Dustin "DJ" Gollyhorn, Jesse Robinson and Karen Meurer testified before the Sentencing Commission on November 21st. Our testimony was on behalf of MACG's Prison/Community Action Team. Our focus was the impact of long sentences on transition - and the essential role that community members play in moving people from a criminal/prisoner identity to a responsible citizen identity. (Please see attached testimony below.) On December 2nd, PHOENIX members Chad Daggy and Diane Miller testified before the Sentencing Commission's fourth and final meeting. They spoke on the impact of incarceration on families of prisoners and the much-needed community member support that aids successful transition. The Commission, established by Gov. Kitzhaber, has been looking at mandatory minimum sentencing law in Oregon. The Commission includes Chief Justice Paul De Muniz, Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Sen Floyd Prozanski, Sen. Jackie Winters, Rep. Chris Garrett, Rep. Andy Olsen and Judge Darryl Larson. They are due to report their results to him on December 30th.

In-Prison Leadership Training - Community ParticipantsPHOENIX Rising Transitions is a nonprofit organization in the Portland (Oregon) metropolitan area. We work in prisons and the community partnering with those who are incarcerated to make a smooth and successful transition into the community as they are released. Our goal is to transform lives and reduce the likelihood that people will commit new crimes and return to prison. We do this through skill-building and relationship-building, both before and after release from prison.We also aim to transform the community in order to make successful transition more attainable. We do this through community organizing action.