It is not a matter of addressing the violence that occurs, but rather developing and supporting effective prevention strategies. The focus of the PeaceAmerica Foundation is violence prevention. The mission of the foundation is to provide assistance and grant support to peace and violence prevention initiatives sponsored by grassroots and community-based organizations. Revenues from the sale of the merchandise will be used to rebuild communities through grant funding of grassroots peace and violence prevention programs. The PIE Program was established by the bipartisan-supported national Justice Improvement Act of 1979 to eliminate problems associated with inmate idleness.
Federal guidelines ensure that safeguards remain in place.
Today, states opt into the PIE program by passing legislation that conforms to federal guidelines regarding work conditions, prevailing wages, and other related issues. Thirty-eight jurisdictions, including Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and two New Hampshire counties, now have PIE programs. Status of PIE Legislation in Massachusetts Massachusetts has yet to opt into the PIE program. Though there have been efforts by the Weld-Cellucci administration and some Republican and Democrat legislators to ratify PIE legislation in Massachusetts, the program still remains under review. Unfortunately, public misunderstandings of the program and political leaders fear of being perceived as too generous to incarcerated individuals have continued to stall efforts to enact any legislation.