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February Issue Table of Contents
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Important Announcement: JPC Has a New Home
On Monday, February 4, 2013, the Judicial Process Commission opened the doors at new offices. Located at 1921 Norton Road (at Waring Road), we have relocated to the Waring Road Baptist Church. A new partnership with that church makes it possible for us to save money while maintaining our services - in a pleasant residential location on a bus line convenient to our clients. The arrangement will make it possible for us to save a considerable amount of money. We have windows galore, lots of office space to divide, and a huge well-equipped kitchen and meeting room available to use. Our staff is energized and our clients eager to cooperate. Our phone number will remain the same 585-325-7727, as will our email address. We trust this will be a seamless move. We invite you to visit during our business hours, 8:30 to 5 Monday through Friday. We will have a formal open house in the near future to show off our space!  | | JPC's New Offices |
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| | Executive Director Sue Porter at her new desk |
 | | Senior Service Coordinator Kamilah Richardson |
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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's 2013 State of the State Address: Points of Interest
By Barbara A. Rockell, Ph.D.
JPC Board Member
On January 9, 2013, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo delivered his 2013 State of the State of Address from the Capitol in Albany, New York. Among the various initiatives announced was the NY SAFE Act (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act), touted as the toughest protection against gun violence in the nation when signed into law less than a week later on January 15th, 2013. Key provisions of that law include: - A mental health alert requiring mental health professionals to report patients believed likely to engage in harmful conduct to selves or others, with a cross-check of this information against a new comprehensive gun registration database and the suspension of any gun license possessed by such individuals;
- Tougher assault weapons ban including a stricter definition of such weapons and requirements for registration as well as restrictions on their sale;
- Stronger regulations on ammunition stipulating a limit on capacity of seven rounds; statewide recertification of handguns and assault weapons every five years in a newly established electronic gun permit database;
- Universal background checks to close the private sales loophole;
- Webster provision elevating the murder of a first responder engaged in his/her duties to a Class A-1 felony;
- Extension of Kendra's law for two years through 2017 with a mandate for extending mandatory out-patient treatment from six months to one year;
- Protecting families, a measure that requires judges to order surrender of weapons when finding substantial risk of violence upon issuing orders of protections;
- Safe storage of firearms in households with persons who have been convicted of a crime, involuntarily committed, or are subject to an order of protection;
- Keeping guns out of schools by increasing the penalty for possession of a firearm on school grounds or a school bus from a misdemeanor to a Class E Felony; and
- Tougher penalties for illegal gun use targeting use in a crime as well as purchase and sharing a firearm with disqualified individuals.
The SAFE Act has garnered much media attention and the Judicial Process Commission (JPC) applauds the Governor's intentions to combat gun violence in the State. We will continue to monitor and report on the status of this law and its implementation. In addition to the SAFE Act, there were several other measures and initiatives in the Governor's address directed at the larger criminal justice community. These include the attention placed on "stop and frisk" policies where possession of small amounts of marijuana in public view is treated much more harshly than possession on a person, as well as the Governor's stated concern with insuring fairness in our justice system, especially as regards wrongful convictions attributed to mistaken eyewitness identifications. Also of note were the Governor's commitment to affordable housing, early education, a livable wage, job readiness, and a Women's Equality Act. There clearly was a strong sense of passion in the Governor's State of the State Address and a stirring evocation for unity in making New York smarter and stronger in the future. We share the Governor's passion and will continue our work to insure that justice, fairness, and opportunity is enjoyed by all New Yorkers. For those who are interested, the full transcript of the State of the State Address is available at https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/01092013sotranscript.
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Lois Davis, Co-founder of JPC, Dies
On December 23, 2012, Mrs. Lois Davis died at her home in Charlotte. She was 91 and an active participant and contributor to JPC up until her last few weeks. Through her early work in Church Women United, Lois became involved in the courts, then helped found the Judicial Process Commission. One of our offices was named for her five years ago.
Lois began as a courts observer, then expanded to improve scheduling to assist the various participants. She turned her focus increasingly on conflict resolution, skills that she took her to local schools to teach the same to students. She chaired the Task Force on Conflict Resolution from 1972 to 1983 and was a director of the Center for Dispute Settlement from 1976 to 1986, continuing to serve for years after on committees.
During the ten years that JPC sponsored vigils on the Death Penalty in downtown Rochester, Lois often joined us. She was small in stature, but a giant in our agency. We will miss her good-natured determination to make the criminal justice system fairer for all.
Many have contributed to her memory. We have set up a special fund for just this purpose. Her inspiration will continue to motivate us and we hope to keep working in her name.
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Save the Date!
What: JPC's Annual Lunch and fund-raiser
Who: Rochester Police Chief James M. Sheppard, panel to respond
When: Thursday, April 25, 2013. Noon-2
Where: Temple B'rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Avenue
Details to follow!!!
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 JPC is like a shining little diamond. It is a small organization that tackles a big and difficult job. We obtain excellent results, at the cost of a shoestring, and do it with a high concern for each individual. We're what a non-profit should be. |
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