WPA staff, Board members, clients, colleagues and government partners speak about our work in a variety of settings. To request a speaking engagement or presentation by a staff member of WPA, contact Sarah From at 646-336-6100, ext. 7749 or sfrom@wpaonline.org.

WPA Testifies on NYC Birth Certificate Legislation
On June 6, 2007, WPA testified before the New York City Council in favor of a bill that would provide free birth certificates to people leaving jail and prison.  Obtaining a valid birth certificate is an obstacle for many reentering the community after incarceration.  Click here to read WPA’s testimony.

WPA Presents at a Forum Focusing on the Impact of Incarceration on Families
On April 19, 2007, Institute on Women & Criminal Justice Deputy Director, Sarah From, presented at a New York Women’s Foundation public education forum.  The forum brought together criminal justice advocates as well as formerly incarcerated women to discuss the impact of incarceration on families.  The evening also featured a film produced by Oxygen Media, narrated by journalist, Lisa Ling, Daughters Left Behind.  This event was in partnership with Oxygen Media and was hosted by the Open Society Institute. Read Sarah From’s Remarks.

WPA Joins Effort to Change FCC’s Prison Telephone Policy
WPA, along with a national coalition of advocates, submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding its consideration of changes to policy on prison telephone charges.  The comment makes the argument that maintaining family ties aids in a person’s reentry and that telephone calls are essential in the maintenance of these ties.  However, due to the high cost of receiving telephone calls from prisons, families must often make trade-offs between staying in touch with their loved one and paying their bills.  The comment asks the FCC to adopt benchmark rates for long distance inmate calling services and require prison telephone service providers to provide debit calling options.  Read the comment.

WPA Signs Missouri DOC Access to Abortion Amicus Brief
The Women’s Prison Association joined a national group of social service providers that work with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and their children to sign an Amicus Brief in the case of Roe vs Crawford in Missouri.  In 2005, the Missouri Department of Corrections instituted a policy that prohibited women from accessing abortion services while they are incarcerated, unless the corrections medical staff deemed the abortion necessary to preserve the woman’s health or life.  The result is that women are forced to carry their pregnancies to term, whether or not they want to.  This lawsuit alleges that this policy is a violation of the pregnant inmates’ 14th and 8th Amendment rights.  The date for oral arguments has not been set.  Read the Full Brief.

WPA Signs NYS Prison Telephone Fee Amicus Brief
Along with other social service organizations, the Women’s Prison Association has signed onto an Amicus Brief in the case of Walton vs. New York State Department of Correctional Services.  The lawsuit seeks an order prohibiting the State and MCI/Verizon from charging exorbitant rates to the family members of prisoners to finance a 57.5% kick back to the State. MCI is currently charging these family members a 630% markup over regular long distance consumer rates to receive a collect call from their loved ones, the only method of calling from a DOCS institution.  The suit was dismissed by the Supreme Court of New York, Albany County, last fall, citing issues of timeliness, and the Appellate Division affirmed the decision. In July 2006, the Court of Appeals agreed to hear the case. Oral arguments are scheduled for January 9, 2007.  The brief WPA signed was prepared by the law offices of Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel.  Read the Brief.  To read the other supporting briefs, please visit www.ccr-ny.org.

Re-entry Services featured on Fancy Broccoli Radio Program
On Sunday, July 23, 2006, Danielle Coscia, WPA’s Director of Operations for Reentry Services, and Sandra Thomas, a Case Management Technician at WPA, appeared on the Fancy Broccoli radio program.  This interview explores the feelings and challenges many women face upon their release from prison or jail, the importance of connecting with a community soon after release and the intersection of domestic violence, abuse & incarceration.  Sandra and Danielle also discussed how WPA’s work changes the lives of our clients, during and after incarceration.  Fancy Broccoli is a criminal justice program that airs on independent radio 91.3 FM in Poughkeepsie, NY. Listen Online (follow "Archive" link to the "July 23, 2006" interview).

Institute on Women & Criminal Justice featured on Fancy Broccoli Radio Program
On April 2, 2006, Sarah From, Deputy Director of the Institute on Women & Criminal Justice, discussed the effect criminal justice policy has on women on the Fancy Broccoli Show. Fancy Broccoli is a criminal justice program that airs on independent radio 91.3 FM in Poughkeepsie, NY. Listen Online (follow "Archive" link to the "April 2, 2006" interview).

Women’s Advocacy Project featured on WBAI’s On the Count
On Saturday, March 18, members of the Women’s Advocacy Project appeared on WBAI’s On the Count, a criminal justice-focused radio program that is produced and hosted by people formerly incarcerated.  Sarah From and Brenda Pearson of WPA’s Institute on Women & Criminal Justice, were joined by Women’s Advocacy Project participant Kim Franklin and the Correctional Association’s Andrea Williams.  They discussed many of the issues that women formerly incarcerated face upon their release and in pursing advocacy work.  Listen online (interview begins approximately at 30 minute mark).

Multimedia Presentation: Reentry Housing Needs
A slideshow presentation created by WPA Associate Executive Director, Georgia Lerner for Harvard College’s webcast, “Prisoner Re-Entry Needs: Facing the Challenges of Returning Home.”  This link also includes a discussion transcript and slides from the other panelists.  The event featured Jeremy Travis, President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Terry Donahue, Associate Director of the Community Capacity Development Office, U.S. Department of Justice.

Improving the Odds: Women in Community Corrections
A paper by WPA Executive Director Ann Jacobs on increasing women's prospects for success in the community. Presented to the Annual Conference of the American Society of Criminology, November 2004. (Download pdf)

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