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Our History in Brief
A former organizer of communities for Pennsylvania
Abolitionists United against the Death Penalty (PAUADP), the Executive Director of RTS (Peggy Sims) coordinated a unique service
to friends and families of death row inmates and to the broader community. Providing transportation to
correctional institutions, advocating on behalf of prisoners and their families with the wardens of individual prisons and
with the Secretary of the Department of Corrections of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and by holding educational and informational
sessions around reforms for the public were amongst the activities performed. Through this work, it was
recognized that the value of such intervention, advocacy and service needed to be expanded beyond those on death row and their
families. While some organizations were engaged, there appeared to be a void in the existence of a model
with grass roots, “hands-on approach” to the challenges for the population not involved with capital cases. As
a result of this revelation, Ms. Sims founded RTS in 2004 to expand the important work of bringing prisoners and their loved
ones together and to educate the community as a whole about the impact of the criminal justice system on families and communities. In addition to transporting families and loved ones to correctional institutions, RTS engages in
high-impact activities such as: 1) positive, day long trips and activities for youth who reside in high-risk crime areas as
a means of early intervention to deter criminal thinking; 2) ongoing lobbying efforts with state correctional
officials concerning prison conditions and the treatment of visitors; 3) Co-production with the Black Clergy of Philadelphia
and Vicinity of day-long Community Awareness Seminars on the Impact of the Criminal Justice System on Families; 3) Collaborated
with the American Friends Service Committee and the Nicetown Community Development Corporation; 4) featured in a recent publication
written by Elizabeth Beck entitled “In the Shadow of Death: Restorative Justice and Death Row Families”; and 5)
formation of the RTS Family Advisory Board to expand constituency development. It should
also be noted that Ms. Sims was recently designated as President – Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Prison Society
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We Welcome your support.
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