The Plight of Ex-Offenders

A significant result of the War on Drugs, and the reality of that community crushing propaganda filled effort, has been the declaration of war on Americans that use drugs. The statistics are staggering with America's incarcerated population growing over 300% since the "declaration", and of course most of this growth has been disproportionaly black and brown citizens. Not because they use far more drugs, but primarily because they are easier targets, and the system is harsher in their sentencing.

So now we have huge populations of ex-offenders returning to those communities and our choice as a society is whether they return to resources that are available to help them become productive citizens, or do we abandon them to become community predators.

Yesterday my Prison Ministry at Trinity United Church of Christ held our first Life Expo for "Returning Citizens". This event was a one-stop-shop opportunity for men and women to connect with resources that might ease their reintegration efforts, from veteran's affairs and expungement support from the Wayne County Bar, to housing, education and entrepreneurial training opportunities.

Between the State of Illinois and the Federal Government there are grants made available to agencies working on this issue, but there are still tremendous roadblocks in the way. In Illinois for instance there are restrictions on felons being eligible for licences for a variety of occupations . . . some make sense, others may make you wonder what the hell were our policy makers thinking. For example, felons can not hold the following jobs:

1. Architect
2. Athletic Trainer
3. Auctioneer
4. Barber (as the kids say WTF)
5. Boxer
6. CPA (well, ok I might buy that)
7. Cosmetologist
8. Nail Technician (really . . . nail technician???)
9. Embalmer
10. Funeral Director
11. Farm Labor Contractor

And almost 30 more!

In the end, if we are serious about reentry and providing a second chance for folks that have served their time, we need to be serious about bring some common sense to the issue of licensing restrictions on felons.

What do you think?

Drug Test Welfare Recpients?

The question was posed to me on one of the Facebook polls this morning: "Should you have to take a drug test for welfare?"

An initial emotional response can easily be "yes". If the government is going to assist individuals surely we have the right to know that they are drug free, that our tax dollars are not being used to support bad behavior. This type of policy would work to reduce the welfare rolls and our subsequent wasted tax dollars. Ideally it would force welfare moms to clean up their act.

Or, just maybe, this type of policy would increase the misery of a population that is obviously struggling to meet the day to day sustenance requirements of life. Perhaps this would result in the perpetuation through the generations of this poverty and helplessness as the children in these households also suffer the consequences of their parents' bad decisions.

Of course, if drug testing was used as an intervention tool, one that led to treatment for the drug problem, that would be entirely different, and from my view positive. As a society we need to move away from the punitive nature of drug policy, toward one based on the recognition that it is a medical issue. There is a plethora of medical research that lends support to this argument and we need to work to have the scientific evidence hold sway over the propaganda from the absolutely failed policies of the "war on drugs".

In the end a recognition of the drug problem as a medical issue will save thousands, perhaps millions, of Americans from a life of misery on the fringes of society, from leaving families and children in their destructive wakes, and reduce our prison populations and the increasing percentage of tax dollars going to run those prisons. This seems like a left/right win-win if I ever saw one.

What do you think?

What's compassion got to do with it?

If I were not such an optimist, I would just give up discussing Health Care Reform (no, really, I was a member of Optimist International for many years when I lived in Detroit).

One of my Facebook friends mentioned that he saw a lack of compassion among his "right-leaning" friends, specifically involving the health care reform debate, speculating that only 10% of this set of friends had "compassion". What was interesting was that they quickly rose up . . . and proved his point. The discussion quickly ventured off into the various propaganda espoused by opponents, "what has the government done for me?", or "has the government every created a program that worked?", and forgetting the question of compassion as it relates to this issue.

One definition I found for compassion: Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. For me, that does it. It's like empathy with an action orientation. Romans 6:1-2, the Message Bible translation, reads as follows:

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"

If compassion is a characteristic you feel is part of your personality . . . an aspect of who you are, how could you not be willing to support health care for everyone?

I'm not trying to preach, but I am confused by the vehemence of the opposition.

What do you think?

Positive Anti-Crime Thrust, Inc - New Web Site

I've just finished launching a new web site for the Positive Anti-Crime Thrust (PACT) a project that is long over due (I'm not going to say how long, but my good friend and mentor in criminal justice issues HS knows). This is just the incentive I need to stay current with my blog (at least weekly is my goal).

I know that for now I am just talking to myself, but hopefully with the launch of the new PACT site a few folks will be tempted to see what I've got to say here.

Two additional things for today:

• My Prison Ministry at Trinity UCC held our 15th annual clothing giveaway on Saturday September 5th. It was a lot of work but we must have received 150 bags of useful clothes, and many more that were on hangers. It was a wonderful example of community effort and the donors provided an abundance that was a blessing to those in need. Pictured below is the morning organizing (pre shoppers).
• On September 15th the Trinity UCC Prison Ministry will be hosting an Expo for Returning Citizens. This event will provide a "one stop shop" of sorts where resources from housing and employment, to health and counseling will be available for those who need to make contact with sevices vital to keeping them on a path to good citizenship. It is our first time trying something like this, so if you pray, please includes this program in your prayers.

Until next time . . .

Daryle

Juvenile Life Without Parole - JLWOP

OK, one more time I'm going to try to be more diligent with the blog.

One of the issues we are beginning to address in my prison ministry is the sentencing of children from 13-17 to life in prison with no possibility of parole. As you might imagine, I think this is a ludicrous situation, but I'm not alone in my line of thinking - the United States is currently the only country in the world that allows this sentence to be rendered.

There are approximately 2,500 of these individuals. While no one is asking for a blanket pardon for these individuals, many of us do believe that these individuals deserve to have a chance to have their cases reviewed by a parole board and considered for parole. Imagine a 14 year old serving as a lookout when a murder was committed. Of course there is no excuse for the conduct, and certainly even children should be held responsible for their actions, but are we to assume that that child, now a 45 year man is the same person. After 30 years in prison, literally growing up there, should he still carry the full burden of guilt from the awful decision he made as a child.

Well, I server a God that allows 2nd, 3rd . . . Nth chances and I believe we can be rational enough to allow a review of a childhood sentence to asertain if a person is fit to be given a chance to re-enter society.

What do you think?

Eviction Moratorium in Cook County Illinois

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart took an interesting position this week, announcing that his department would no longer enforce evictions for properties in foreclosure. This includes single homes, apartments and condominiums in Chicago and the near suburbs. While it appears that the decision was influenced by some issues with evictions in the Albany Park neighborhood that were brought to his attention, none the less, Dart appears to have focused on community distress rather than business interests.

I have to admit I'm a bit torn. Is this what it seems to be on the surface, or is it another calculated political move? I hate to be so cynical, but Chicago politics being what the are, cynicism is as much a self-defense mechanism as anti-bodies in the blood stream.

For now, I'm going to give Sheriff Dart the benefit of the doubt, primarily because he was reacting to a real problem brought to him by the Albany Park Community Council. My real test for his department is how they will react when the bankers challenge his decision in courts. Will he put up a spirited defense of his actions, or will he "let it go", and simply use this in a future political race as evidence of his support of the people.

What do you think?

Daryle

Thoughts from the Faith Summit for Criminal Justice Reform

The Community Renewal Society, a Chicago based social justice organization hosted a Faith Summit October 5th, 2008. This short, but sweet meeting provided an opportunity for those interested in social justice issues to discuss and collaborate, and importantly provided encouragement . . . encouragement in our mission, in our causes and in the rightness of our efforts. This was an ecumenical perspective with many faiths represented on the formal agenda and prayers offered from Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders. This was an informative and spirit filled event.

Covering subjects from dealing with Long-Term Prisoner issues, Victims issues, the need to move to Restorative Justice, and Alternatives to Incarceration, to Grandparents Rights and Barriers to Reentry, this was an opportunity to broaden our perspectives.

For me, I have been wrestling with an inmate's desire to set up a reconciliation event for perpetrators and victims at one of the prisons in Illinois. Honestly I have had a hard time trying to figure out an approach that would get the support needed by the prison warden. I was blessed to meet Rev. Robert Spicer at the Summit, a Pastor and Restorative Justice Trainer, actively involved in the Community Justice for Youth Initiative. Our initial discussions were extremely positive and we will be working together to make the reconciliation event a reality. I will be reporting progress as we work to move this forward.

For everyone in attendance this was an opportunity for people of faith to gather the information needed to begin to address a broad range of justice issues. From what I could tell it was a wonderful success.

One important form of support available to anyone reading this blog is to become a signatory on the Statement of People of Faith on the Transformation of the Illinois Criminal Justice System. Please, if you believe, as I do, that true justice will never exist in Illinois (or the broader USA) without proactive involvement of our faith based institutions and concerned citizens, take the step and sign on by clicking here: Statement of People of Faith.

The statement begins as follows: "As people of faith, we are committed to the transformation of the causes and impact of crime in our communities and the transformation of our criminal justice system. The reality of the United States system of criminal justice often stands in stark contrast to the shared and deeply held values of our diverse religious traditions and our shared civic traditions of democracy."

Until next time, God bless you.

Daryle