On the legislative front...

From thecrimereport.org comes news  that Sen. Jim Webb's bill to set  up a  national commission on criminal justice reform has been redrafted.  It could be taken up again by the Senate Judiciary Committee as early as tomorrow.  Apparently, there had been complaints the measure didn't have enough state and local representation on the panel.  That's been corrected as noted here.

Meanwhile, the folks at the Legal Action Center tell me that work is afoot to ensure that the The Second Chance Act of 2008  is definitely renewed after it's three-year authorization runs out.  Attorneys, advocates, legislators and other interested parties are evaluating what, if any, changes need to be made to make the bill more effective.  The Second Chance Act provides $165 million to fund education, treatment and  re-entry services for ex-offenders.  Awards have been announced throughout the country, but local agencies and non-profits must wait until Congress has authorized the budget before the monies will be released.

As to other legislation:  Sen. Charles Rangel's two bills on expungement and returning voting rights to former offenders are again unlikely to see any activity in this year's session.

Getting re-entry right

If you want to see some really good ideas for helping ex-offenders nationwide, this research paper, courtesy of the Brookings Institution is a great place to start. It lays out some sensible strategies to improve the current patchwork of underfunded state and non-profit programs. Some of the suggestions I really like include:

1. Requiring education and work in prison. This isn't about pampering and giving someone serving time for a felony special treatment.  It's about teaching inmates some of the basic skills they're often missing and building discipline and workplace skills to put people on the path to constructive living upon their release. The authors suggest something similar to the office work and manufacturing as jobs that prisoners are currently doing in the federal system, then providing intensive pre-release preparation.

2. Setting up transitional employment for the first year. A no-brainer that would end up paying for itself in terms of reduced recidivism. The first six to eight months after release are the most vulnerable times for an ex-offender. So finding something productive to do is key. Currently, ex-offenders without incredibly unique and sought after skills (which is to say most of them) must rely on a handful of employers willing to hire people with records, or the kindness of friends and strangers to get jobs. Surveys show the majority of employers don't want to be your first employer out of prison, but they wouldn't mind being your second. So a program like this could give many people who might not otherwise even get in the door an opportunity to go to work and prove themselves right away. It would also allow them to gradually acclimate to their changed circumstances.

3. Providing housing assistance and intensive support and substance abuse treatment upon release. Again, this seems self evident, but there is surprising reluctance to put money into these services as opposed to incarceration. But more support at this point is key for the newly released, who are getting out to face a life in shambles and no support system. Funding provided here could prevent many of these individuals from falling back into crime and the expensive prison system.

4. Trying different sanctions for parole violations. The typical penalty is to send the offender back to jail, which starts the cycle all over again. In some states like California over half of offenders are sent back for these types of violations. Given the most vulnerable time for a felon is when he or she is just released and rebuilding, and often without support, a home or a job, let alone a daily structure, this can often be when he makes mistakes. The authors argue that not immediately sending people back to prison could be more constructive in the long-run.

What do you think? Those of you in the business and those of you who have served time? What kind of programs would be or have been most helpful to you?

Here's to second chances...

I've been thinking of starting this blog for awhile -- mostly as a resource for my students. I teach job search and employment skills classes to inmates at our local correctional facility. I do it through OAR-Fairfax, a terrific nonprofit that assists ex-offenders in getting back on their feet. In addition to sponsoring classes, these folks do everything from helping newly-released men and women find clothing and a place to live to helping them find work.

Unfortunately, reduced funding has forced OAR and other firms like it to cut staff at a time when the population they serve is finding it more difficult than ever to land a job. The same thing is happening at re-entry organizations all over the country. So I thought it might be useful to have a spot where folks and their families could come for links, information and resources to aid them in rebuilding their lives after they've done their time.

So bear with me. I'll be posting some links and resources as quickly as I can, but it may take me awhile to get up and running. You'll want to check back often. And if you or one of your loved ones is an ex-offender, feel free to send any of your questions and/or concerns my way. I'll do my best to answer them. Just keep in mind that any thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are mine and mine alone... I volunteer with OAR, but I can't speak for them.

As for the inscription on the necklace above, in case you didn't recognize it, it's a line from a famous poem by Emily Dickinson. She was a writer who knew her share of darkness, but went on to make much of her talents anyway. No matter what your past has been, I truly believe you can too!