Downsizing Prisons

Michael Blain is director of public policy for the Drug Policy Alliance, the leading organization working to broaden the public debate on drug policy and to promote realistic alternatives to the war on drugs. Blain supervises and directs the Alliance’s lobbying efforts in 12 states, combining the lobbying power of the Alliance with existing grassroots movements in states to create campaigns to enact new and sensible drug policy reforms that reduce the harm done by the drug war. In 2004 Blain was given an Exemplary Leadership Award by the Black Caucus in Maryland for the passage of HB 295-Treatment Not Incarceration, a bi-partisan bill that will divert thousands of nonviolent drug offenders from prison into community-based treatment and save the state of Maryland tens of millions of dollars, while rebuilding communities devastated by the "war on drugs."

Roderick Hickman has over 25 years in the corrections field. In 2003 he was appointed secretary of the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to his tenure in the agency, he served in a number of capacities including Chief Deputy Director, Field Operations, for the California Department of Corrections (CDC), warden at Mule Creek State Prison, Correctional Officer at the California Institution for Men in Chino, correctional administrator of the California Medical Facility, and other correctional training and leadership positions.

Michael P. Jacobson joined the Vera Institute of Justice as its fourth director in January 2005. He was previously a professor at the City University of New York Graduate Center and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He was the New York City Correction Commissioner from 1995 to 1998 and the City's Probation Commissioner from 1992 to 1996. Prior to that, he worked in the New York City Office of Management and Budget from 1984 to 1992 where he was the Deputy Budget Director. He serves as chair of the New York City Criminal Justice Agency.

Nkechi Taifa serves as Senior Policy Analyst for the Open Society Institute, focusing on issues of criminal and civil justice reform. She is also an adjunct professor at Howard University School of Law, where she teaches the seminar “Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System.” Taifa has served as director of the Equal Justice Program at Howard Law, legislative counsel for the ACLU Washington Office, policy counsel for the Women’s Legal Defense Fund, staff attorney for the National Prison Project, and Network Organizer/Office Manager for the Washington Office on Africa . She has also maintained a general criminal and civil law practice, representing indigent adult and juvenile clients, and specializing in employment discrimination law.