Beyond the Rockefeller Drug Laws—
Public Health or Criminal Injustice?
A Community Forum about Drug Treatment, Incarceration, and the Future of Drug Policy in New York
7 – 9 pm, Thursday April 10, 2008
The City College of New York Room 1/201, 1st floor, NAC Building.
Directions: Take the 1 train to 137th St. City College exit. Walk north to 138th Street, turn right, cross Amsterdam Ave., and walk through gate to the North Academic Center (NAC) building. Enter building at entrance on 138th and Convent Avenue.
The draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws have been on the books since 1973. These laws require harsh prison sentences for low level drug offenses and prevent judges from sending people to community based treatment programs. There are currently over 13,000 people locked up in NY prisons under these laws—and fully 90% are Black and Latino, even though whites use and sell illegal drugs at a higher rate.
Please join us at this community forum to find out what is happening to change these ineffective laws. Hear from elected officials, treatment specialists, drug law reform advocates, and formerly incarcerated people and their families. Learn how to get involved. Bring your ideas to the table and let us come together to figure out what we can do to restore our communities, Beyond Rockefeller…..
Changes in Albany indicate that the time for real reform may be at hand. So what happens Beyond Rockefeller?
Panelists:
Assemblymember Keith Wright (D-Harlem)
Milagros Estrella, mother of son who served 10+ years under RDLs; leader, Seven
Neighborhood Action Partnership (SNAP)
Onaje Muid, Clinical Associate Director, Reality House, Inc.
Cheri O’Donoghue, mother of incarcerated son; co-founder of FREE! Families Rally for
Emancipation and Empowerment.
Gabriel Sayegh, Director, State Organizing and Policy Project, Drug Policy Alliance
Terrence Stevens, formerly incarcerated under the RDL’s; Executive Director, In Arms Reach
Deacon Ken Radcliffe, Moderator. Director, the ISAIAH Project
To RSVP for this event, or if you have any questions, please contact Jill at jbattagline@drugpolicy.org or 212-613-8053
Space is Limited. This is a FREE EVENT. Light refreshments will be served.
nathan harris
April 10, 2008
I hope you can get those laws changed