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WHAT IS THE COST AND THE IMPACT OF INCARCERATION ON OUR SOCIETY? HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT EARLY PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES?

WHAT IS THE COST AND THE IMPACT OF INCARCERATION ON OUR SOCIETY?

  • HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT EARLY PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES?
  • HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE US --AS A SOCIETY--TO REALIZE THAT PREVENTION COSTS LESS THAN CURES?
  • HOW AND WHERE DO WE START TO PUT PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES IN PLACE?

When there is a disproportionate percentage of a specific group incarcerated what effects, if any, does that have on the entire group, or on the communities from which that group comes?  Our history seems to be replete with evidence of escalating offenders in our communities.  They often start out as petty thieves and misdemeanor offenders who are cuddled by friends, family and sometimes by our judiciary system until they break out and commit major crimes.  

Parents, relatives and friends often find it difficult to see our children and loved ones for who they really are, or for who they are becoming. We miss early opportunities to put corrective measures in place and to divert adolescents from criminal pathways.  We make excuses and we offer justification for their behaviors.  We would better serve the future of such people and our communities by being vigilant and committed to fairness, honesty, and a value system that holds our children accountable for their conduct at all times.  It is always easier to prevent crime than to rehabilitate criminals regardless of resources.

The article linked below is both informative and instructive.  The extended article is worth reading.

The NetWork: Innovative Model for Ex-offenders
MinnPost.com, Steven Dornfeld, 08/23/2012

As a teenager growing up in suburban Chicago, Patrick admittedly hung out with the wrong crowd, got into trouble frequently and began selling cocaine. He cycled through local jails at least 20 times, though he was never apprehended for the sale of drugs. Patrick’s first serious offense came at the age of 30, when he was arrested for cocaine possession. By that time, he was using as well as selling. That led to the first of two trips to prison for drug possession. The second time he was released, Patrick connected with the NetWork for Better Futures, a Minneapolis-based group that offers a comprehensive program to help ex-offenders re-enter society. “It’s changed my life,” Patrick told the group. Now 41, he is drug-free, living on his own, working as a janitor for two local libraries and connecting with his two teenage sons.  He recently spoke at a NetWork dinner about his successful transition.

“Re-entry is a misnomer,” says Steve Thomas, president of the NetWork. “Most of these men have never been a part of our world.” Thomas is a former assistant corrections commissioner for New York City who also has held executive positions with several housing agencies.

His group focuses on high-risk men, primarily African-Americans, who most often lack job, social and life skills, and are suffering the effects of chronic unemployment, substance abuse, violence, homelessness and other trauma in their lives. 

While the NetWork recognizes that such individuals may have relapses, it works only with ex-offenders who are committed to change. It employs a 24-question evaluation tool to gauge that commitment.

The NetWork approach is distinguished by its comprehensive, integrated model. Each participant is assigned a life coach who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help him navigate the system, obtain critical services, reconnect with friends and family, and avoid relapses.  The program addresses four critical needs: Housing, jobs, Health and Community.

Editor’s Note: The story highlights Vulnerable Populations portfolio grantee NetWork for Better Futures and quotes Steve Thomas.

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2012/08/network-innovative-...

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