On July 28th, AEI and the Georgia Center for Opportunity cosponsored an event on improving prisoner reentry and reducing recidivism. The event’s first panel brought together nonprofit leaders, while the second comprised state leaders in prosecution and corrections. The key takeaway: human dignity, employment, and community support are integral to successful prisoner reentry.
Chris Callas Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0)
When asked what sort of jobs best suit newly-released inmates, panelists responded that – if at all possible – they should be reincorporated into the mainstream labor force. Unfortunately, former prisoners often face obstacles because of stigma and employer reluctance.
To break down barriers to employment, the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), represented by panelist Bryan Kelley, trains inmates to start their own businesses. Through PEP, said Kelley, inmates develop marketable skills and create their own employment.
The value of employment is also at the heart of the Doe Fund, founded by panelist Harriet McDonald and her husband. Their Ready, Willing & Able program uses paid work to promote self-sufficiency. Participants work hard, but also receive holistic education and skills training. When they graduate, the program helps them find jobs with any of its 450 employer partners. The success of alumni testifies to every person’s potential to become a productive citizen, said McDonald.
The panelists also agreed on the importance of preparing communities to welcome and support released inmates. For instance, Harold Dean Trulear, director of Healing Communities Prison Ministry, devotes himself to eliminating stigma around former inmates. He prepares congregations to treat former prisoners as family, and to do what they do best – love unconditionally and engender values.
Panelists also pointed out a connection between human dignity and the punishments administered through the criminal justice system. For example, panelist Craig DeRoche’s organization, Justice Fellowship, advocates “proportional punishment,” the idea that courts should deliver sentences aligned with crimes committed. The alternatives – complete forgiveness on one hand and excessively-long sentences on the other – dehumanize wrongdoers.
Throughout, panelists repeated that US prisons fail nearly half of the time – approximately 50% of inmates return to prison within three years of their release. Nevertheless, the second panel demonstrated state leaders’ commitment to improving upon this statistic.
For example, Gary Mohr, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has led substantial improvements in prisoner reentry. Since his appointment by Governor John Kasich in 2011, Mohr’s educational and vocational programs have enabled inmates to work productively during incarceration and to prepare for reentry.
On a broader level, state leaders can combat recidivism by breaking down interagency silos, said panelist Jay Neal of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Transition, Support, and Reentry. He lauded the efforts of Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, who has undertaken bold administrative changes in the interest of reducing recidivism.
To ensure appropriate sentences and maximal public safety, city and state agencies must commit to data-driven decision-making, asserted panelist Chauncey Parker of the New York County District Attorney’s Office. Exact measurements are required to efficiently reduce crime while minimizing wrongdoers’ jail time, he said. Law enforcement needs a broader vision and innovative strategies that stop crime before it happens, said Parker.
The US must refocus on its commitment to justice and human dignity by helping former inmates reenter society wholly-prepared, said the panelists. Significant change will require collaboration between government, nonprofits, communities, and prisoners themselves, but the panelists’ successes suggest that positive changes are possible.
Natalie Runkle is an AEIdeas intern.
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