As Democrats captured a majority in the state senate for the first time since 1964, beating out Republican incumbents in two districts, the new political landscape has many reformers anticipating a once-in-a-generation opportunity to influence longstanding legislation.
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In this video column, Davian Reynolds, our 16-year-old video columnist from Brooklyn, reflects on why Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 presidential election means so much for kids like him who have or have had or might wind up having a parent who is incarcerated. (more…)

Click to view video

The scary thing is that Mr. Jones’s experience is hardly unique but rather is the norm.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: How well do you think the public defender who represented your family member did on the case?

[Use the comments feature below or call (646) 867-1891 to leave an audio message.]

Just a few days before the election Particia Wysock, 42, was confused as to where should go to vote: do people vote by their office or home address? The uncertainty was understandable: this would be her first time voting since Ronald Reagan was in office. She has spent much of the past two decades in and out of prison – eight years total – for forgery and fraud charges.

Over 12,000 New Yorkers are released from prison each year and many of them wrongly assume that a felony conviction prohibits them from voting, according to the NYCLU. To address the problem various advocacy groups throughout the city have held voter registration drives aimed at former felons.

Patricia, who now works Fortune Society, an advocacy center for formerly incarcerated people, sees voting as an important step in her rehabilitation.

“Participating in voting is esteem-able” Patricia said, “and it makes me feel like I am more of an esteem-able person. It shows that my voice matters and I have opinions and they are being recognized.”

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: Did you just regain your right to vote after spending time in prison? How did you feel voting again?

Or are you still struggling to regain your voting rights? How did you feel missing out in voting during the historic 2008 election?

[Use the comments feature below or call (646) 867-1891 to leave an audio message.]

Joel Schectman attends the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. His focus is economic and international reporting. He graduates in December 2009.

November 4, 2008–Casimiro Torres, 41, joined millions of Americans today to vote in the general election.  Like many during this historic election, he is voting for the first time.  But unlike most new voters, Mr. Torres is formerly incarcerated.
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In this video column, Emani Davis, the director of Project Family Connect and the daughter of an incarcerated man, talks about  the stigma that she experienced as the child of an incarcerated parent and her desire to address the specific needs of this group.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: How has having an incarcerated parent affected the way you see yourself?

[Use the comments feature below or call (646)-867-1891 to leave an audio message.]

[This interviewed was rescheduled for Monday, Nov. 10. You may submit your questions through Nov. 9.]

The holiday season is meant to be a time for joy and celebration. But for many, it is difficult period when their separation from an incarcerated family member is magnified because of the relentless message that this is a time for families to be together.

Often people do not know where to turn to learn how to cope with this period. What do you tell your children when they are sad that their parent is not there? Do you engage them in this conversation or not? Who can you turn to? How do you express what you are feeling to your spouse or children? What is the best way for children to handle this period?

To answer some of those questions, I have arranged an interview with Dr. Harland Kessaris, a psychologist who specializes in helping families adjust to life when a member is in prison.

You have an opportunity to ask Dr. Kessaris your own questions to him. I’d like to hear from you - what questions do you want to ask Dr. Kessaris?

Submit them before Nov. 6 Nov. 9 and I’ll include them in the interview on Friday, Nov. 7 Monday, Nov. 10. You’ll be able to see the answers when we post the article on Monday Wednesday, Nov. 12.

You have three options:

1. Post a question in the comments section below,
2. Send an email to questions@livesinfocus.org,
3. Call (646) 867-1891 to leave a message.

Solitude (click image to enlarge)

REMINDER: DEADLINE TO ENTER IS DEC. 1, 2008

People who have an incarcerated family member naturally cycle through a range of difficult emotions as the years slowly pass. Some express their sadness, anxiety and fear or hope for the future through art, music or poetry.

To honor that great artwork, Family Life behind Bars is launching its inaugural Annual Arts Celebration & Competition.You are invited to enter the artwork you have produced that reflects the emotions you are feeling during your loved one’s incarceration. (more…)

We’re about 72 hours from election day and here’s an article by the New York Times on the presidential candidates’ stance on crime. This article follows the article we published earlier in the week that reported that the candidates’ stance has not been clearly articulated and discussed during the campaign.

In past elections, bringing up the “tough-on-crime” card spurred Republican support. During the 1988 campaign between Vice President George H. Bush and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, for example, notorious attack ads depicted Dukakis as weak on crime by showing prisoners going in and out of jail. The most controversial element of the ads was the story of Willie Horton, an  African-American prisoner  who committed a terrible crime while furloughed. The ad played to mainstream America’s racial prejudices and fear.

The Times article takes a look at John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s history on the crime and why, 20 years after the “Willie Horton” ads, it has not been discussed much:

But compared with many past presidential elections, Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain have paid little attention to issues of criminal justice as they compete for the White House.

The change is a reflection, experts say, of 15 years of declining crime rates, an electorate less anxious about public safety and the fact that crime and law enforcement issues are less partisan than they used to be.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: Are you considering the candidates’ views on incarceration and criminal justice in your voting decision? Which way are you leaning and why?

[Use the comments feature below or call (646)-867-1891 to leave an audio message.]

If you are a child of someone who is incarcerated and you have a question for me, you have three options:

1. Post a question in the comments section below,
2. Send an email to questions@livesinfocus.org,
3. Call (646) 867-1891 to leave a message.

I also welcome questions from others who might simply be interested in knowing more about how the life of children is affected when a parent is incarcerated.

Click on the player above or download this video here. (iPhone version)

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: How has your parent’s incarceration affected your interest in staying in school?

[Use the comments feature below or call (646) 867-1891 to leave an audio message.]