Mitigation programming aims to mitigate the harm caused by incarcerating people by supporting them throughout their interaction with the existing carceral system— including bail support for families, more just parole hearings, including education, wellness, and new forms of visitation experiences while serving time.
Projects include Educational Spaces, Connection Spaces, Therapy Spaces, and reimagined Parole Hearing Rooms that remove the typical intimidating, hierarchical organization and fit-out and replace them with spaces meant to support and encourage parole applicants.
The parole prep room includes a library, study booths and classroom spaces with resources and staff to support incarcerated people in education, research and prepping for parole, and even earning a degree.
Next generation visiting rooms like the “Virtual Visiting Room” can help incarcerated people maintain relationships with family and friends when a trip upstate prohibits regular visits. While the Family Visiting Apartment can help ease the transition back into their role (father/mother, husband/wife, son/daughter) once they are out of prison allowing inmates a more comfortable environment with their families.
Counseling in prisons often takes place in spaces wholly unsuitable for emotional vulnerability and healing.
This Therapy Space is a retrofit solution for existing prisons, and can be reconfigured to accomodate both 1:1 sessions or group therapy.
This redesign of the Parole Hearing Room breaks down the traditional power hierarchies implicit in traditional parole hearing rooms.
The parole seeker is given a seat at the table with the parole board and presents facing the audience so they can see friends and family who have come to support them as they plead their case.
