Beyond Bars

Our nation thrives when it has strong communities. So why is the United States weakening communities by locking up more people than any country on earth? Harsh sentences for even modest offenses are breaking up families and destroying human potential, with the poor and people of color bearing the brunt of the system's impact. Meanwhile, community-based solutions such as rehabilitation, education, and job opportunity have proved to be both cheaper for taxpayers and better at stopping crime.

Beyond Bars is a media campaign that aims to inform and engage the public on mass incarceration. As part of the national movement for criminal justice reform, we have taken on the role of producing short videos and using social media to promote fairer, more cost-effective approaches to public safety. Much of our work is done in partnership with reform organizations across the country. By working to transform Americans’ hearts and minds, we help foster policies that are more about community and less about incarceration.

ADVISORY BOARD

Susan Burton, A New Way of Life / All of Us or None

Neill Franklin, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Vanita Gupta, American Civil Liberties Union
Glenn Martin, Fortune Society
Marc Mauer, Sentencing Project
Pat Nolan, Prison Fellowship
David Rogers, Partnership for Safety & Justice

STAFF

Jesse Lava, Campaign Director. Jesse conceptualized and runs the Beyond Bars campaign to curb mass incarceration. His work includes strategic planning, producing videos, writing articles, and forging partnerships with groups working to make a positive difference in this field. Previously a political campaign staffer and communications strategist for progressive causes, his work has covered an array of policy areas including climate change, campaign finance, drug treatment, and funding for social services. Jesse was also the founding director of Faithful Democrats, a group that worked to reclaim the national values debate from the Religious Right. He has a master's in public policy from Harvard and a bachelor's in government from Wesleyan University. You can contact him at jesse [at] bravenewfoundation [dot] org.

Jordan Melograna, Producer/Editor. After graduating from the filmmaking program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Jordan has spent a decade working in television, independent film, and documentaries in locations across the United States, Canada, the Middle East, and Asia. As an independent producer, director, and editor in Los Angeles, he has focused on producing media for local and national nonprofits and is excited to continue that work as a member of the Beyond Bars team.

Brittany Washington, Associate Producer/Editor. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Brittany has an array of creative work behind her. She was on her first set at fifteen and has been behind the camera for over a decade. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas-Austin, majoring in directing and editing. It was there she honed her craft of visual storytelling. As an independent director and editor, Brittany explored the narrative world and her love of short-form storytelling through music videos and short films. New to Los Angeles, Brittany has since shifted her focus to short-form documentary storytelling, discovering that truth truly is stranger than fiction.

Will Melton, Social Media Associate. William cut his teeth on social media while working at FunnyOrDie.com on viral marketing campaigns just as the word “viral” was entering popular vocabulary. Since then, he has lectured on social media for the St. Louis chapter of the World Affairs Council and at a variety of universities and colleges. Most recently, William was the web editor for the Riverfront Times, which is an alt weekly in the Village Voice MediaFamily. William earned his master’s degree in media communications and international relations.

Robert Greenwald, Founder & President of Brave New Foundation. Robert Greenwald is a producer, director, and political activist. He is the director/producer of several documentaries: Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers (2006), Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005), and Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism (2004). He also executive produced a trilogy of political documentaries: Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002); Uncovered: The Iraq War (2003), which Greenwald also directed; and Unconstitutional (2004).

Jim Miller, Executive Director of Brave New Foundation. Jim joined the organization during its founding by putting together a coalition of over 100 groups (including Amnesty International, MoveOn, True Majority, and Voters For Peace) to push our unique system of distribution and house screenings for Iraq For Sale. Since then, Jim has strengthened our distribution coalition so that our short videos now get over 1.5 million views per month. His film experience began over 20 years ago working on Bull Durham and includes being the Director of Development for The Shooting Gallery, an independent film company which produced Sling Blade and You Can Count on Me, and Head of Acquisitions for Cinema Park Distribution. Immediately prior to BNF, Jim produced the star-studded "Les Girls" charity benefits for the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Linsey Pecikonis, Communications Director of Brave New Foundation. Linsey comes to BNF with a decade of communication experience and as a strong advocate for justice. Prior to becoming BNF's communication director, she was the communications director at Democracy for America, Gov. Howard Dean's Political Action Committee working to protect American workers in Wisconsin and most recently electing a more progressive Congress. She has worked crafting press strategies for a variety of groups and issues including immigration rights, LGBT rights, Labor issues, and the impact of climate change on our environment. Linsey lives in Los Angeles with her partner Nicky alongside their cluster of cats and dogs.

Beyond Bars is a project of Brave New Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by filmmaker Robert Greenwald. BNF's mission is to champion social justice issues by using short videos and other media to inspire, empower, motivate, and teach civic participation.

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Showing 6 reactions

Linda Jolly Taylor commented 2012-11-23 21:30:38 -0800

My son and I would like to be involved in a video to tell the world his personal account of his case history.. It’s unbelievable and would make a great story… He’s written his biography in 2008 and he said he did so to tell the truth of what really happened during his 18 months of being held w/o bond, and to expose the corruption in his case. He needed rehab for drug addiction, not a 30 year sentence!! His partners felt he was a threat to their empires they had amassed from drug money so he became the sacrificial lamb, all the while protecting them until it became apparent they had thrown him to the wolves over 2 years later.. He made a terrible mistake and doesn’t want to see anyone else make the same mistake. Drugs ruin your life and so does picking the wrong people as your friends and partners.. He is paying w/his life and is not the kingpin, but was sentenced as such and that’s how he got 30 yrs.. they ESTIMATED what they thought he had sold over a 10 year period based on hearsay…. Not the way our criminal system is supposed to work… He needs this to be exposed to give him closure and peace of mind. Please help us…. thanks, mother of Randall Daniels, Linda C. Jolly, South Carolina

Linda Jolly Taylor commented 2012-11-08 19:30:07 -0800

Most citizens are not aware of the mass incarceration for profit in the US.. I was not aware Wells Fargo is the largest company to build prisons to lease back to Department of Justice/Federal Bureau of Prisons, In 2004, my son signed a plea agreement on a 1st time charge for drug conspiracy and afer they held him 18 months w/o bond.. the lead investigato and appointed lawyer told several lies on him to keep the judge from setting bond, they voided his plea and gave him 30 yrs on a FIRST time charge w/ NO Criminal HIstory!! Who signs a plea and ends up with 30 years?? They declared him the kingpin w/o actual weights(he has less than 1 kilo) the real kingpin, Butch Hutchinson only got 37 months in a camp. He had a previous state charge of 10 yrs and only served less than a year back in the 80’s due to his “connections” and lawyer, Ken Mathews who had connections w/sled and Richland County Sheriff.. the investigator was the sheriff’s number 1 deputy on his first DEA Task Force. It was all done because my son became addicted to cocaine and rather than put him in rehab, they chose to use their expertise, money and knowledge of the law to "bury him with a life sentence. They broke the law when they took their knowledge and manipulated the system and law to their advantage to save themselves from going down.. Quite simply, the crime does NOT fit the crime. my son has done 9 yrs so far and the real criminals are free and the crooked lawyer is still practicing law.. he was never indicted, yet he kept telling my son to keep quiet and everything would be alright.. He personally saw to it that he was persecuted by corrupt lawyers w/no conscience. All the while the sheriff looked the other way and pretended he knew nothing about the entire setup.. NOw the sheriff can be seen on tv regularly in little psa’s (public safety slots) posing to help the community and keep them safe from the rash of robberies and crime we have in the area.. He is a big part of what’s wrong with out area….They sell the consficated drugs and guns out the back door and keep the $$ from drug busts.. He has bought his position and now he has to pay them back by doing their dirty work..I have written my son’s case history and I am having a book published so others will know what they did to us and our famil..Also, to let them know how corrupt the legal system is and has been for a long time.. The War on Drugs was lost many years ago and it’s time for real prison reform..NOW.. It’s all about money and greed! Has nothing to do with justice or treating people fair or humane, but it’s who can pay the most to get someone out of whatever they are involved in at the time. It’s sad but true.. You can read about it in “JusticeForRandyNow”…This is not being done for profit as I am donating the proceeds from this book after the cost of puslishing. My goal is to get relief for my son’s enormous sentence (which the prosecutor has already agreed to review him for a sentence reduction if/when I give them some info that benefits the govt.), and to tell people how they will be treated if they get caught in a horrendous nightmare like this.. It can ruin your life if you allow it to do so.. God has blessed me and given me wonderful friends who believe in me and I know God will see the real criminals will get their just desserts and my family will have those long awaited Sunday dinners again…Sincerely, Linda Jolly Taylor

Jim Chapman commented 2012-09-11 06:40:30 -0700

Please Partner with the www.VigilForTrueJustice.org to move forward with a direct action that citizens and those most affected by the war on drugs can do to help STOP feeding the beast.