Dear Friends and Supporters of the Rockland Prison Justice Project,
We hope this finds you well and enjoying a blessed holiday. We are writing with a giving opportunity for you to consider this holiday season.
Ninety percent of women incarcerated in NY state prisons have suffered childhood trauma resulting from physical and sexual abuse, rape, incest, and neglect. Unhealed trauma has devastating health effects on individuals and communities, contributing to self-medicating substance use disorders, which are largely criminalized in our society. Unhealed trauma also contributes to suicide, depression, interpersonal violence, and even physical health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Incarceration itself is traumatizing with the threat of being thrown into "the box" (solitary) hanging over one's head for even slight infraction of rules, such as taking too long in the shower.
Once incarcerated, little or nothing is done to address the institutional racism, sexism or individual traumas that led a woman to be incarcerated. Mental health services are nearly non-existent. A woman might see her counselor once every month at best, with culturally competent and sufficiently trained clinicians nearly non existent.
RPJP is supporting an effort to train a critical mass of formerly incarcerated people and direct service workers in a particular trauma-informed intervention called Wings at the Stony Point Center from October 15-18, 2020, as a first step towards bringing this deeply healing approach into our NY State women's prisons. We are raising funds to implement this pilot program in October – to train 30 individuals it will cost approximately $20,000. To donate, please go to RPJP PayPal Donate Now. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Many, many thanks to you for your continued support of our sisters and brothers behind bars and their families.
Wishing you many blessings this holiday season,
Jennifer Mancuso, on behalf of the Rockland Prison Justice Project