PLANS FOR REEENTRY ZONE UNVEILED BY “INSIDE OUT” SOCIAL JUSTICE, REENTRY, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM VISIONARY MR. JAMES MUHAMMED TAYLOR

            Gun violence, recidivism, the “school-to-prison” pipeline, and poverty continue to marginalize communities in major American cities and the souls who reside within them. While Legislators, social service professionals and providers, healthcare professionals and providers, law enforcement professionals, educators, community leaders and concerned citizens in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania struggle to find answers, “inside-out” Social Justice, Reentry, and Criminal Justice Reform visionary – Mr. James Muhammed Taylor – recently unveiled his vision for addressing gun violence, recidivism, mentoring at-risk youths and young adults, poverty, and the “school-to-prison” pipeline in a document entitled “Call To Purpose” (http://globalfatherhooddialogue.blogspot.com/2020/08/call-to-purpose-mr-james-muhammed-taylor.html).   Mr. Taylor envisions the establishment of a gun violence free, crime free, and business driven Reentry Zone  in the West Philadelphia section of the nation’s fifth largest metropolitan area.  The Reentry Zone will address recidivism, gun violence, the “school-to-prison” pipeline and poverty by providing Returning Citizens with housing, jobs, vocational and entrepreneurial skills training, clothing, transportation, and food.  At the same time, at-risk youths and young adults will receive mentoring that will positively transform their decision making, mindset and behavior along with vocational and entrepreneurial skills training through the Project Pipe Line Prison To Youth/Reclaiming Their Lives As Men Initiative.  A component of the Reentry Zone, Project Pipe Line Prison To Youth/Reclaiming Their Lives As Men which Mr. Taylor designed, has successfully mentored incarcerated young men at the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.  Communities within and surrounding the Reentry Zone will be declared “gun violence free” and “crime free” – a declaration that will be enforced through a collaboration consisting of Returning Citizens, law enforcement professionals, the Interfaith Community, community leaders, and concerned citizens.  Jobs created within the gun violence free, crime free, and business-driven Reentry Zone will employ Returning Citizens as well as members of communities within and surrounding it.   

            Mr. Taylor, serves as the Chair of the Commutation Committee for LIFERS, Inc. (https://www.lifersincpa.org), an “inside-out” Reentry, Social Justice, and Criminal Justice Reform Think Tank at SCI Phoenix (formerly SCI Graterford), that has a demonstrated track record of designing and co-facilitating research-driven and solutions-based initiatives that span three decades.  Poised to employ a holistic and direct approach to addressing gun violence, recidivism, unemployment, poverty, and the “school-to-prison” pipeline, Mr. Taylor who is also a spokesperson for LIFERS, Inc., discussed his vision:

           “Picture the twenty-plus prisons in the State of Pennsylvania as representing different sections of a city under different degrees of discipline, all wanting the same thing – freedom and a realistic chance to make it upon release.  Graterford Prison, now SCI Phoenix, being under the most consistent progressive-minded administrative leadership over the years has encouraged and supported the inmate population’s self-help program initiative.  In that sense, let’s say SCI-Phoenix would represent the Reentry Zone in that part of the city where all of those program initiatives are best put in play for the benefit of the entire prison population of Pennsylvania.   So, who are the Men of Phoenix?  What have we done to support the above idea?  Let’s talk about some of the roles we have played.  People Advancing Reintegration  -- PAR -- as a self-help initiative, has dealt with reentry effectively for 30 years.  It has produced a solid course for release preparation with PAR-Recycle Works (https://home.par-recycleworks.org)  which is now providing jobs for our people upon release.  We can expand job opportunities for Men within that business.  It came from the prisoners of Phoenix representing the entire prison population of Pennsylvania! LIFERS, Inc.  Seeking Parole Eligibility Through Legislative Change  - it came from us!  LIFERS, Inc. Public Safety Initiative’s (PSI) Mentoring Project for At-Risk Youth --  the Men of Graterford – Phoenix did that.  It came from us!   The Fathers And Children Together Experience is a solid initiative addressing the needs of our children from a self-help perspective  We did that from the mindset of the Men in Phoenix.  It came from us and can be greatly improved upon within the external business driven Reentry Zone envisioned as a necessary public safety initiative.  Real Street Talk has continually reached out to the young men entering the institution as potential foot soldiers against crime and gun violence in our neighborhoods with a mind towards business development. We did that!  It came from the Men at Phoenix!  Pipe Line To Prison Youth/Reclaiming Their Lives As Men provides participants with a full range of reentry support to get on their feet through direct action.  The Men of Phoenix did that!   It came from us!  And then there is the Man Up initiative which advocates that we take a stand for doing the right thing for ourselves where we stand, right now, and upon our release being responsible for bettering the community.             The training phase of our work is complete.  It is time now to put these initiatives to work independently of each other, yet being compatible in service in the community within the business-driven Reentry Zone selected for West Philadelphia as a model of self-sufficiency. ” 

            Want to know more about the gun violence free, crime free, and business-driven Reentry Zone planned for Philadelphia?  Correspondence can be addressed to Mr. Taylor as follows:’’

Smart Communications/PA DOC

Mr. James Muhammed Taylor #AF4120

SCI Phoenix

Post Office Box 33028

St. Petersburg, FL  3373

           To learn more about Mr. Taylor’s work on Reentry, Social Justice, and Criminal Justice Reform, visit his website at www.jamesmuhammedtaylor.com or contact the Commutation Support Campaign Committee for James Muhammed Taylor #AF4120 by sending an e-mail to:  insearchoffatherhood@gmail.com.

 

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