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The “Day for Justice” Campaign

What, Why and How

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What is the “Day for Justice” Campaign? The Day for Justice campaign is for

organizations and individuals affiliated with faith-based, criminal or juvenile justice reform, and/or civil rights organizations to raise awareness and provide a first-hand learning experience for Members of Congress and/or their staff about what the criminal and juvenile justice systems are like on the ground in the United States.

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What is the “Day for Justice” Campaign? Day for Justice activities will include inviting

Members of Congress and/or their staff to do site visits to criminal and juvenile justice facilities or programs in or serving the member’s district.

Any day during which such an event takes place will be considered a “Day for Justice” event.

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Why is the Day for Justice campaign important? The purpose of Day for Justice events is to

increase the first-hand knowledge of policymakers of what the criminal and juvenile justice systems are like, and to encourage them to help reform the these systems nationwide.

Specific messages for district visits will depend on the the member of Congress invited and the local criminal and/or juvenile justice issues and needs that should be addressed.

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Why must we act NOW? Legislators and their staff will be in their local

districts and potentially available to visit a criminal or juvenile justice facility or program during recess periods during the Fall of 2011.

Day for Justice activities would help build support for the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, as well as other pending legislation and policy issues key to reform.

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Why must we act NOW?

Additionally, Congress is working on FY12 funding for criminal justice and juvenile justice programs, and such visits could help them understand the need to fund a range of programs related to these systems, including diversion, treatment, pre-release, and reentry programs.

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How can I participate?

Identify your goal (For example, to raise awareness of a particular criminal or juvenile justice issue through a program or facility site visit).

Identify partners who share your goal and can help you communicate your message. (community members, organizations that work on criminal and/or juvenile justice reform).

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How can I participate?

Work with your partners to agree on a Day for Justice activity that would best demonstrate your concerns about the local criminal or juvenile justice system or related issues.

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How can I develop/create a Day for Justice site visit? First steps:

Identify the criminal or juvenile justice facility or other program (diversion, pre-release, reentry, etc.).

Identify the type of event you would like to have (such as activity with residents or program participants, or a facility tour).

Identify additional local leaders to attend, present, and help coordinate the event.

Choose date and time for event. Contact the local program or facility to introduce

the event idea and gain approval of the event.

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How do I invite a member of Congress and/or their staff to participate?

Fax and email a formal invitation to the Representative’s scheduler (template and contact resources to be provided).

State in the invitation why you are inviting your member of Congress and/or their staff to participate in a Day of Justice event in their district.

State what the visit will entail and how it relates to the member’s Congressional district.

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How do I invite a member of Congress and/or their staff to participate?

If you do NOT receive a response to your invitation, follow up by calling the scheduler for the member of Congress.

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Tips on how to set up a site visit 3-4 weeks prior

Confirm with the member of Congress that they will attend.

Identify any materials that may be needed for the event and begin to prepare them (fact sheets, background materials for the member of Congress and/or their staff about the visit.)

Contact the program or facility to ask for any additional specific instructions, including dress code and security issues.

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Tips on how to set up a site visit

2 weeks prior Create a specific agenda for the event (eg.

who will speak when, when the elected official is arriving and who is meeting him/her).

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Tips on how to set up a site visit

1 week prior Check in with the program or facility to

ensure that all is in place and ready to go. Check with the scheduler for the member of

Congress to make sure that the member or staff is still available for the event.

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Tips on how to set up a site visit Day before

Pick up any last-minute materials and ensure logistics are in place for anything the day of the event.

Reconfirm with the member’s scheduler and/or staff that they are still planning to attend and at the same time as arranged.

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Tips on how to set up a site visit Day of and follow-up

Be sure to take your photo ID and NO potentially hazardous or dangerous materials/objects.

Send thank you notes to EVERYONE who participated in the site visit, including the Member of Congress, their staff, and the program or facility staff.

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How should I interact with the targeted legislators/staff Before the meeting or site visit, do background

research about the legislator/staff. Make sure to introduce yourself; if possible,

identify yourself as a constituent of a legislator’s district, as a person who does business in the district, or who serves constituents from the district.

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How should I interact with the targeted legislators/staff

Thank the target legislator/staff for their time at the beginning and end of the event.

Listen to the legislator/staff as well as ask them questions; take note of their questions/concerns.

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Media Outreach

Opportunity to build relationship with local media around this issue

Be creative, specific, unique Early on, ask your member of Congress, to

issue a statement or press release following the visit

Weekday = easier for media coverage

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Helpful resources House of Representatives contacts:

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml Senate contacts:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Achieving effective site visits: http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/3710

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Thank you to those who contributed time and/or materials to this webinar

Campaign for Youth Justice National Alliance to End Homelessness Mennonite Central Committee The United Methodist Church Jenny Collier and Katrina Neubauer

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For Questions, Info or Support

If you need additional support to organize a Day for Justice visit, please contact: Jenny Collier, Criminal and Juvenile Justice

Policy Consultant, jennycollierjd@yahoo.com Laura Markle Downton, Criminal Justice

Grassroots Coordinator, United Methodist Church, ldownton@umc-gbcs.org