9/14/2017 Georgia Justice Project September Newsletter

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2017 Back to School Event Georgia Justice Project’s 2017 Back to School Event wasa day full of merriment, catching up with members ofthe GJP family, and getting the next generation gearedup for a successful school year.

  Because of our supporters who provided backpacks,school supplies, cash donations and volunteer support,we were able to provide over 200 filled backpacks forour clients’ children, fun activities, sandwiches fromChick-Fil-A, crafts, face painting, create-your-owncupcakes, and many more goodies. 

  Many thanks to all of our sponsors and volunteers whohelped make the event a success: Alston & Bird, AtlantaWoman's Club, The Mary Alice and Bennett BrownFoundation, Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company,Eversheds Sutherland, Georgia-Pacific, Georgia PublicDefender Council, Jones Walker, Kilpatrick Townsend &Stockton, King & Spalding, Kiwanis Foundation ofAtlanta, Norcom, Charlie Paparelli, Tegna Foundation,

Troutman Sanders, and UPS. We could not have done it

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Many Thanks toGJP's SummerInternsThis summer we werefortunate enough to have astellar team of interns. HeethVarnedoe and Sydney Biggsjoined us as Social WorkInterns through the ShepherdHigher Education Consortiumon Poverty’s internshipprogram. The legal services

9/14/2017 Georgia Justice Project September Newsletter

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Troutman Sanders, and UPS. We could not have done itwithout you.

View photos from this year's event here.

GJP's Employer WorkingGroup InitiativeReducing employment barriers for justice-involvedpersons is an essential and growing aspect of theGeorgia Justice Project’s (GJP) criminal records work. Ourexperience has shown us that the private sector’sengagement in hiring those with a criminal record iscrucial to the sustained and successful inclusion ofjustice-involved persons in the workforce. With that inmind, we have commenced several projects that we areexcited to share with you in the upcoming months.

  We have assembled an Employer Working Group ofadvocates, service providers, and other employmentstakeholders to develop and propose strategies toimprove employment opportunities for individuals whohave been involved in the criminal justice system.  

  We intend to engage with members of the private sectorin a series of roundtable events. We plan to use ourfindings to produce concrete proposals for the Councilon Criminal Justice Reform and other legislators in the2018 session.  In addition we will design an educationcampaign targeting employers and workforcedevelopment organizations.

department receivedassistance in case work andpolicy research from threelaw school interns: RasheedMerrell (Mercer Law School),Valentina Garzon (Yale LawSchool) and Zain Haq(Georgia State Law School).A big thank you to all of youfor your hard work anddedication to our mission.

GJP WelcomesDavidson ImpactFellow, ChrisJohnsonIn June, we welcomed ourDavidson Impact Fellow,Chris Johnson. Chris workswith the legal services andpolicy departments, focusingon policy advocacy andpartnerships. He has been aninvaluable asset to our teamas we deepen our work onissues of criminal records andemployment.

9/14/2017 Georgia Justice Project September Newsletter

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GJP Featured in"Released"Executive Director Doug Ammar is featured in“Released,” a film presented by the U.S. Attorney's Officefor the Northern District of Georgia. “Released” is apowerful documentary highlighting the importance ofemployment for the success of returning citizens.

  In the film, Doug lends GJP’s expertise by explaining theimpact of a criminal record on an individual’s outcomeslong after their sentence is over. Our staff attended aprivate screening on June 1, and Doug spoke at a panelfollowing the official premiere on August 23.

  Watch the trailer here.

9/14/2017 Georgia Justice Project September Newsletter

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Doug Ammar SubmitsTestimony at Hearing ofthe U.S. House ofRepresentativesCommittee on Oversight &Government ReformGJP's Executive Director Doug Ammar was in WashingtonD.C. on June 28th to attend and submit writtentestimony for a hearing of the United States House ofRepresentatives Committee on Oversight andGovernment Reform, titled “Criminal Justice Reform andEfforts to Reduce Recidivism.”

  His testimony addresses the link between recidivism,employment and criminal records: “There is considerablymore work that can be done to reduce the rate ofrecidivism in the area of criminal records. These areas ofopportunity are: expanding access to expungement,strengthening regulations for private background checkcompanies, tightening control of electronic distributionof arrest information, reducing housing discriminationagainst those with a criminal record, and encouragingthe private sector to engage in Fair Chance Hiringpractices.”

  Download his full testimony here.

 

9/14/2017 Georgia Justice Project September Newsletter

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  To watch the videos from the hearing click here.

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