WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:16 — 32.2MB)
Host Mylo Roze speaks with Reverend Hal Taylor, PhD, President of Citizens for Effective Justice (CEJ) and Vid Beldavs, Executive Director of New Leaf, New Life, Inc. Both organizations advocate for citizens affected by or involved in the criminal justice system. CEJ, as a community forum, began as Citizens Investigating the Death of James Borden, the Bedford man who died after being shocked with a taser while in custody in the Monroe County Jail some three years ago. CEJ soon thereafter began addressing the needs and many varied problems of people who’ve been incarcerated or otherwise impacted by our local penal system. New Leaf, New Life is a non-profit organization facilitating and implementing new programs devised to improve the mental health of the incarcerated, address their personal development, and help them cope, change, learn and acquire basic life needs. New Leaf helps offenders with the challenges of successfully re-entering society and succeeding in not returning to jail after being released. Mylo and his guests discuss the inception, history and development of these two organizations and the multiple new programs they are implementing in the county justice system. Broader issues of public policy are also addressed.
