, AL.com, 9/4/2019

An overflow crowd showed up for today’s meeting of the study group at the Alabama State House. Former inmates were there, including members of a group called the Offender Alumni Association.

Lee Lewis of Birmingham, who said he served a total of about 20 years, finishing in 2011, said he saw the pressure of lengthy sentences turn nonviolent offenders into violent ones. Lewis said sentencing changes are needed.

“There’s a lot of guys that I know have a good mind, good education, but they just made a bad mistake,” Lewis said. “And all of them wasn’t violent. But when you’re in the system and you’re around a lot of violent offenders, a lot of people feel like they have to do what they have to do to come out of there alive.”

Governor’s Study Group Meets on Prison Operations, WBHM, 9/4/2019

Dozens of advocates, former inmates and family members attended Wednesday’s meeting, many hoping to offer comments on being directly impacted by the state prison system. The crowd was not allowed to ask questions during the discussion, though some chuckled and murmured as officials discussed efforts to improve security.

Edward Jones, who traveled from Dothan to attend the meeting with his faith group, said officials did not explore ideas for systemic change.

“I think we’re at a point now where the DOC here in Alabama is beyond restoration. It’s already proved itself not to be reliable, so we need to start looking at reformation … and until we start having dialogue like that, we’re just going to be going in the same path we were.”