The Integrated Justice Alliance (IJA)\u00a0requests the help of New Jersey’s social justice community to assist in, “righting a wrong in New Jersey commonly referred to as Prison Based Gerrymandering (PBG)”. This practice is outlawed in several states and New Jersey State Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D) has sponsored Senate Bill S-1055 to make this unethical practice illegal in our state too.<\/p>\n
S-1055 requires incarcerated individuals to be counted at their residential address for legislative redistricting purposes. The current practice of PBG permits the communities that house prisons to claim inmates as residents of their town. This allows those municipalities to lay claim to funds which might otherwise flow into inmates’ home communities and benefit their families. It also skews the fundamental democratic principle of one man, one vote, on which our country’s political system is based – as New Jersey prison inmates are not allowed to vote during the term of their incarceration.<\/p>\n
Meeting of the Senate State Government Committee Brother Aula Maarufu Sumbry writes in his invitation:<\/p>\n Please pass the word so we can pack that room.\u00a0Even if you don’t plan to actually give testimony please show up. You can fill out a white slip in the hearing room\u00a0stating your name and or organization and state that you support S1055 but have no need to speak. It would be fantastic if we could have a pile of those slips in addition to our verbal\/written testimony. This is our first chance to make a direct impression\/impact on a senate committee as IJA,\u00a0help us\u00a0make it count!<\/p>\n Peter Wagner of the Prison Policy Initiative is trying to have one of the lawyers who fought and won the challenge to the New York State Prison Based Gerrymandering law before the New York State Supreme Court be there.\u00a0Let’s make every effort to be there in support of fundamental fairness.<\/p>\n Aula Maarufu Sumbry Integrated Justice Alliance<\/a> Co-Chairman and Related Documents<\/strong> The Integrated Justice Alliance (IJA)\u00a0requests the help of New Jersey’s social justice community to assist in, “righting a wrong in New Jersey commonly referred to as Prison Based Gerrymandering (PBG)”. This practice is outlawed in several states and New Jersey State Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D) has sponsored Senate Bill S-1055 to make this unethical practice … <\/p>\n
\nMonday May 14,2012\u00a0@ 1:00pm
\nCommittee Room 7, 2nd Floor
\nState House Annex<\/a>
\nTrenton, NJ<\/strong>
\nView agenda<\/a><\/p>\n
\n609-638-7635
\nbrotheraula@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Chairman, IJA Racial and Economic Disparities Committee
\nOmega Psi Phi Corridor IV (New Jersey)
\n Deputy Corridor IV\u00a0Representative
\n Omega Fatherhood & Mentoring Facilitator
\n Delta Upsilon (Trenton Area) Social Action Committee Chairman
\nTrenton Anti-violence Steering Committee Member
\nTrenton NAACP Prison Committee, Chairman<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nView one-page synopsis about NJ S-1055<\/a> written by the Integrated Justice Alliance.
\nView previous testimony<\/a> given by Integrated Justice Alliance (IJA) members.
\nAdditional information on the implications of Prison Based Gerrymandering in New Jersey at http:\/\/www.prisonersofthecensus.org\/50states\/NJ.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"