Dear Friends,

We are outraged and heartbroken by the past week’s reports that at least three women were assaulted and savagely beaten by officers at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility. According to several reports, one woman was handcuffed and thrown to the floor of the cell, then stomped on. Another individual was unable to walk afterward. The beatings resulted in fractured arms and eye sockets, bruises, eyes swollen shut by bruises, and face lacerations. While Governor Phil Murphy has launched an independent investigation and the Department of Corrections has placed over 30 officers on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation, several members of the NJ legislature have called for the removal of DOC Commissioner Marcus J. Hicks, and the institution of stronger and more effective means of oversight. 

We at F.O.R.T.E.  House know, from personal experiences, that this most recent assault, while more egregious than some, is part of a long-standing culture throughout the New Jersey justice system. It is a culture of punishment, cruelty and dehumanization. What is needed to turn lives around is a culture centered around transformation, education, and support. In his press conference announcing the investigation, Governor Murphy declared that “every individual in state custody deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.” We must demand that the Governor stand behind those words with actions that result in actual, lasting change.

Please, join us in raising your voice on behalf of incarcerated individuals across New Jersey. Here are three immediate actions you can take: 

1. Sign the petition drafted by All of Us or None - Northern New Jersey in support of the removal of DOC leadership, the transfer to Federal control of EMCF operations, and the creation of an independent review board, including the formerly incarcerated, to respond to and escalate complaints. The petition also calls for restitution for all victims of abuse and assault at EMCF, an updated, independent and thorough investigation of violence and other harmful practices at EMCF guided by the currently and formerly incarcerated; and the immediate, full enactment of already existing legislation designed to safeguard the wellbeing of the incarcerated. Petition found here.

2. Write to your state senator and assembly person to voice your support for a comprehensive overhaul of punitive, destructive practices in the New Jersey prison system. You can reference the January 11 assault at EMCF, first reported on January 25th by NJ.com and since then in the New York Times and other media. Find your representative here.

3. Reach out to one of the many organizations who are organizing a public response to this outrageous incident and the culture that allowed it to occur. A list of organizations is provided below. 

We must use our voices to ensure that no one will ever again be subjected to abuse while incarcerated in a New Jersey prison. We must seize this moment to demand justice and permanent change. Incarcerated individuals all have a right to safety, security, and human dignity.

Organizations Seeking Justice and Change in NJ criminal justice: 

All of Us or None-Northern NJ//The American Civil Liberties Union of NJ//AFSC Prison Watch Program//American Reentry Initiative//The Campaign to End Jim Crow, Trenton & Princeton//Community Legal & Advocacy Project//Emmett’s Place//Faith In Action//F.O.R.T.E. House//Health Professionals and Allied Employees of NJ//The Integrated Justice Alliance//The Latino Action Network//Middlesex County Community Reentry Coalition//NAACP Metuchen Edison Piscataway Branch//New Jersey Institute of Social Justice//The People’s Organization for Progress//Salvation and Social Justice//The Scarlet F-From Felon to Freedom//Solidarity 22//Students for Prison Education and Reform, Princeton University//The UU FaithAction NJ//Women Who Never Give Up