Watch a webcast (live or later via the archives) of this afternoon's hearing on the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, as the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs will hear from:

Chief William Bratton of the Los Angeles Police Department

Pat Nolan, vice president of Prison Fellowship

Professor Charles J. Ogletree of Harvard Law School

Brian W. Walsh of the Heritage Foundation's Center for Legal and Judicial Studies

 

You have probably heard of “million-dollar blocks” in Brooklyn—blocks where more than $1 million has been spent on incarceration of residents who live there. While at New York’s Museum of Modern Art this weekend, I happened upon dramatic maps of these blocks on the gallery wall.

Our colleagues from the Spatial Information Design Lab and the Justice Mapping Center worked on these stunning visuals, which paint a sobering picture of certain neighborhoods—and the concentration of families there that have loved ones involved in the justice system.

Photo: Kate Krontiris, Rethinking Reentry

The proposed Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act of 2009, spearheaded by Illinois Congressman and Second Chance Act sponsor Danny Davis, offers a broader look at relationships than does previous legislation (the Healthy Marriage Promotion and Responsible Fatherhood Grants Act). Rather than focus resources on programs that "promote or sustain marriage," the proposed act also includes programs that support "healthy relationships." This language allows for a broad definition of family and may open the door for a range of initiatives that support incarcerated fathers in maintaining connections to people in their social network regardless of legal relationships. Tomorrow, Congressman Davis is holding a briefing about the differences between the proposed and current legislation.

On Saturday, Rehabilitation Through the Arts and John Jay College's Continuing Education Program present A Ritual for Return, an original theater piece that explores experiences of reentry through the personal journeys of four formerly incarcerated men—Ja'Far Abbas, Alexander Anderson, Malik Hill, and Josh Ramos.

The hour-long presentation, to be held at 555 W. 57th Street, Room 615, begins at 6 p.m., with a short discussion to follow. Space is limited. RSVP to Kevin Bott at 347-415-7691 or by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .