Former California Legislator and Federal Inmate to Testify Before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committe

Prison Fellowship Vice President Pat Nolan to Give Firsthand Testimony of Violence in Prison and Its Impact on the Criminal Justice System

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2006—For more than a year, Pat Nolan, president of Justice Fellowship, the criminal justice reform arm of Prison Fellowship, has served as a member of The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons. On Thursday, June 8, at 2:30 p.m., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Nolan testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Corrections and Rehabilitation as the Commission presents Confronting Confinement, a report on violence and abuse in U.S. jails and prisons.

Nolan will present a unique perspective in his testimony as he served for 15 years in the California State Assembly, four of those as the Assembly Republican leader. In 1994 he pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering and served 29 months in federal custody.

"The best way to describe being imprisoned is that I felt like an amputee," stated Nolan. "I was cut off from my family, my friends, my work, my church, and my community. Then, with my stumps still bleeding, I was tossed into a roiling cauldron of anger, bitterness, despair, and often violence."

Now an expert in criminal justice reform, Nolan will encourage the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee to develop legislation to reduce crowding-a real problem even in the federal prison system. In addition, he will advocate that the criminal justice system infuse facilities with meaningful programming and other ways for prisoners to be productive. Nolan believes, "the more programming you have the less violence there will be." Most importantly, Nolan will explain the need to support strong relationships between prisoners and their families-loving connections to the outside world that discourage violent behavior.

The Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prison is a diverse group co-chaired by former United States Attorney General Nicholas de B. Katzenbach and the Hon. John Gibbons, former chief judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The members include a former chief U.S. district judge and other respected civic leaders with experience in the administration of justice and law enforcement; seasoned corrections professionals; advocates for the rights of prisoners; former prisoners; and members of the religious community. Among the Commission's key findings in Confront Confinement:

• Violence against prisoners and staff is a problem in too many places, and the lack of standardized, reliable data to measure violence is a serious impediment to enhancing safety.

• Poor medical and mental healthcare inside correctional facilities-the result of inadequate funding-puts prisoners, staff, and the public health at risk.

• Expensive, long-term, high-security segregation can actually exacerbate violence in prisons and contribute to recidivism after release.

• Line officers, wardens, and system directors frequently lack the resources and support to meet the extensive demands of the job.

Media Note: For more information about Pat Nolan or to schedule an interview, visit www.justicefellowship.org or call Krista Obitts at (703)626-9617. Copies of Confront Confinement are available at www.prisoncommission.org

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