THE NORFOLK CHRONICLES

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- NORFOLKWORLD: SOME "NOT SO FUN" FACTS = HOPELESSNESS
Here are some "Not So Fun" facts about Norfolkworld which create the high level of hopelessness here at the madhouse;
Design capacity of the Prison = 1,084 prisoners
Current operational capacity = 1,474 prisoners
This "Overcrowding" taxes all resources, but most importantly "taxes" the "taxpayer" as it produces a 50% recidivism rate.
First Degree Lifers at Norfolkworld = 390 (27% of population)
Second Degree Lifers at Norfolkworld = 292 (20% of the population)
Oldest Prisoner at Norfolkworld - 93 years old!
Average age at Norfolkworld = 45 years old
What does this all mean? Well it means that these "lifers" ain't going anywhere due to the lack of any commutations of sentence (not even for terminal illness) combined with the lowest parole rate for lifers ever (under new Parole Board "Field Marshall Treseler"), which results in the cost crisis that is the aging prisoner population. How do you keep a 93 year old man behind bars and what purpose can it possibly serve? We have turned into real barbarians in Massachusetts and the rest of the world views us as savages.

Norfolkworld has 7% of its population here for what they list as "drug" crimes, but they designate 15% of the housing units to drug offenders through their failed CRA Program. The "CRAP" offerings refuse to provide tracking statistics so no-one even knows just how much of a failure the CRAP endeavour is, yet they continue to fund this sunken ship like it is the Queen Mary (more like the Titanic).
The real problem with this CRAP experiment is two-fold: you have entry level, wet-behind-the-ears, counsellors attempting to "treat" the most complicated treatment demographic on the planet. Polysubstance addicted, dual diagnosis offenders, many with deep rooted trauma related PTSD, are left at the hands of "Sally Fresh-Out-Of-UMass" for "treatment". It's like the kids at the lemonade stand running CityCorp; it ain't gonna work. The second element of the failure equation for the CRAP Program is that it is purportedly based on a "therapeutic community" model, but right from the get-go that can't be as the "residents" are released in to the viper pit that is the prison several times each day. In a therapeutic community (TC) the first "Phase" must consist of isolation from the greater community. With this element missing the CRAP Program is immediately destined to failure. Real Talk: men in the CRAP Program are smoking K2 on the tiers, snorting watered suboxone in the cells, and making homebrew in the common area. How is this conducive to recovery. Please let me tell you that the final nail in the CRAP coffin is that the "12 Step Recovery" philosophy of the A.A./N/A/ is NOT ALLOWED in the program because the spiritual principles which have proven to work mention "God", and they don't want God in prison!

The Massachusetts Parole Board, under Field Marshall Treseler, claims that 46% of the prisoners who come up for parole are paroled, but that does not take into consideration how many prisoners simply waive their parole eligibility as they will not submit to that kind of abuse from another agency; the DOC has done enough to them.
Systemwide 5600 people were eligible for parole but 1200 chose not to even attend a hearing. Why? There exist a myriad of reasons but all point to a failed parole system.
Now remember, there are 292 parole eligible "lifers" at Norfolkworld (20% of the population), but the latest parole rates for lifers are lower than ever = 30% in 2014 and now 18% for 2016. Instead of addressing the issue of the aging prisoner and their logjam in the system the Treseler Parole Board "The ReichsBoard" is making it worse.

The bottom line is that Norfolkworld is a death camp. It is just another gulag in the conspiracy that is the Prison Industrial Complex. Norfolkworld is just part of the "Jobs Program for Idiots" that is the DOC.

More To Come...

Please attend "The Walk For Inclusion" on Sunday, October 23rd, 2016, at 1:00pm. Starting at Ramsey Park in Roxbury and winding up with a Press Conference at the State House. For details please contact:

Rachel Corey
Executive Director
Criminal Justice Policy Coalition
549 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
director@cjpc.org
(617) 807-0111

By Timothy J. Muise

NORFOLK LIFERS GROUP
MCI-NORFOLK
P.O. BOX 43
NORFOLK, MA 02056

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Norfolk Lifers Group's mission is to:

* Work for productive reforms designed to improve rehabilitation, self-respect, and the quality of life in prisons in MA. To that end, we strive to provide services for all men and women incarcerated in the Department of Correction (DOC), with a emphasis on those serving life or long-term sentences.

* Study and eliminate barriers which limit collaboration between the community-at-large and prisoners.

* Promote coordination and cooperation with any organisation striving for similar goals in order to provide an effective use of penal and rehabilitative resources.

* Provide an organisation operating under sound ethical and democratic principles devoted to educating our members and those on the outside on penal and rehabilitative reform with the goals of reducing recidivism, improving public safety, and building peaceful and productive relationships with family members, fellow prisoners, supporters, and the community.

WHAT IS THE NORFOLK LIFERS GROUP?

The Norfolk Lifers Group is based at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk. Formed in the late 1960s, it has continuously operated for over 50 years.

The Norfolk Lifers Group is comprised of men serving life or long-term sentences. An elected Board of Directors coordinates the Group's activities which are dedicated to educating our members and outside citizens in the area of criminal justice reform.

CONCEPTS WE EMBRACE

The Norfolk Lifers Group embraces education, penal and parole reform, and programs which recognise that victims, victim survivors, and offenders must move toward healing to become whole. We also seek a justice system which avoids punishments which do not help to reintegrate prisoners into society nor address the underlying factors which promote crime.

We do not believe that anyone should be forever defined by their worst moment. We take responsibility for our actions and acknowledge that our worst moment resulted in the loss of life, pain, and suffering to victims, their families, and to the community. We are dedicated to atoning for our crimes.

The Norfolk Lifers Group believes that we must contribute to public safety by embracing educational and rehabilitative programming for our members.

GOALS

The Norfolk Lifers Group has identified six major areas of concern to be addressed. Recent changes in the DOC's philosophy have dissipated roles by which, in the past, lifers were able to contribute to prison environments and to rehabilitation. In addition, the DOC has diminished resources previously available to lifers, even those eligible for parole and possible release. To counter these losses, the Norfolk Lifers Group strives to work in the following six areas:

EDUCATION & TRAINING

1) Developing innovative and effective ways to communicate our messages to supporters - inside and outside prison walls.

2) Bringing in guest speakers to address our members on current issues, e.g., re-entry programs, technological advances, and legal developments.

3) Providing information to prisoners concerning rehabilitation, programming, legal cases and resources, as well as other aspects of prison life.

PAROLE AND COMMUTATION

1) Assisting members to prepare parole and/or commutation packages and to appear before the Parole Board at parole or commutation hearings.

2) Assisting members in understanding the parole and commutation process as well as communicating important developments regarding the Parole Board.

3) Assisting members who seek to challenge parole or commutation decisions.

4) Reporting annually on lifer parole decisions in the previous year.

LEGISLATION AND LITIGATION

1) Working for the passage of a bill for parole eligibility after 25 years for first degree lifers.

2) Challenging the current absence of commutations for lifers in MA.

3) Instituting efforts to develop and to maintain contacts in the Legislature to encourage passage of fair legislation affecting all prisoners.

4) Working for the passage of legislation for the release of aged, infirm, or terminally ill prisoners who pose no danger to society.

5) Working to restore voting rights for all prisoners.

6) Litigating the refusal of the DOC to respond to public records requests.

MEDICAL ISSUES

1) Working to improve programs for elderly and infirm prisoners, including hospice care and assisted daily living units.

2) Educating our membership on the importance of filling out and maintaining Health Care Proxies, Living Wills, and Last Wills and Testaments.

JOBS

1) Working to expand job opportunities for lifers and long-term prisoners.

2) Working to increase pay rates for skilled lifers and long-term prisoners who contribute to maintenance and educational needs at MCI-Norfolk.

3) Working to reintroduce avocation opportunities for lifers and long-term prisoners at MCI-Norfolk.

PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES

1) Working to introduce new and more effective programs, including academic, computer, and vocational opportunities for lifers and long-term prisoners.

2) Working to reduce excessive program waiting lists and delays for lifers and long-term prisoners.

3) Working to restore Norfolk Lifers Group arts programs.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

1) Working to reintroduce Family and Friends events designed to maintain and to strengthen community bonds.

2) Working to introduce additional family relationship programs for lifers and long-term prisoners.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE RECENTLY

1) Produced reports on parole decisions for lifers from 2003 through 2014.

2) Submitted proposals for training lifers to care for elderly and infirm prisoners, for utilising skilled lifers in work projects which would improve the structures and environment inside MCI-Norfolk.

3) Submitted an analysis of the needs of lifers and long-term prisoners at MCI-Norfolk, given that over two-thirds of the prisoners housed here are serving life or sentences of 15 years or more.

4) Hosted speakers on topics from mandatory minimums to prisoners' legal rights.

5) Produced reports on the costs of mass incarceration, recidivism, suicides and changes in the Parole Board.

To review any of the above reports, go to www.realcostofprisons.org (c) September 2015