2008

First week of January:  Review legislative bills to select those that will be supported or opposed by Middle Ground.  We will review about 1,000 bills by mid-February and post about 75-100 on our web site which deal with criminal justice/prison or jail-related issues.

January 23:  Attend first of regular monthly meetings/presentations of the Arizona EEOC to learn about and discuss issues relevant to employment laws and practices which affect ex-offenders.  See our "Ex Offender Information" section on this web site for information regarding laws affecting hiring practices for those with criminal records.

February 15:  Tucson dinner/book signing, sponsored by Coalition of Arizonas to Abolish the Death Penalty.  The event, entitled "Writing Down Death" wll feature noted authors John M. Johnson and Rudy Gerber, authors of a recently published work, The Top Ten Myths About the Death Penalty.   Tickets are $50/person.  Visit www.azaboolitionist.org for purchasing information and location.  Readings from authors begin at 6 p.m.

February - March:   Middle Ground continues to work on the federal lawsuit, Holka v. Napolitano, challenging the 5% wage deductions being taken from each WIPP pay check to fund transition programs that will only be available to drug offenders.  We are also working to monitor various pieces of legislation moving through committee hearings; responding to 30-50 e-mails/day; assisting families of prisoners with medical care problems; participating in civil rights restoration work, etc.

March 10:  Attend and participate in meeting of "Children of Prisoners: Caregiver's Choice" Annual Outreach Meeting.  See our web page entitled "Family of Prisoner Information" for specifics about this program and what it offers to the caregiver's of children of the incarcerated.

March 10:  Meeting of Steering Committee of "Arizona Rights Restoration Coalition," to discuss various organization activities, including strategy for introducing legislation during the 2009 session to allow all ex-felons to vote in elections without the burdens of paying fines and restitution prior to be able to register to vote.  Presently  Arizona laws provide a multitude of requirements for first-time felons, second-time felons, federal felons living in Arizona, etc.  Middle Ground is a member of the Steering Committee of this newly formed group.

April 8:  Middle Ground will participate in a "Prison Reform Day" at the Arizona Legislature from 10 - 1:30 p.m.  We will have a table with informational materials and will provide remarks to those in attendance.  The event is sponsored by the Universalist Unitarian Church of Surprise/Social and Criminal Justice Committee.  Some speakers will be making speeches, but we do not have information about specific times or any other information.  The public is welcome.  FOR THE FIRST 25 PEOPLE (NON ADOC EMPLOYEES) WHO VISIT OUR TABLE AND MAKE A MIMIMUM DONATION OF $20 (CASH ONLY; NO CHECKS OR CREDIT CARDS), WE WILL GIVE YOU A FREE HIGH QUALITY DUFFEL BAG EMBLAZONED WITH MIDDLE GROUND'S NAME AND LOGO WHICH WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF TO OTHERS THAT YOU ARE AN ENLIGHTENED PRISON REFORMER!)

April - May:  We continue to monitor/track various pieces of legislation which are moving very, very slowly through the legislative process.  Rumors continue to circulate throughout the prison system (as reflected in the mail we receive from prisoners and the phone calls or e-mails we receive from their families) about legislative bills/proposals that, if passed, would reduce prison sentences from 85% down to 75% or 65%.  These are completely false; no such bills have been proposed.   There is one bill which re-organizes the criminal code (Title 13) and makes minor adjustments to sentences, but if passed into law it in no way affects currently sentenced prisoners and does NOT re-introduce early parole-type releases.  Many other bills, if passed, would make the sentencing code much more harsh.  For example, one bill proposes to eliminate the 25 year to Life punishment available for those convicted of first-degree murder.  Instead, the bill proposes that all persons convicted of first-degree murder ben sentenced to death or to natural life in prison.  In this type of "climate" it is unrealistic to believe that sentence reductions are being considered.

June 13, 2008:  James Hamm, Director of Program and Advocacy Services, will speak to a group of high school honor students at 10 a.m. at the Arizona State Capitol/Canyon Room, for the Junior Statesman Foundation, in recognition of their first annual Symposium on Arizona Politics and Leadership.  Attendance is by invitation only.

June - August:  Middle Ground continues to assist attorney Scott Ambrose in preparing various responses and following up on discovery issues for the federal lawsuit challening the DOC 5% wage deductions.  No hearings have yet been scheduled on this litigation, but we are progressing through discovery/disclosure and dismissal issues.

July - August:  Review all new bills which were passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor having to do with prison or criminal justice/sentencing-related issues.  When review is complete, will post information on our "Pending Legislation" category on this web site.

June - September:  Continue work on our federal lawsuit challenging the 5% wage deductions as provided for by HB 2298 (2007 legislative session); assisted in the preparation of a Response to the State's Motion for Summary Judgement.  This case will not be resolved until near the end of 2008 (estimate).

July:  The Department has decided to triple bunk at the women's prison in Perryville.  Many inquiries have been made to our office regarding the legality of this policy. We have responded to dozens of e-mails and letters on this topic.  Please see our FAQ section for response.

July 30:  Arizona State University College of Law class presentation, "Rights of Prisoners."

July 31:  Pursutant to ARS 31-231 D (3), the ADOC is required to file a report with the governor and other state leaders, no later than July 31st, regarding the statistics of the Drug Offender Transition Program.  This is the program that is being funded by the 5% wage deductions which we are challenging in federal district court.  On July 31st, we requested the report from the DOC.  We were advised it was not available and they would get back to us.  We contacted the Governor, the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, the Secretary of State and the State Library.  No one had a copy of the report.  The Senate leadership staff agreed to assist us to obtain the report.  We strongly suspect that the Department failed to prepare it in time for their statutory deadline and that they are presently scrambling to prepare/publish it.  As of August 4, we still do not have it but are hoping to obtain it soon.  We sent a letter to the Governor advising that we had been denied access to a public record, and asking for a formal reprimand against the Director of DOC.