Collective action for humane, healing and effective criminal justice policy

in Massachusetts since 1996

Enclosed: Letter from new Executive Director and Annual Report!

December 12, 2005

Dear Friends of CJPC:

It is hard to believe that CJPC will be celebrating its 10th anniversary at our April annual meeting in 2006.  Indeed, the first meeting Ros Winsor convened that led to CJPC was held in January, 1996. It is with great pleasure that I can report that the organization will pass this auspicious ten-year mark with gains in staffing and productivity that so many worked hard for over the past years.  

Since I wrote supporters last November, CJPC secured enough funds to continue employing part-time project staff person Patrice Brymner, and hire webmaster Amy Carmosino in May. With receipt of a grant we were also able to hire an excellent Executive Director, Brandyn Keating, who started work this fall.  We are confident that Brandyn brings the energy level, value commitments and organizational skills that CJPC needs. However, we took a risk with this crucial hire and desperately need your help to meet our goal of increasing the Executive Director position to full time next September, after Brandyn has finished law school and bar exams.

Even before Brandyn joined us, we received much positive feedback on the upgraded, very full newsletters that 2005 brought - our website has all back issues if you want to take another look.  Did you notice the results of the County Project that Ms. Brymner has led since last January?  A "County Pages" section of the website was launched in July to share them.  See the 2005 Annual Report for details on other activities that volunteers and interns produced during the year.   Look for later notice from us of a meeting we plan for January where we hope large numbers will turn out to address Correctional Reform in Massachusetts. Please join us to demonstrate that a sizable, knowledgeable and passionate constituency exists to demand sustained action on recommendations of the Harshbarger-led Commission and Advisory Council.

CJPC has so many of you to thank for the generous donations and the renewed and new memberships, as individuals and organizations, which made 2005’s strides forward possible. Thank you for your part and for continuing and increasing your generosity to CJPC!  Only with the help of people like you and organizations like yours can CJPC continue on the path of rebirth that is underway.  Note that you can make your contribution and membership renewals at any time on line at www.cjpc.org.  

For continuing collective action for humane, healing, and effective criminal justice policy, thank you!

Dorothy E. Weitzman, Acting Chair of CJPC