Prisoner Education

Single motivational presentations are available as are workshops that may include:

To invite Mary Barr to address your prisoners, no matter the length of sentence, please call 201-417-1748 or e-mail mary@marybarr.com.

 Testimonials

"As you can see, my dream came true. I owe you so much...you gave me faith." Former Prisoner in Metropolitan Correctional Center, now a college student.

"The impact of your presentation still reverberates throughout Transitional Services, as well as the entire compound."
Dennis DeRose, Coordinator Transitional Services, Otisville State Correctional Facility 

"Your knowledge and expertise were invaluable to this conference of professionals and we invite you to return to address the federal and county prisoners." Mc'Kean Federal Correctional Facility, PA.

"I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for the beautiful work you do in preparing the men for eventual release and becoming productive members of their community." Tullio Santarelli, TSC Coordinator, Shawangunk Correctional Facility

"The prison population receives from you what others would willingly pay thousands for." Albert C. Thompson, Former Warden, Rikers Island Correctional Facility

"Your visit to Odessa has resulted in enormous changes in our activities. We reoriented a piece of our work to the assistance and adaptation of the people transitioning from prison, drug users in particular. Your ideas were put to the basis of a transitional program that we are developing with authorities. We look forward to continuing this work with you." Sergei Kostin, Founder, The Way Home, Ukraine

Please help by donating what you can in funds, materials, or volunteering by calling 201-417-1748.

Public Education

Keynotes, Lectures, Panels and Workshops

Mary Barr has presented internationally and on Capitol Hill, in the United Nations, High Schools and Universities and to:

To arrange a presentation tailored for your group please call 201-417-1748 or e-mail mary@marybarr.com.

Testimonials

"Your presentation and discussion with the audience was thought provoking and invaluable. I hope you will help us as we plan similar events.  Congressman, John Conyers, Jr.

"The staff and students felt your presentation gave us a deeper understanding of the justice system and above all, our human resource."  Dr. Zelma Henriques, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

"Your input was very valuable in helping us and your presentation certainly contributed to the success of this conference. Charles J. Ogletree Jr., Professor of Law, Harvard Law School

"Your presentation at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America Convention in Montreal was great. I invite you to present on a panel at Fordham Law School." Subha Dhanaraj, JD

"I attended your panel in "The Conference on Innovations in Drug Treatment and Policy, CT and beyond." I was educated and fascinated. I invite you to return."  Professor Jody Sindelar, Yale University School of Public Health

Please help by donating what you can in funds, materials, or volunteering by calling 201-417-1748.

Mary Barr Bio

Expertise:  Addictions, sex industry work, and related health and justice system issues; alternatives to incarceration, especially for women with children.

Languages:  English, Spanish

Selected Publications:

Women Arrested and Imprisoned in the United States. Chapter 3, Prisons and Punishment: Rethinking Global Penality. Available at amazon.com. 

I Am The Story I Tell Myself. Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul.  Available at amazon.com.

Selected Media Interviews:

September 18, 2011. Planet Rock on VH1.
January, 2011. Unheard Voices documentary.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010. BBC World News.
Monday, May 3, 2010.  NPR. Tell Me More with Michel Martin.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010.  CNN with Ali Velshi.

Brief Biography:

Combining her personal experience with statistical analysis, Ms. Barr’s insights on addictions and related health and justice system issues have been featured on Capitol Hill, in the United Nations, media, conferences and universities internationally. Her innovative self-empowerment series has been featured in City, State and Federal correctional facilities, for which she is the only private citizen to receive the STEP Medal of Honor from New York City Corrections.  She was instrumental in the historic development of the first transitional program for prisoners in the Former Soviet Union. Ms. Barr traveled to Colombia, South America to research counter-narcotics issues on which The Miami Herald published her Op-Ed. She has been unanimously lauded by these groups as having given them a fresh perspective on crime and punishment.