FAMM

05/31/2026

I knew I couldn’t accept that ending for you.

This week’s Sunday Story comes from Vanessa Rojas, a formerly incarcerated mother and Family Outreach Coordinator at FAMM, who shares a deeply personal letter to her daughter Angelica about incarceration, advocacy, and motherhood.

After fighting for her own release from prison, Vanessa found herself fighting again when doctors told her to prepare for her daughter’s funeral.

This story teaches us that the power of advocacy stretches beyond prison walls and lives in the fight to protect the people we love.

Read Vanessa's story: https://pulse.ly/dbmn138rqx

05/30/2026

SCOTUS rules against prisoner in compassionate release case
(via WBTV News)

The Supreme Court ruled against a prisoner granted compassionate release, saying the statute used to vacate his sentence does not apply.

05/30/2026

Mecklenburg's overcrowded jail crisis hurts reentry support classes, programs for those inside (via WCNC Charlotte)

Advocates say programs that connect people to services before and after release are the most powerful tool against the revolving door.

05/30/2026

From prison to commencement: College graduate rewrites his future through education (via WCAX-TV)
https://pulse.ly/y2roypb2fs

05/29/2026

Clemency can be used in individual cases to honor clear demonstrations of rehabilitation. Gasi Pitter is serving 40 years in IDOC for first-degree murder under the law of accountability, which allows for conviction based on involvement or association.

Clemency would allow Gasi to come home and spend time with his daughter, who was three years old when he was incarcerated and is now 29.

To learn more about the “law of accountability,” click here: https://pulse.ly/1ghqahojur

05/29/2026

🚨 LIVE ZOOM BRIEFING 🚨
Join us on Monday, June 1, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM ET for an urgent debrief on two monumental Supreme Court rulings: Rutherford/Carter and Fernandez. These decisions will have a critical impact on compassionate relief, sentencing reform, mandatory minimums, and our advocacy work.

Don't wait! Hear from FAMM experts and get your questions answered.

Register now to secure your spot.
🔗 https://pulse.ly/uf3zv1x4af

05/29/2026

Did you know? FAMM sends the FAMMgram, a free paper newsletter, directly to federal & state prisons! It includes policy updates, inspiring stories, & ways loved ones can help reform efforts.

📫 Sign up today! https://pulse.ly/cvmpo4f9pa

05/28/2026

🔴 PRESS RELEASE:
FAMM General Counsel Responds to “Disappointing” Supreme Court Decisions in Fernandez v. United States and Carter/Rutherford v. United States

https://pulse.ly/jdfzdstseq

05/28/2026

Prison and Time:
A formerly incarcerated writer reflects on how the prison system didn’t foster change, but befriending time did.
(via The New York Times)

A formerly incarcerated writer reflects on how the prison system didn’t foster change, but befriending time did.

05/28/2026

Summary of National Survey of States' Earned and Good Time Earning Options, Focusing on States That Have Few Offense-Based Exclusions
(via Vera Institute of Justice)

Although the precise definitions and usage of the terms vary by state, in general, “good-time” and “earned-time” credit structures allow incarcerated…