A New Way of Life Reentry Project/Voices of Hope

Written by: Jackie Hundza

California has the highest proportion of prisoners serving life sentences of any state. One of every five prisoners in California is serving a life-term sentence. Of these 37, 584 people, 89% have the possibility of parole. But for the last twenty years the annual parole rate for lifer prisoners is less than 1%. California’s Three Strikes law has created even more life-term prisoners – for any third strike, the person convicted automatically receives a twenty five-to-life sentence, no matter what the underlying offense. Overwhelmingly, lifer prisoners are disproportionately Black or Latino – 35% of California’s life-term prisoners are Black, though the Black population of the state is less than 7%. White people comprise only 23% of lifer prisoners, though White people make up 76% of California’s population.

By law, life-term prisoners have the right to parole review after serving their minimum term, but statistically, 0% of prisoners are found suitable for parole at their first hearing. For the last twenty years, less than 1% of lifer prisoners have been released on parole. The Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) is appointed by the Governor and composed mainly of retired law enforcement personnel and victim’s rights advocates, with no representation of prisoner’s families or communities. Even if a prisoner is granted a recommendation of parole by the BPH, the Governor has the right to deny that recommendation.

Flozelle Woodmore was part of the 1% fortunate enough to be released. She was one of the 37,584 people locked up for life. Flozelle served a life sentence for killing her abusive boyfriend. She was in prison from the age of eighteen until she was thirty-nine. During that time, she went through ten parole hearings, was found suitable six times, and was finally released in August of 2007. Flozelle discovered A New Way of Life Reentry Project, a grassroots, nonprofit organization founded in 1998 as a sober living home. On her path to reentry, Flozelle began facilitating a project for lifers families and friends in order to address these injustices.

By educating families and friends who have loved ones that are serving indeterminate sentences, A New Way of Life Reentry Project/Voices of Hope works to strengthen their loved ones chances of parole. Current projects in support of lifers’ families and friends include support letter campaigns and communicating with the Board of Parole Hearing commissioners, by speaking at the Executive Board Meetings. We are also looking to train families and friends of those with loved ones who are serving indeterminate sentences on how to write a writ of habeas corpus to further strengthen their chances of parole.

The next meeting will be on August 21, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 10950 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 90059. For more information call (323) 563-3575.