Our Community Development Clinic is partnering with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the soon-to-be-formed Steve Popovich Legacy Foundation on a new rehabilitation initiative for Ohio prisoners. This project, titled the Prison Music Project, aims to assist Ohio prisoners with the creation and distribution of their original music CD’s.

Students and faculty in the Community Development Clinic will do the legal work necessary to create the legal structure for the project, and will address contracting and licensing issues, royalty agreements, distribution agreements, publishing agreements and more. Project proceeds are expected to go towards music education and scholarships for the underprivileged and possibly to one or more funds to aid victims of crime.

The project got off the ground this summer following the unexpected death of Cleveland music icon Steve Popovich, who left his family and friends a challenge to find a way to tap into the musical talents of prison inmates. The project has the ambitious goal of having a first CD of rock music ready for distribution in the summer of 2012. Project advisors anticipate creating CD’s of a variety of musical genres, including jazz, hip-hop, and classical music.

States Ken Margolis about this project, “While prisoners are paying their debts for their mistakes, there is no reason why they should not be productive in ways that help themselves and society. It is well-established that a vibrant arts and music program can be of real value in the effort to rehabilitate incarcerated persons. This project will help in that effort to show that people in prison do have redeeming qualities that can be the basis for a useful life once they return to their communities.”

States Steve Popovich Jr., founding director of the new foundation honoring his father’s legacy: “Steve Popovich was a man of determination and passion like no other. His legend lives on through the lives he has touched over the years. I know my father wanted to see this particular project happen and thanks to CWRU and Dennis Terez along with the help of Cindy Barber, Clay Pasternack and Ken Margolis it now has that opportunity.”

Our Community Development Clinic is partnering with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the soon-to-be-formed Steve Popovich Legacy Foundation on a new rehabilitation initiative for Ohio prisoners. This project, titled the Prison Music Project, aims to assist Ohio prisoners with the creation and distribution of their original music CD’s.

Students and faculty in the Community Development Clinic will do the legal work necessary to create the legal structure for the project, and will address contracting and licensing issues, royalty agreements, distribution agreements, publishing agreements and more. Project proceeds are expected to go towards music education and scholarships for the underprivileged and possibly to one or more funds to aid victims of crime.

The project got off the ground this summer following the unexpected death of Cleveland music icon Steve Popovich, who left his family and friends a challenge to find a way to tap into the musical talents of prison inmates. The project has the ambitious goal of having a first CD of rock music ready for distribution in the summer of 2012. Project advisors anticipate creating CD’s of a variety of musical genres, including jazz, hip-hop, and classical music.

States Ken Margolis about this project, “While prisoners are paying their debts for their mistakes, there is no reason why they should not be productive in ways that help themselves and society. It is well-established that a vibrant arts and music program can be of real value in the effort to rehabilitate incarcerated persons. This project will help in that effort to show that people in prison do have redeeming qualities that can be the basis for a useful life once they return to their communities.”

States Steve Popovich Jr., founding director of the new foundation honoring his father’s legacy: “Steve Popovich was a man of determination and passion like no other. His legend lives on through the lives he has touched over the years. I know my father wanted to see this particular project happen and thanks to CWRU and Dennis Terez along with the help of Cindy Barber, Clay Pasternack and Ken Margolis it now has that opportunity.”