$35 pays for a shovel for New Horizon Landscaping

$50 buys books for clients earning their GED

$75 proides for legal research materials

Will you make a contribution today? Log onto www.gjp.org or fill out the coupon below and mail to GJP.

Many thanks!

__Legal Services__

__''Do you know how much you’re paying for prison time?''__ In 2003, GJP attorneys resolved 66 cases with only one case resulting in incarceration for our client—that’s 1.52%! According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the average incarceration rate for individuals in the public defender system is 71.30%. This difference costs taxpayers almost $800,000 in incarceration costs each year. A $250 donation pays for a month of online legal research for GJP’s attorneys to provide a vigorous defense.

__''When a GJP client was jailed for eight days (with no hearing or lawyer) for riding his bicycle on the sidewalk''__, GJP volunteer attorney Clark Cunningham dug into the case. The GSU law professor’s research revealed that the City of Atlanta was routinely and unconstitutionally incarcerating people for minor traffic offenses. As a result of Cunningham’s efforts, our client and others were released and officials have agreed to halt the practice.

__''Law professors from around the country''__ gathered at GJP’s office in January to learn about our approach to indigent defense during the Association of American Law School’s Annual Meeting. GJP Executive Director Doug Ammar was also a panelist on professional responsibility at the convention.

__Social Services__

__''The average inmate reads at less than an 8th grade level''__, a key factor in our country’s excessive recidivism rate. Education and job skills—and the willingness to work for both—are a vital component of our client’s case plans. Thanks to Mazie Lynn Causey and Shelby Grossman, volunteers who have worked with GJP clients preparing for the General Education Development (GED) exam. Recidivism rates for Georgia Justice Project clients are 18.8%, versus 67.5% nationally.

__''“My worst fear was that I’d be a stranger to my kids when I got out.”''__ When a parent goes to prison, the kids are left to cope with the loss. Many mothers, and the majority of fathers, receive no family visitors at all during their incarceration. A $50 GJP donation fills the tank for a child’s round-trip visit to a parent in prison. (Most inmates are sentenced to facilities 100 miles or more from their homes.)

__''Clients and their families celebrated the holidays''__ at Georgia Justice Project’s annual Christmas Dinner. Thanks to Westminster Presbyterian Church for providing gifts of time, talent (cooking a great meal), and treasure (presents for families). And thanks to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for graciously hosting the event.

__New Horizon Landscaping__

__''A New Horizon Landscaping customer was honored for Yard of the Month.''__ East Lake Community Foundation customer won the award from the East Lake Neighbors Community Association. To get your own yard into award-winning shape this spring, call us today at 404-827-9880. NHL provides lawn care, flower and shrub planting and pruning, regular yard maintenance, lot clearing and leaf removal.

__''New Horizon Landscaping employees were honored''__ at the organization’s awards banquet in December. Congratulations to Leon Smith on winning Employee of the Year and Kevin Young on being named Rookie of the Year. A special thanks to members of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church for making this banquet possible. If your church or business group would like to sponsor a powerful client event, please contact David Rocchio at 404-827-0027, x17. What a great gift!

__''A warm welcome to…''__

__''Skip Sperling''__ of STAND, Inc., __''Mary Jo Schrade''__ of Microsoft, and __''Ellen Brown''__ of Heidrick & Struggles were elected to GJP’s Board of Directors in December. In addition, __''Jack Dalton''__ of Troutman Sanders and __''Scott Laseter''__ of McKenna, Long & Aldridge were elected chair and vice-chair, respectively, of GJP’s Board of Directors.

__''Mark Roland''__, Jesuit Volunteer and Prison Visitation Counselor, and __''Leah Calvert''__, Office Manager.

__''Matthew Mattila''__ and __''Tara Kinney''__, pro bono volunteers from Powell, Goldstein, Frazier & Murphy, LLP. __''Jennifer Brock''__, __''Jonathon Hill''__ & __''Thomas Thompson''__ (GSU Law School), __''Erin Wassel''__ (GSU School of Social Work), and __''Lindsey Green''__ (GSU Criminal Justice Department) who are interning at GJP this spring.

Special thanks to…
__''Robin Coggswell''__, __''J.C. Hillis''__, and __''Sean Faulkner''__, student interns from the College of Law at Georgia State University

__''Rebecca Nisbet''__ & __''Drew Feeley''__ (Emory University)

__Leadership__

__Board of Directors__

Jack Dalton (Chair) 2006
''Troutman Sanders LLP''

W. Scott Laseter (Vice-Chair) 2005
''McKenna Long & Aldridge''

Susan G. Massey, CPA (Treasurer) 2006
''The Massey Group''

Marc Gary, Esq. (Secretary) 2006
''BellSouth Corporation''

Alfred B. Adams, III 2004
''Holland & Knight''

Kenneth F. Antley 2005
''Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan''

Ellen Brown 2006
'Heidrick & Struggles''

Leigh B. Finlayson, Esq. 2004

James W. Gray 2004
''Prison Fellowship(retired)''

Joseph S. Grayman, III 2004
''Grayman Consulting Group''

Philip E. Holladay, Jr. 2006
''King & Spalding''

A. Felton Jenkins, Jr. 2004
''King & Spalding (retired)''

Julie V. Mayfield 2005
''The Georgia Conservancy''

Kimberly Melton 2005

Mary Jo Schrade 2006
''Microsoft Corporation''

Charles “Skip” Sperling 2006
''STAND, Inc.''

__GJP Staff__

Douglas B. Ammar
''Executive Director''

Deborah Poole
''Attorney''

Amy Vosburg
''Attorney''

Julie Smith
''Social Worker''

Mark Roland, Jesuit Volunteer
''Prison Visitation''

Ricks Anderson
''Addiction Counselor''

Faheem Martin
''Juvenile Counselor''

David Rocchio
''Director of Development''

Leah Calvert
Office Manager

__NHL Staff__

Harriet Jackson
''NHL Director''

Theodore Barnes
''Operations Director''

Leon Smith
''Landscaper''

Robert Askin
''Landscaper''

Bonner Ziglor
''Landscaper''

Michael Holmes
''Landscaper''

Kevin Young
''Landscaper''