Statement of Purpose
Citizens for
Effective Justice, (CEJ) was begun in early 2004 by
Roberta McCloskey†, Rev. Hal
Taylor and others concerned about problems with our criminal justice
system particularly the overcrowding of our jail that came into focus
with the death of James Borden in November 2003. Over the course
of five years our group has evolved from an ad hoc study group into an
organization with a mission.
CEJ's
Mission
CEJ’s mission is to
advocate for effective implementation of therapeutic justice in our
community. We are guided by Article One, Section 18 of the
Constitution of the State of Indiana: “The penal code shall be founded
on principles of reformation, and not vindictive justice.”
We are working to shift
public and official attitudes and institutional practice away from
punishment to restorative and therapeutic justice. We are advocating
against the criminalization of mental illness and addictions. We
are especially concerned about the future of the children of inmates
who are seven times as likely to wind up in prison and jail as the
general population. We believe that the evidence is compelling
that an emphasis on reformation not only will reduce crime and cut
recidivism rates but will also reduce considerably the costs to Monroe
County taxpayers. We have made presentations to the Mayor, City and
County Councils, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Human
Rights Commission and the Sheriff. We have organized
community-wide forums on these issues. We have facilitated the
startup of new programs and the revitalization of existing programs and
written several articles in the local newspaper. We have also
participated in radio and television programs involving our group and
local public officials.
|
General Meetings -
Saturdays,
1:30 - 3:00pm, at the First Trinity, Episcopal Church,
Bloomington IN
Project Meetings
-
Occur at
the time and place by agreement.
Contact:
CEJ@newleaf-cej.org
Get Involved Here
...
Get Help Here ...
Indiana CURE
Death Penalty
The Sentencing Project
The Consensus Project
New - Republishing
of Karl Menninger's classic book:
The Crime of
Punishment
|
Strategic Plan
CEJ's specific goals
within the mission of therapeutic justice are to advocate to:
-
Improve
conditions for inmates and staff by reducing overcrowding in the Monroe
County Jail by diverting people where serious felonies are not an issue
to other corrections programs or to treatment for those suffering from
mental illness and addictions. Our operational definition of
overcrowding is any number in excess of the design capacity of the jail
(126.)
-
Reduce
recidivism in our community corrections system to levels comparable to
the best systems in the country by preparing inmates to function more
effectively outside upon release and provide sustained support,
mentoring and education after release especially for addictions
problems. Create and strengthen programs for inmates and their
families that will help them build self-determination skills.
-
Training
and education for law enforcement, corrections, judges and others
involved in the criminal justice system to understand and apply the
principles of therapeutic justice including recognizing and effectively
dealing with mental illness, addictions and related problems facing
members of the community.
-
In
the long term work to bring about a community corrections center that
effectively implements the principles of therapeutic justice in Monroe
County.
-
Join with groups with a similar mission across the nation to
bring about change in criminal justice system policies and
practices to bring our country in line with the much lower rate
of incarceration of other democracies.
|
