July 2022

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Jail and Prison Advocacy Project

Newsletter

JPAP celebrates 15 years in 2022!

In this month's newsletter:

  • JPAP Celebrates Disability Pride Month and BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month
  • JPAP Client Organizes Art Exhibit
  • Summer 2022 Intern Feature: William and Cami
  • Policy Updates: Parole Reform Setback & The ERASE Act and Safe Cells
  • Martha's Outfitters Re-Opening
  • Where Does Your Donation Go?

JPAP Celebrates Disability Pride Month and BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month

July is recognized as both Disability Pride and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes it an especially important time to celebrate JPAP’s work! Starting in 2004, Disability Pride Month has combated ableism and celebrated people with disabilities in the US. Disability rights advocates specifically picked July to commemorate the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in areas like employment, communication, public accommodations, and transportation.


BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, or Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, was first recognized in June 2008 to shed light on the unique challenges that BIPOC face regarding mental health in the US. The theme of this year’s BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month is “Beyond the Numbers,” to emphasize the uniqueness of BIPOC communities and their experiences.


JPAP’s work lies at the intersection of these movements. All JPAP’s clients have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disability, 98% are people of color, and 95% are Black. We want to take our July newsletter as an opportunity to not only share our work but celebrate and recognize our clients and their accomplishments.

JPAP Client Organizes Art Exhibit

Earlier this month, one of JPAP’s clients (who wishes to remain anonymous) organized an art exhibit at a DC public library to share his work with the community. He has been making art his whole life, a passion that followed him while he was incarcerated and that continues to play a major role in his life. He enjoys working with different forms of art, including poetry, spoken word, and, as shown by these images, visual art. He is striving to get his art out there and working to organize more opportunities to share his passion with others. Pictured below are some of our client’s favorite works. Among these works, he included a self-portrait, photographs, sketchers, and paintings.

The title of this image is MoMo Picasso. This is a photographed self portrait of the artist taken with flash in front of a bathroom mirror and sink. In the background the image shows a shower with a white curtain a toilet and items of clothing and towels.
The title of this image is Unfinished. The sketch shows a face with marks resembling buildings wearing a crown. A finger reaches down from above to touch the crown. Two spades frame the face on its left and right. Red and blue paint surrounds the face.
This sketch titled Unfinished features a figure with an Afro. Sticks surrounded by smoke emerge from the figure's hair. Circles surround the figure on its left. A large triangle emanates from the face. Words letters and a pie chart decorate the image.
This sketch titled Unfinished depicts two faces facing opposite directions joined by a triangle. Lines that resemble paths emanate from the figure that also contains an object resembling a stopwatch.  Equations and letters decorate the rest of the sketch.
The title of this image is Unfinished. This is an out of focus photograph of a painting of paint brushes and a small tube of blue paint on an orange blue and pink surface. The words Wizh and Wood joined by the drawing of an orange eye top the image.
The tile of this image is broken lamps like broken chattels like broken promises from a close friend. This black and white photograph displays a tilted lit lamppost in front of a large tree that towers over it and surrounds it.

Image Description:


The image on the top left side of the page is titled “MoMo Picasso." It depicts a photographed self-portrait of the artist taken with flash in front of a bathroom mirror. In the background, the image shows a shower with a white curtain, a toilet, and various items of clothing and towels.


The image on the top right side of the page is titled “Unfinished.” The image shows a sketch of an abstract face with a frown and marks resembling buildings behind its eyes and nose. The figure is wearing a crown. An index finder reaches down from outside of the frame to touch the figure's crown. Two spades frame the face on its top left and bottom right. The sketch is surrounded by blue, orange, and red paint.


The image on the middle-left side of the page is titled “Unfinished.” This sketch features a figure with an Afro from which various sticks surrounded by smoke emerge. Various circles surround the figure on its left side. A pie chart appears next to the sticks on top of the face. From the center of the face, a triangular path emerges. Words and equations decorate the rest of the image.


The image on the middle-right side of the page is titled “Unfinished.” The abstract sketch depicts two faces facing opposite directions and joined by a triangular figure in the center of the image. Lines that resemble light rays emerge from the central figure in the drawing, which also contains an object resembling a stopwatch on its top right. Mathematical equations and letters decorate the rest of the image.


The image on the bottom left side of the page is titled “Unfinished.” This is an out-of-focus photograph of a painting of various objects laid out on an orange, blue, and hot pink surface. The objects include paint brushes and a small tube of blue paint. On the photograph, the words “Wizh” and “Wood” appear written in blank ink and joined by the drawing of an orange eye.



The image on the bottom right side of the page is titled “Broken lamps like broken chattels, like broken promises from a close friend.” This black and white photograph displays a tilted, lit lamppost in front of a large tree that towers over it and surrounds it.

Thanks to individual donations, JPAP was able to purchase an inexpensive camera and art supplies to help make the art show what our client wanted it to be. Please consider donating to JPAP to make this kind of support for our clients possible!

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This is a picture of William. He has short brown hair and is wearing a suit and sunglasses.

Summer 2022 Intern Feature: William and Cami

This summer, JPAP welcomed two interns to the team!


William Cálix (he/him) has been working as a legal intern with JPAP’s Monitoring & Mitigation Staff Attorney Natasha Walls Smith for the past two months. Here is a bit about William: “I am originally from Los Angeles, CA. Growing up there, I started piano as a kid and eventually took it to college at the University of Denver. After I graduated, I moved to DC, and I’m glad I made the move. In addition to being a concert pianist, I love cycling, hiking, and especially exploring the food of any city I am in. My favorite part about DC is that there are so many people here who are from all around the world, so it is easy to make a friend from another country for life. Having relationships around the globe can be eye-opening and really changes my perspective on life in general. I like working with JPAP because the people here are passionate about what they do. I also love that I can be a part of something that exists to serve people who are often told that help and assistance is not available. People often forget that some of the biggest obstacles for incarcerated people come up during their reentry, and JPAP starts reentry way before people are released from the DC Jail or Prison. So, the fact that I am able to be a part of this process makes me proud of this work.”

This is a picture of Cami Bianchi who has short brown hair and is wearing a black shirt and round silver glasses.

Cami Bianchi (they/them) has been working as an undergraduate intern with JPAP's Director Tammy Seltzer for the summer! Here’s a bit about Cami: “I was born in Savona, Italy, where I lived for the first half of my childhood. At 11, I moved to New York City with my family. I am currently a rising senior at Wellesley College, and I am studying Political Science and Sociology. When I’m not studying or working as a Resident Assistant in one of my campus’ dorms, I love reading, going on impossibly long walks with my friends, or swimming across Wellesley campus’ Lake Waban. Spending the summer in DC has been the highlight of my year. I love how alive the city feels and how many museums, concerts, and markets I got to visit in my time here. I am especially grateful for the friendships that I have made this summer and all the people I got to meet and learn from in DC. The best part of my summer has been, without a doubt, working for JPAP. I had the honor of meeting JPAP’s wonderful team and witness as they passionately and tirelessly worked to support JPAP’s clients and improve conditions for justice-involved DC residents. I have cherished every car ride with Robert, community visit with Andre, and conversation with Tammy, Natasha, Curtrice, and William. More importantly, I had the privilege of meeting, talking to, and learning from JPAP’s clients. I look forward to taking what I learned from this summer with me, and I hope to get to continue this work in some capacity after I graduate!”

Image Description:


The image on the top right side of the text is a photograph of William. He has short brown hair and is wearing a suit and sunglasses.


The image on the bottom left side of the text is a photograph of Cami. They have short brown hair and are wearing a black shirt and round silver glasses.

Policy Updates

DRDC has been working on several systemic issues, ensuring that the needs of people with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities are addressed in larger criminal legal system reform efforts.

Examples of systemic issues DRDC is working on:

This is a photograph of the DC Jail. The photo shows a tall brown building with windows. In front of it two flags on tall flag poles fly one of the US and one of Washington DC. Various cars are parked in front of the building.

Parole Reform Setback

For years now, DC residents and reentry organizations have worked to gain local control over parole, which is currently in the hands of a federal agency – the US Parole Commission (USPC). Under this system, two commissioners with no ties to the District are in charge of making crucial decisions on the lives of DC residents, often without attending residents’ parole hearings. The bulk of these decisions involves individuals who have been re-incarcerated for violating the terms of their parole or community supervision by, for example, missing virtual meetings with their probation officer. This practice especially impacts incarcerated individuals diagnosed with a mental health condition, as they are twice as likely to have their parole revoked than people who are not diagnosed, even though they are no more likely to commit new crimes.


In response to community pressure to lower the jail census during the pandemic, the USPC has worked to limit the re-incarceration of people who are accused of committing technical offenses, but that is not enough. JPAP’s director, Tammy Seltzer, and other advocates share a core value that no one should be re-incarcerated for a technical violation. Instead, supervision officers should figure out why the violation was committed and work to address the underlying problem.

The image depicts a photograph of Mayor Muriel Bowser speaking in front of two microphones.

Advocates have also shed light on the nonsensical nature of the USPC’s decisions, which have a reputation for being especially harsh and in disagreement with DC’s increasingly progressive stance on criminal justice. For example, the USPC denied Angelo Daniels parole in 2020 with a five-year set-off that prevents him from appearing in front of the USPC again until 2025. The two co-defendants in Daniels’ case, including the principal defendant – JPAP’s Re-entry Advocate Robert Davis – have already been released from prison as Daniels reaches nearly three decades of incarceration.


All parties involved in the issue of parole reform, including justice-involved DC residents, the DC government, lawyers and advocates, and the USPC, have critiqued the current system. Getting in the way of change, however, is DC’s government itself. As they prepare to institute a local parole system, the District’s government officials have continuously postponed the project and extended federal control over parole. In 2020, when the USPC’s control over parole was first set to expire, Mayor Muriel Bowser asked Congress to extend this deadline and announced that the local system would be ready by the end of 2022. In March of this year, however, Deputy Mayor Chris Geldart again asked Congress to extend this deadline for yet another year. This is especially worrisome because Democrats risk losing control of Congress in November, which could possibly prevent DC from gaining local control of parole in the coming year.

Geldart also entered a $900,000 contract with the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) to work on this project, cutting ties with Olinda Moyd and Michelle Bonner – two experienced attorneys who have worked on parole reform for years and had made significant progress on the reform effort. Tammy and Robert were part of the local advisory group Moyd and Bonner put together to ensure community input. Geldart's decision came to the frustration of many, who critiqued the CNA as a national agency with no ties to DC and emphasized Moyd and Bonner’s experience in parole reform.


Moyd and Bonner are part of a group of advocates who have been working on parole reform for half a decade now. Along with JPAP’s director, Tammy, Moyd formed a coalition to move DC officials towards pursuing local control over parole in 2017. With the help of other advocates, including returning citizens, Tammy and Moyd organized town halls with DC residents to hear the community’s thoughts on this issue, briefed the DC council on local control of parole, and even met with the former deputy mayor to discuss the issue. As Tammy put it, “The administration has had a long time to think about this and work on this issue.” JPAP, led by Tammy and Robert’s commitment to this issue, will continue to push for parole reform and hold DC’s government accountable for instituting a local parole system for DC’s incarcerated and formerly incarcerated residents.

Image Description:


The image on the top right side of the text is a picture of the DC Jail. The photo shows a tall brown building with windows. In front of it, two flags on tall flag poles fly (one of the US and one of Washington DC). Various cars are parked in front of the building.


The image on the middle-left side of the text is a picture of Mayor Bowser.The mayor is wearing a dark blue suit and speaking in front of two microphones.


The image on the bottom right side of the text is a picture of Deputy Mayor Geldart. The Deputy Mayor is speaking in a virtual meeting. He is wearing a suit with a checkered button-up shirt and a plaid tie.

The ERASE Act and Safe Cells

On July 14th, Councilmember Mary M. Cheh introduced the Eliminating Restrictive and Segregated Enclosures (“ERASE”) Solitary Confinement Act of 2022 in the DC Council, which would prohibit segregated confinement in DC jails and youth detention facilities. This bill follows years of advocacy on the part of Councilmember Cheh and others against DC’s disproportionate use of this inhumane practice. In 2018, the Department of Corrections (DOC) reported that 17% of people incarcerated at the DC jail were placed in restrictive housing at some point in their stay, amounting to a total of 1,781 individuals held in restrictive housing at the jail that year.

The image displays Councilember Cheh speaking into a microphone in front of two flags one of the US and one of the District of Columbia.

The ERASE Act would prohibit all kinds of solitary confinement at the DC Jail, including for “discipline, safety, security, and administrative convenience” purposes. The Act would also limit, but not prohibit, the use of safe cells – a form of solitary confinement for incarcerated individuals at risk for suicide – at the DC Jail, reserving it for cases in which “it is immediately necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury.”


Given our focus on incarcerated individuals with psychiatric disabilities, JPAP is especially concerned with the bill’s stance on safe cells. These cells are more restrictive than other forms of solitary confinement, as most occupants are only allowed an uncomfortable smock, one blanket, and limited access to water. Incarcerated individuals and their advocates have spoken out against safe cells for years now. In response to this advocacy, the DOC updated its policies in 2017, allowing safe cell detainees 30 minutes outside of their cells every day and conditional access to phone calls, personal property, and running water. However, JPAP’s Monitoring & Mitigation Staff Attorney Natasha Walls Smith has documented and even testified to the DC Council on multiple occasions about the lack of implementation of these new policies. Despite continued advocacy by JPAP, safe cells continue to subject incarcerated people to inhumane conditions that have lasting effects on those who endure the cruel isolation. To truly ensure the end of inhumane solitary confinement at the DC Jail, the ERASE Act should completely prohibit the use of safe cells in favor of mental health treatment and other appropriate supports.

Image Description:


The image on the top right side of the text is a photograph of Councilmember Cheh. She speaking into a microphone in front of two flags (one of the US and one of the District of Columbia) and is wearing a black suit.

The image is a photograph of Martha's Outfitters. The store is a small shop with windows and a red door. The sign on top of the entrance reads Martha's Table with a drawing of a red apple separating the two words.

Martha's Outfitters Re-Opening

Martha’s Outfitters, a community store working to support DC families, has re-opened for the first time after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic! The store has been able to operate virtually during the pandemic, but this is the first time that its MLK Avenue location has been open since March 2020.


The shop sells home goods, clothing, and accessories – ranging from shoes and belts to suits, children’s wear, and dresses. To make its services accessible to the DC community, Martha’s Outfitters offers DC residents two types of memberships. The Classic Membership grants DC residents over the age of 13 with a 20020 zip code $40 in monthly credit to shop at Martha’s Outfitters. Alternatively, the Select Membership provides all DC residents who do not qualify for the Classic Membership with $20 in monthly store credit. Customers who cannot make it to the boutique at 2204 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE are still welcome to shop online at https://marthasoutfitters.salesvu.com/.


JPAP is extremely excited to see Martha’s Outfitters re-open. During the pandemic, many of our clients lost access to services like this one, which made it harder for them to obtain clothing, food, and other basic necessities. This is why JPAP started monthly distributions of these items early in the pandemic that continue for those in need. We are glad to see these services become available to our clients again as our communities heal from COVID-19.

Image Description:


The image on the top right side of the text is a photograph of Martha's Outfitters. The store is a small shop with windows and a red door. The sign on top of the entrance reads Martha's Table with a drawing of a red apple separating the two words.

Where Does Your Donation Go?


We cannot do the work we do without help from our supporters. Any amount can make a major difference for every client. Here are a few ways that your donations can help to support our clients:

This table shows that a donation of $11 dollars will help finance 10 metrobus tokens. $20 finance a pack of 60 kn95 masks for our safe and smart kits. $35 finance a 30-day phone plan that includes data talk and text. $50 finance a gift card from giant target or waltmart etc. $250 finance a shopping trip for new home essentials.

Image Description:


The image at the bottom of the text is a purple table showing, in one column, "Donation Amount" and, on the other "Where Does Your Donation Go?" This table shows that a donation of $11 dollars help finance 10 Metrobus Tokens. $20 finance a pack of 60 kn95 masks for our Safe and Smart kits. $35 finance a 30-day phone plan that includes data talk and text. $50 finance a gift card from Giant, Target, or Walmart etc. $250 finance a shopping trip for new home essentials.

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