[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 50 (Thursday, April 7, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E664-E665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO KIT McNALLY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 7, 2011

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an advocate, 
community leader, wife, mother, and mentor. On May 5, 2011, Kit Murphy 
McNally, Executive Director of the Benedict Center, will retire after 
23 years of distinguished service. The Benedict Center is an interfaith 
non-profit criminal justice agency with a 37-year history in Milwaukee 
of justice advocacy.
  Ms. McNally advocates for positive change in the criminal justice 
system by demonstrating best practices through the Center's education 
and treatment programs. An example of this approach is their holistic, 
gender-responsive, Women's Harm Reduction Program, utilized by both the 
Milwaukee County district attorney's office and Milwaukee County judges 
as a diversion to prison program.
  The community partnership style promoted by Kit McNally is reflected 
in the Community Justice Center for Day Reporting Program. In 1998, 
this successful education and treatment alternative was established 
through the Benedict Center's advocacy as a partnership between many 
community treatment providers and Milwaukee County. Further, under the 
direction of Ms. McNally, the Benedict Center has been a state-wide 
leader in assisting to draft a model Community Justice Act for 
Wisconsin. The model would return money to local communities that 
succeed in reducing state incarceration costs through implementation of 
effective treatment and diversion programs.
  Ms. McNally is deeply involved with issues of mental health and 
racial and economic disparities in criminal justice. She has served on 
local and national advisory boards, committees, task forces and 
commissions. She served as the citizen representative on the Executive 
Committee of the Milwaukee Community Justice Council. The council 
consists of top leaders on criminal justice issues, including the 
mayor, county executive, police chief, sheriff, district attorney and 
chief judge. Ms. McNally also served on the national boards of the 
National Alliance of Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialists, 
and theInternational Community Corrections Association.
  After graduating from Indiana University in Journalism and 
Criminology, she worked as a part-time reporter for the Milwaukee 
Journal and later directed corporate communications for Kohl's Food 
Stores and public relations for Mount Sinai Hospital and later Aurora 
Health Care.
  Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I am honored to pay tribute to Kit 
Murphy McNally, who has worked with victims, offenders, and the 
community toward achieving a system of justice that is fair and treats 
everyone with dignity and respect. Ms. McNally's contributions have 
richly benefitted the citizens of the Fourth Congressional District, 
the State of Wisconsin, and the Nation.

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