TORI: I'’M TORI BEDFORD.

TONIGHT, IT IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR VOTERS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AS ELECTION DAY COMES TO AN END.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES AND RACES YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VOTES ARE TALLIED.

MANY PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON ARE RELEASED WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT FROM THE STATE.

SOMETHING LOCAL ACTIVISTS CALL A RECIPE FOR FAILURE.

IN LESS THAN AN HOUR POLLS CLOSE FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS.

CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND ONE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR STATE SENATE.

IN BOSTON VOTERS ARE CHOOSING AT LEAST FOUR NEW CITY COUNSELORS WITH 10 TERM INCUMBENT MICHAEL FLAHERTY AND FRANK BAKER STEPPING DOWN.

WHAT RACES SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT ONCE THE RESULTS COME IN?

HELPING ME BREAK IT DOWN IS TALKING POLITICS HOST ADAM REILLY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

ADAM: GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

TORI: THERE IS A LOT GOING ON.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY RACES?

WHAT ARE KEY RACES YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING?

TELL US WHAT YOU ARE SEEING.

ADAM: AS YOU MENTIONED, THE AT LARGE RACE AND DISTRICT RACES FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP AN EYE ON.

I'’M FASCINATED BY THE AT LARGE CONTESTS BECAUSE AS MANY VIEWERS KNOW, BOSTON HAS 13 CITY COUNSELORS, NINE REPRESENTING PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE CITY AND FOUR RUN CITYWIDE REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY.

THEY HAVE MORE POLITICAL CLOUT THAN DISTRICT COLLEAGUES AND THE AT LARGE SEAT, IF YOU TOP THE TICKET IN THE AT LARGE RACE IT TENDS TO BE A HARBINGER OF BIG THINGS.

MICHELLE WU TOPPED THE TICKET BEFORE BECOMING MAYOR.

AYANNA PRESSLEY TOPPED THE TICKET.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE WHO COMES OUT ON TOP IN THE AT LARGE CONTEST.

IN THIS RACE WITH MICHAEL FLAHERTY LEAVING, FORMER MAYORAL CANDIDATE, THERE IS A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PEOPLE RUNNING TO REPLACE HIM.

HENRY SANTANA, THE TWO FAVORITES RUNNING TO REPLACE HIM, HENRY SANTANA IS A PROGRESSIVE IN THE WU MOLD BACKED BY HIS FORMER BOSS.

NOT AS FAR TO THE LEFT AS SOME, BUT TO THE LEFT.

BRIDGET NEE-WALSH CALLS HERSELF RIGHT OF CENTER BUT OPEN MINDED.

THERE IS A DIVIDE ON THE COUNCIL, SHARP DIVIDE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS BETWEEN PROGRESSIVES AND MODERATES WHO MIGHT SKEW CONSERVATIVE.

THE AT LARGE CONTEST WILL I THINK HELP DETERMINE THE BALANCE OF POWER THERE.

I SHOULD LET YOU GET A WORD TORI: IN EDGE WISE.

TORI:YOU ARE USED TO THIS, YOU ARE A HOST.

I THINK YOU HAD YELLOW MILLER ON AND HE SAID HE FEELS THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BECOME LESS PROGRESSIVE BASED ON WHAT HE IS SEEING IN THE RACE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

ADAM: TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE RACE, WE HAVE THE AT LARGE CONTEST AND THE DISTRICT CONTESTS.

FRANK BAKER IS PROBABLY THE MOST VOCAL CONSERVATIVE ON THE BODY.

HE IS LEAVING.

KENDRA LARA AND RICARDO ARROYO DIDN'’T MAKE IT TO THE FINAL.

I DON'’T AGREE THAT THE BODY IS NECESSARILY GOING TO BECOME MORE CONSERVATIVE.

IF YOU TAKE THE DISTRICT RACES, EACH OF THOSE HAS A PROGRESSIVE RUNNING, WHO I THINK IDEOLOGICALLY WOULD BE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO WHERE THE OUTGOING INCUMBENT WAS, AND THERE IS A MORE MODERATE CANDIDATE.

DEPENDING ON HOW IT SHAKES OUT, THE COUNCIL COULD BECOME MORE OR LESS PROGRESSIVE OR STAY THE SAME.

WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, KENDRA LARA AND RICARDO ARROYO HAD A TENDENCY TO PULL MAYOR WU TO THE LEFT.

IN THOSE DISTRICT CONTESTS, THE PROGRESSIVES ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BACKED BY MAYOR WU.

YOU MIGHT HAVE A COUNCIL THAT IS NOT LESS PROGRESSIVE BUT LESS INCLINED TO MAKE THE MAYOR'’S LIFE DIFFICULT.

TORI: IN TERMS OF CHALLENGING THE MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED MAYOR WU.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MARTY WALSH.

THERE ARE LOTS OF ENDORSEMENTS HAPPENING IN BOSTON IN THIS RACE.

ADAM: HE HAS ENDORSED JOHN FITZGERALD, RUNNING TO REPLACE FRANK BAKER.

JOEL RICHARDS IS THE OTHER CANDIDATE.

WALSH HAS ENDORSED JOSE RUIZ, FORMER BOSTON POLICE OFFICER RUNNING FOR THE SEAT RICARDO ARROYO CURRENTLY HOLDS.

RUIZ IS RUNNING AGAINST ENRIQUE PEPEN WHO IS ENDORSED BY MAYOR WU.

THE CURRENT MAYOR AND THE PAST MAYOR ARE ENGAGED IN A PROXY FIGHT OF SORTS.

I DON'’T KNOW HOW MUCH IT MATTERS IN TERMS OF BIG PICTURE STAKES BUT IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHO WINS THAT ONE.

WHICH OF THEM IN THAT CONTEST AT THIS MOMENT HAS MORE MUSCLE.

TORI: THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER ENDORSEMENTS ACROSS THE STATE AS WELL.

GOVERNOR HEALY HAS ENDORSED A COUPLE CANDIDATES.

ADAM: THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAVE ENDORSED A TON OF MAYORAL CANDIDATES.

THERE IS A META THEME THAT WILL BE INTERESTING.

THE SUCCESS THEY HAVE OR DON'’T HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING THEIR PREFERRED GOVERNING PARTNERS INTO OFFICE.

I HAVE A TENDENCY, A LOT OF US IN POLITICAL MEDIA DO, TO EXTRACT TOO MUCH MEANING FROM THE WAY ONE ELECTION SHAKES OUT.

WE WILL SEE HOW THEY DO WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING PEOPLE THEY WANT IN OFFICE.

I WILL TRY NOT TO DRAW HASTY OR DRAMATIC CONCLUSIONS.

TORI: WHAT ARE THE MOST INTERESTING RACES YOU ARE WATCHING?

THE MAYORAL RACES ACROSS THE STATE, WHAT STRUCK YOU AS CHANGING THE GAME?

ADAM: I'’M FASCINATED BY THE MAYORAL RACE IN REVERE.

ARE YOU A REVERE BEACH GOER?

TORI: YES.

MY FRIENDS GREW UP HERE AND WOULD NEVER GO HERE.

BUT I AM.

ADAM: YOU KNOW IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A CRAZY AMOUNT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION ON REVERE BEACH.

IN THE SEAPORT, YOU WOULDN'’T RECOGNIZE IT NOW.

IN THE MAYORAL RACE THE ACTING MAYOR PATRICK KEEFE IS TRYING TO KEEP THE JOB, RUNNING AGAINST A FORMER MAYOR, DAN RIZZO.

RIZZO, ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS HE IS MAKING IS THAT REVERE HAS BEEN BUILDING TOO MUCH, THERE IS TOO MUCH NEW HOUSING AND THERE IS A DRAIN ON CITY SERVICES AND SCHOOLS, CREATING TRAFFIC.

HE SAYS IF HE WINS HE WILL PUSH FOR A MORATORIUM ON NEW APARTMENT CONSTRUCTION.

IT IS ONE COMMUNITY WHICH HAS HAD A CERTAIN KIND OF BUILDING GOING ON BUT BECAUSE THERE IS INTEREST IN MASSACHUSETTS STATEWIDE AND RANCHING UP -- RAMPING UP CONSTRUCTION, THIS IS AN INTERESTING CASE STUDY IN HOW THE POLITICS CAN PLAY OUT.

IN JUST ONE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

TORI: IT IS AN INTERESTING PROBLEM TO HAVE.

THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN MOST CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE STATE.

ADAM: YOU ARE RIGHT.

IT IS THE OPPOSITE.

REVERE HAS BEEN BUILDING LOTS OF NEW APARTMENTS, THEY ARE RIGHT ON THE SHORE, TARGETED TOWARDS YOUNGER RESIDENTS.

THEY ARE TO RENT RATHER THAN OWN.

A LOT OF APARTMENTS ARE TARGETING YOUNGER PET OWNERS.

IT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE STATE, BUT IT WILL GIVE US INSIGHT INTO AN ISSUE THE WHOLE STATE IS DEALING WITH.

TORI: TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING OUR COLLEAGUE HAS BEEN COVERING COME OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN WORCESTER COUNTY.

ADAM: IT IS IN THE WORCESTER-HAMPSHIRE SENATE DISTRICT.

IT IS A CHANCE FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHICH HAS BEEN AT AN ALL-TIME LOW IN TERMS OF INFLUENCE, FOR THEM TO PICK UP A SENATE SEAT.

PETER DURANT IS RUNNING AGAINST JONATHAN ZLOTNIK, THE DEMOCRAT.

IT IS ONE SEAT BUT THE REPUBLICANS RIGHT NOW HAVE THREE OF 40 SENATE SEATS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

YOU CAN'’T DO MUCH WITH THAT.

IF THEY CAN PULL OUT A WIN, IT WILL LET THE NEW CHAIR OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TAKE A VICTORY LAP AND SAY WE HAVE HAD A TOUGH COUPLE YEARS BUT WE ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I DON'’T KNOW IF IT WILL GIVE MOMENTUM BUT SHE WILL ARGUE IT HAS GIVEN THEM MOMENTUM FOR MORE ELECTIONS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE ROAD.

TORI: A BIG DAY FOR MUNICIPAL RACES.

I WONDER IF YOU ARE SEEING EXCITEMENT OR ENGAGEMENT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM VOTERS.

NOT NECESSARILY THE BOSTON MAYORAL RACE BUT ARE YOU SEEING A LOT OF INVESTMENT FROM PEOPLE?

ADAM: THAT IS A REALLY TOUGH, IT IS A TOUGH THING TO GAUGE.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENTHUSIASM ONLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THOSE RACES.

IT DOESN'’T NECESSARILY CORRELATE WITH ENTHUSIASM IN REAL LIFE.

BUT THERE ARE, ONE POSSIBLE METRIC, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF INCUMBENT MAYORS WHO LOOK TO BE VULNERABLE.

THAT VULNERABILITY BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PRELIMINARY ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER, THAT SUGGESTS I THINK A NOTABLE MEASURE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND INTEREST WHICH WE DON'’T ALWAYS SEE.

TORI: WHAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST SHIFT OUT OF ALL OF THIS?

SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE OBSESSED WITH, SOME ELEMENT OF THIS WHERE YOU ARE LIKE -- IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SENATE RACE IN THE WORCESTER HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT IS SOMETHING.

ADAM: THAT WOULDN'’T DENOTE A SEISMIC SHIFT.

IN BOSTON, THE COMMUNITY I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING MOST CLOSELY, IF IN FACT MILLER IS RIGHT, AND BOSTON VOTERS ELECT A BUNCH OF CENTRIST CANDIDATES TO REPLACE OUTGOING PROGRESSIVES OR OUTGOING CENTRISTS AND CONSERVATIVES, THAT WOULD BE NOTABLE.

I DON'’T KNOW WHERE -- IF I EXPECT WILL HAPPEN BUT WHETHER THE BOSTON'’S CITY COUNCIL REMAINS STAUNCHLY PROGRESSIVE OR GOES TO THE CENTER, THAT WILL GIVE AN ACCURATE LOOK AT THE PULSE OF ONE COMMUNITY POLITICALLY SPEAKING.

TORI: ADAM, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

ADAM: THANKS.

TORI: NEARLY 300 PEOPLE ARE RELEASED FROM MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON EVERY YEAR IN MASSACHUSETTS.

MANY OF THEM GO STRAIGHT FROM THEIR CELL TO THE STREET.

WITHOUT HELP FROM THE STATE AS THEY REENTER SOCIETY, MANY WILL END UP BACK IN PRISON.

40% OF ALL MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISONERS ARE RE-INCARCERATED WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THEIR RELEASE.

IT IS A PROCESS SOME PRISONERS AND ACTIVISTS SEE AS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE.

>> IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

EVERYBODY GOES BACK IN.

THERE IS TRAUMA I'’M GOING THROUGH AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A LOT TO LOSE ANOTHER IS EVEN MORE.

TORI: JAMAUL VITAL WAS RELEASED AFTER TWO YEARS AT SOUZA BARANOWSKI, THE MASCOMA SECURITY -- MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISONER.

JENIFER MCKIM JOINS ME NOW ALONG WITH MAC HUDSON, A COMMUNITY LIAISON CONSULTANT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

JAMAUL VITAL, CAN YOU GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HIS EXPERIENCE?

YOU WORKED WITH HIM ON THE STORY AND YOU WORKED WITH HIM FOR A WHILE, ADVOCATED FOR HIM.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED?

JENIFER: I WANTED TO DO THIS STORY THAT I HEARD, THERE WAS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE BEING RELEASED DIRECTLY FROM MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON TO THE STREET WITHOUT THE TRADITIONAL STEP DOWN PROGRAMS YOU CAN HAVE IN A MINIMUM OR PRERELEASE PROGRAM, WORKING OUTSIDE, GETTING OUTSIDE.

HE SPENT NEARLY TWO .5 YEARS IN MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON AT THE SOUZA BARANOWSKI CENTER, BEFORE HE WAS RELEASED, SENT OUT BASICALLY IN CHAINS, WEARING HIS PRISON ISSUE SHOES AND RELEASED TO THE STREET WITHOUT THE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP HIM SUCCEED WHEN HE WAS BEING RELEASED.

TORI: PRIOR TO THE SERIES YOU FOCUSED ON REENTRY.

WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED AND THEY HAVE NOTHING AND NO STEP DOWN?

I IMAGINE IT IS JARRING.

JENIFER: THIS IS PART OF OUR SERIES CALLED LIFE AFTER PRISON WHERE WE LOOK AT FOLKS WHO ARE BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON'’S IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THIS PARTICULAR STATISTIC STUCK OUT TO ME THAT PEOPLE WERE BEING RELEASED LIKE THAT AND MAC CAN TALK ABOUT IT AS OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON.

WHEN YOU LEAVE PRISON, IT IS HARD TO HAVE THAT TRANSITION.

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PROGRAMMING AND NOT ENOUGH HELP FOR PEOPLE BEING RELEASED.

PEOPLE BEING RELEASED FROM MAXIMUM-SECURITY, WHERE MOST OF THEM ARE IN THERE FOR 20 HOURS PER DAY IN THEIR CELL, UNABLE TO REALLY DO THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM WHEN THEY COME OUT, MAKES IT A LOT HARDER TO SUCCEED, FIND WORK AND DO THINGS WHEN IT IS REALLY, IT AFFECTS YOUR MIND IN MANY WAYS.

TORI: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU ARE GOING FROM BEING ALMOST THIS CLASSIFICATION OF CIVILIAN THAT IS STRIPPED OF YOUR RIGHTS, AND UPON RELEASE, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AHEAD OF YOU?

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

MAC: THE TRUTH IS, THERE REALLY ISN'’T -- I DON'’T THINK MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GET OUT, THEY ARE REALLY THINKING THAT FAR.

THEY ARE HAPPY TO GET OUT IN THAT MOMENT.

ONCE THEY ARE OUT, REALITY SINKS THE END THAT NOW, THEY HAVE TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN A CAGE FOR THE MAJORITY OF YOUR TIME, WHAT DOES SURVIVAL LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS MISSING.

LOTS OF FOLKS LOOK AT, THEY HAVE THIS DEBATE ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OR WHAT THE CONDITIONS SHOULD OR SHOULDN'’T BE.

THERE IS ENTITLEMENT THAT EVERY MASSACHUSETTS PRISONER HAS AND THAT ENTITLEMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE PROGRAM ACCESS, REENTRY ACCESS AND A STEP DOWN PROCESS.

THAT IS WHAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY BEING DEPRIVED HERE.

THOSE STEP DOWN PROCESSES, TO JUSTIFY AND RATIONALIZE BED SPACE THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE EMPTY IN THE MAXIMUM-SECURITY.

WHEN YOU ARE USING THE CLASSIFICATION PROCESS IN THAT MANNER, THAT DEPRIVES FOLKS TO GO DOWN TO LOWER SECURITY, THEY CAN NEVER MAKE IT DOWN TO A MINIMUM PRERELEASE.

TORI: THAT IS A BIG PART OF THE STORY THAT I THINK IS WORTH STOPPING TO KIND OF EXPLAIN.

THE CLASSIFICATION PROCESS.

THERE IS A SYSTEM AND YOU SPOKE TO STATE OFFICIALS, STATE PRISON OFFICIALS WHO SAID PEOPLE WILL BE EVENTUALLY STEPPED DOWN TO LOWER SECURITY AND THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE GIVEN THESE RESOURCES WITHIN THIS SYSTEM, OR THEY ARE MOVED INTO A DIFFERENT PART OF SOUZA BARANOWSKI.

BUT THAT DIDN'’T HAPPEN TO JAMAUL AND NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

OR NOT WORK I GUESS IN THIS CASE?

MAC: IT DOESN'’T WORK, PERIOD.

THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GETTING OUT IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT SECURITIES.

MAXIMUM-SECURITY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UP THERE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

THOSE CONDITIONS ARE ABNORMAL, TO BE LOCKED UP 21, 22 HOURS IN SOME CASES, ONE HOUR PER DAY IN YOUR CELL, NOT HAVING ANYONE TO CONVERSE WITH AND YOU COME OUT FOR A SMALL PERIOD OF TIME, HOW DOES SOMEONE ORIENT TO THE WORLD MOVING THAT FAST?

WHERE YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN A WAY YOU HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED RESPONSIBILITY WHILE YOU WERE IN THEIR.

THE POINT OF THE CLASSIFICATION PROCESS IS, AS YOU STEP DOWN YOU GAIN GREATER AUTONOMY OF YOURSELF.

IN A MAXIMUM-SECURITY IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE SAYING, THEY BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO BE WATCHED.

IN A MEDIUM SECURITY THEY ARE SAYING YOU CAN OBSERVE THE RULES.

JENIFER: YOU ARE NOW CLASSIFIED AS LESS DANGEROUS OR WHATEVER.

THAT IS WHEN YOU GET THOSE RESOURCES BUT YOU ARE NOT GIVEN THE SAME RESOURCES.

SO THAT PROCESS, IT ISN'’T HAPPENING FOR PEOPLE.

IS THAT LEGAL?

MAC: LET ME DISPEL ONE THING.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT EVERY FACILITY, WHETHER IT IS MAXIMUM, MINIMUM, MEDIUM, DOESN'’T MATTER.

THEY HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO RUN THOSE PROGRAMS BUT THEY DON'’T RUN THEM IN THE MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON.

THE ONES THEY CHOOSE TO RUN DO NOT HELP YOU DEAL WITH THE ONSLAUGHT OF BEING SUBJECTED TO WHAT I CALL MINDNUMBING EXPERIENCE OF BEING LOCKED UP UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

FOLKS ARE DEVELOPING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT, IF THEY HAD IT, IT IS EXACERBATED AND IF THEY DIDN'’T HAVE IT, THEY ARE BEING EXPOSED TO HAVING THOSE ISSUES.

THESE THINGS GO UNDIAGNOSED, UNTREATED.

THEY ARE NOT EVEN GETTING PROGRAM SERVICES LIKE EDUCATION, WHETHER IT IS GED ACCESS LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GET, GETTING IN PROGRAMS THAT DEALS WITH DRUG ADDICTION, THEY AREN'’T GETTING ACCESS TO ANY OF THOSE UNDER THE GUISE AND THE NAME OF SECURITY.

JENIFER: WHAT WE FOUND BY LOOKING AT THE DATA, IF YOU WERE BLACK OR BROWN YOU ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE IN THE MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON.

AS A WHITE PRISONER YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IMPROVED RELEASED OR MINIMUM.

REPORTS HAVE COME OUT THAT TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL RACISM IN THE CORRECTION SYSTEM.

THEY HAVE FOUND WITHIN THE WORLD IN GENERAL.

THESE NUMBERS ARE STUNNING.

TORI: YOU TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE REPORTS, ONE THAT SHOWED A CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE'’S RACE, AGE AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL STATUS IN DETERMINING THEIR CLASSIFICATION, WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO INTO A LOWER -- JENIFER: LOWER SECURITY PRISON.

TORI: THANK YOU.

THERE IS A NEW ONE COMING UP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND UMASS CHAN SCHOOL.

JENIFER: THEY ANNOUNCED ON ONE HAND, THE DOC SAID THIS IS EVIDENCE-BASED CLASSIFICATION AND ON THE OTHER HAND THEY SAID WE JUST STARTED, WE ARE COOPERATING WITH THE STUDY TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF WE CAN IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.

SO THERE ARE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE SYSTEM.

TORI: THEY ARE GOING TO DO A REVIEW.

YOU KNOW WHEN?

JENIFER: IT JUST STARTED.

TORI: OK.

THERE IS SO MUCH EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THIS, AND THIS ISN'’T LEGAL.

THE STATE HAS DENIED THAT THIS IS THE CASE.

THEY SAID WE HAVE OUR CLASSIFICATION PROTOCOL.

IT IS FOR EVERYONE'’S SAFETY.

BUT THROUGH YOUR WORK WITH JAMAUL, HAS IT BEEN FRUSTRATING?

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BANGING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE WALL?

MAC: GUYS LIKE MYSELF UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF COMING OUT AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO SURVIVE OUT HERE.

ABSENT THESE SPACES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT HERE, FOLKS THAT DON'’T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT AT ANY SPHERE, THEY ARE BASICALLY FORCED TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND THAT IS WHAT LEADS TO THE RECIDIVISM.

IT IS NOT EASILY DESIGNED FOR THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ACCESS SERVICES ARE WHEN THEY GET OUT.

MOST OF THE SERVICES THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING, LIKE AN ID, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GET AN ID.

JAMAUL GOT OUT A MONTH AGO AND HE DIDN'’T HAVE AN ID.

KEVIN CAP GOT OUT NOT EVEN A MONTH AGO AND DIDN'’T GET AN ID BUT THERE WAS A BUNCH OF MONEY GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR THAT PURPOSE, TO STRENGTHEN, THAT THEY COME HOME WITH IDS AND RENEWABLE OF DRIVERS LICENSES.

IT MAKES THE CASE, BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS, THEY DON'’T HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, NOT EVEN AT THE MEDIUM FACILITIES.

WHEN THEY FIGHT FOR THE ACCESS, THEY ARE LABELED AS AGITATORS, AGGREGATORS.

AND THEN PUT IN THE HOLE UNNECESSARILY, AND WHAT TYPE OF MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND?

TORI: RETRIBUTION.

JENIFER: HE CAN PROVIDE HIS PERSONAL STORY.

TORI: WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT?

MAC: I DID A LOT OF ADVOCACY WHEN I WAS IN.

FOR ME, I RAISE THE QUESTION WHAT MESSAGE DOES THAT SOUND?

IF YOU GIVE ME A SET OF POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND SAY, WHEN YOU HAVE A GRIPE, THIS IS HOW YOU DEAL WITH IT AS PART OF THE SOCIETY -- WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, EVEN THOUGH PRISONERS -- PRESENT IS ABNORMAL IT IS A MICROCOSM OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WORLD AT LARGE.

IF YOU ARE TREATING PEOPLE THIS WAY AND TREATING THEM LIKE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS DON'’T APPLY, THAT TRANSLATES INTO THE WORLD THAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OUT HERE ARE ARBITRARY.

IT IS LEFT TO WHO IS IN POWER.

THAT IS THE WRONG MESSAGE IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF SOCIETY WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD BASED ON LAW AND JUSTICE.

TORI: YOU MENTIONED FUNDING.

YOU SAID 780 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET FOR PRISONS.

PEOPLE THINK MONEY COULD BE BETTER SPENT ELSEWHERE.

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS WOULD THEY LIKE TO SEE THAT SPENT ON?

JENIFER: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DOC BUDGETED CONTINUES TO GROW UP.

DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE POPULATION OF THE PRISONS HAS REALLY DROPPED BY HALF OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, THERE IS SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY THAT GOES TOWARDS REENTRY PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, AND A LOT OF FOLKS SAVE THE MONEY, THEY -- THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER AMOUNTS OF MONEY GIVEN TO FOLKS TO HELP THEM REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY TO EDUCATE WITH -- THEM WHEN THEY ARE THERE.

I WANT TO SAY WHEN I STARTED DOING THIS PROJECT, I SAID, WHERE ARE THESE FOLKS BEING RELEASED DIRECTLY FROM MAXIMUM-SECURITY TO THE STREET?

HE SAID, ON MASS AND CASS, AND OUT AND HIGH.

HE KNOWS PEOPLE WHO DIED BY OVERDOSES OR THERE WAS THE CASE OF A GUY WHO IS BACK IN PRISON AFTER KILLING A POLICE OFFICER IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

THE STORIES, THEY AFFECT THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE BEING RELEASED.

MAC: WHERE THEY ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE.

WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO JUST KILLED THEMSELVES RECENTLY, A FRIEND I KNOW BY THE NAME OF REESE, JUST KILLED HIMSELF, HAVING UNDERGONE THESE EXPERIENCES IN PRISON AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TREAT THESE ILLNESSES ON THEIR WAY OUT.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.

THEY ARE FORCED TO COME OUT AND ACT LIKE THEY ARE NORMAL, ACT LIKE THE STANDARD OF NORMAL.

TORI: LIKE THEY WERE GIVEN A CHANCE.

I WANT TO PLAY THIS CLIP WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMAUL WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE JARRING EXPERIENCE.

>> I HAD NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A MEETING.

DO YOU THINK AN 18 OR 19-YEAR-OLD SHOULD BE IN MAXIMUM-SECURITY WITH GROWN MEN?

THINK ABOUT THAT.

YOUR SON IS 19 AND MAKES A MISTAKE.

I DIDN'’T KILL NOBODY.

TORI: YOU ARE SAYING IS EXTREMELY -- THIS IS NOT AN OUTLIER.

JENIFER: HE WAS, THE FACT THAT HE WAS RELEASED, AND HE WAS RELEASED FROM THE SECURE ESSAY YOU -- SAU, WHICH IS A MORE SECURE PRISON, HE WAS ONLY ALLOWED OUT TO BE PUT IN THE CAGE TO WALK AROUND OR ACTUALLY SHACKLED TO A TABLE BEFORE HE WAS RELEASED TO THE STREET.

HE SAID THE BIGGEST ISSUE WAS HIS CLASSIFICATION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WHERE HE WAS PUT IN MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON.

MAC: WHICH HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN.

WHICH IS WHY PART OF THE RACIAL EQUITY AND CORRECTION INITIATIVE, WE ARE TRYING TO GET THIS DATA BILL COLLECTED.

WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.

WE NEED THE DATA TO SUPPORT AND SHOW WHO IS GETTING ACCESS AND WHO IS NOT AND WE NEED THE OVERSIGHT TO GET AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS SAID THEY CAN'’T POLICE THEMSELVES.

THEY CONTINUE TO SAY THAT BY THE WAY THEY USE THE SUBJECTIVE VIEWS IN DETERMINING PEOPLE'’S CLASSIFICATIONS.

THE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE BASED ON OBJECTIVE NESTS, MEANING IT IS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE AS THEY ARE TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES IN THE MOMENT IN TIME, BUT THE DEPARTMENT HOLDS ON TO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DONE.

NEVER MIND, JAMAUL CAME BACK ON A SECOND SENTENCE AND HE GOT SENT TO THE MAX BECAUSE OF THE FIRST SENTENCE.

THAT DOESN'’T MAKE SENSE.

JENIFER: HE HAD TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND THEY PUT HIM IN MAX WHERE HE DIDN'’T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT OUT WHEN HE GOT OUT.

TORI: THE STUDY THE DOC IS DOING ON THEMSELVES, IS THERE ANY LEGISLATION, ANY OTHER -- OBVIOUSLY THERE IS LEGAL ADVOCACY FROM SMALLER GROUPS BUT IS THERE MORE OF A PUSH MAYBE FROM LAWMAKERS OR ANYTHING TO MAKE ANY KIND OF CHANGE IN THIS AREA?

MAC: I SPOKE ABOUT THE BILL THAT IS PENDING, THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE JUDICIARY.

I THINK WE ALREADY HAD AT LEAST A HEARING IN THEIR JUDICIARY.

WE HAVE AN UPCOMING HEARING ON PUBLIC SAFETY RIGHT NOW THAT IS COMING UP.

WE WOULD URGE EVERYONE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR STATE LEGISLATORS AND ASK THEM, GET THE BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE AND PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE.

WE NEED THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION.

THIS CAME OUT OF THE STRUCTURAL RACISM COMMISSION IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT, THEY COULDN'’T EVEN DO THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THERE WASN'’T ENOUGH DATA TO SUPPORT WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN HEARING FROM ANECDOTAL.

TORI: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

JENIFER: THANKS FOR HAVING US.

MAC: MY PLEASURE.

TORI: WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW.

I'’M TORI BEDFORD.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.