Reentry

RECENT POSTS

February 1, 2012 | 1:07 PM | By

Prison dispatch: Penitence, forgiveness, and the formerly incarcerated

Rupert Ganzer

By Richard Gilliam  (Richard Gilliam is a writer currently serving time in a California prison.)

The term “penitentiary” is derived directly from the word penitence. A person who has been confined to the penitentiary for a period prescribed by the courts (who represent the will of the people) has, theoretically, performed the expiation required of him by society. That individual should then be able to rejoin society as an equal member; though with the knowledge that his actions will be scrutinized more closely for a time sufficient to demonstrate to the community that he has re-integrated into society successfully. This is called “parole.” But, those of us familiar with the modern criminal justice system know that our punishment does not end with the opening of the cell door.

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FILED UNDER: Corrections, Prison Dispatch, Reentry
June 14, 2011 | 9:01 AM | By

Should having a criminal record affect employment?

city hall

Courtesy of the City and County of SF

Right now, about 1% of the adult population in the U.S. is in prison or jail. The vast majority, 95%, will not spend the rest of their lives locked up, but will return to their home communities. So the question for community leaders is, what becomes of these individuals when they return home? San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi says many end up going back to jail or prison:

You look at the fact that for every four people the DA arrests and prosecutes, three out of four are ex-offenders. So something has gone wrong on the back end, where we’re not able to tackle the repeat offender rate, the recidivism rate in a more vigorous way.

Part of tackling that problem is addressing two big obstacles ex-offenders face when they get out of prison: finding a safe place to live and legal employment. Mirkarimi is expected to introduce a new law next month that would help ex-offenders get access to jobs and housing in San Francisco. Above is a piece I did examining the issue and the proposed law. Transcript after the jump.

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FILED UNDER: Politics, Reentry, Ross Mirkarimi, San Francisco Reentry Council, San Francisco Sheriff
June 13, 2011 | 3:40 PM | By

When should a criminal past matter?

Over the past decade, the background check industry has exploded. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, in 2000, about half of employers screened job applicants using criminal background checks. Nowadays, about 75 percent check applicants’ criminal histories. According to Jessica Flintoft, policy director of the San Francisco Reentry Council, the proliferation of these background checks can be a problem for a number of reasons: they’re not always accurate, they’re often misused by employers, they have the effect of rendering those with criminal pasts unemployable, and they’re detrimental to the economy.

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FILED UNDER: Community, Background checks, Reentry
March 3, 2011 | 11:55 AM | By

Navigating the post-prison bureaucracy

Lateefah Simon: Reentry "is a civil rights issue."

It’s fairly well documented how the tough sentencing policies of the 1980s and 90s have contributed to unprecedented growth in the country’s prison population over the past few decades. What is less understood is why people, once in the criminal justice system, can’t seem to find their way out. California’s prison recidivism rate hovers around 70 percent; San Francisco’s is 8 points higher. Part of the issue, says Lateefah Simon of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, is that along with tougher policies that have led to people entering prison, there’s been a simultaneous growth in the post-prison bureaucracy.

“This system  provides no reintegration,” Simon says. “That’s why we call it the rail-to-jail pipeline, people just go straight back into prison.”

An ex-inmate returning home will, more than likely, check in with a parole officer within 24 hours, and be given a list of things that he or she must do to keep from violating the terms of his or her release. That could include drug tests, going to the parole office for regular appointments, and participating in a variety of programs.

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FILED UNDER: Courts, Lateefah Simon, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Reentry
November 19, 2010 | 11:24 AM | By

The state could release 40,000 inmates soon. Where will they work?

Green jobs fair at San Quentin State Prison. Courtesy of Kirk Crippens.

Kirk Crippens

Yesterday, our San Quentin columnist, Richard Gilliam wrote about the difficulty of finding work with a felony on your record. Today, the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice released a report on the topic, with a twist. Over the next couple of years, the state may be required to cut the state prison population by 40,000 inmates: that’s 40,000 more people out and about, likely with no health insurance, and with limited access to welfare and state assistance. Also, the report points out, about 60-80 percent will (still) be unemployed one year after being released from prison.

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FILED UNDER: Corrections, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Reentry, San Quentin
November 18, 2010 | 8:49 AM | By

Dispatch from prison: Why finding work for ex-felons is so important

San Quentin State Prison

by Richard

Recently, I watched a news report decrying the fact that there are hundreds of formerly convicted felons working as in-home caregivers–they assist the disabled in managing daily life. The reporter stated that Governor Schwarzenegger wanted the legislature to pass a law that would protect disabled people from possible abuse at the hands of individuals with a criminal history. In essence, he wanted to make it impossible for formerly incarcerated individuals to work in the in-home health care field in California. I’m all for protecting people, especially those unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect, but what about those formerly convicted individuals who have served their sentences: are they to be punished for the rest of their lives and for the crimes of others?

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FILED UNDER: Corrections, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Dispatch from prison, Reentry
November 9, 2010 | 5:08 PM | By

Evening LinkUp: An iPhone stun gun and lawyered pets

Will budget cuts increase returns to prison? The state’s recidivism rate dropped somewhat this year, but cuts to rehab may make the decline temporary. (californiawatch.org)

Two new lawsuits filed against the Defense of Marriage Act The Department of Justice says that even though Obama opposes the act, they’ll defend the law in court. (Wall Street Journal)

Can you turn an iPhone into a stun gun? Maybe. If you have an external power source. (policeone.com)

A loophole in state law let’s some public employees out of paying traffic tickets And an assemblyman is trying to put a stop to it. (Sacramento Bee)

Fighting over the family pet: 5 crazy custody cases Yes, there are lawyers who specialize in post-divorce pet custody. (San Francisco Chronicle)

FILED UNDER: Courts, Animals, Gay Marriage, Reentry
November 2, 2010 | 1:12 PM | By

Who’s going back to prison (again and again)

Dan4th Nicholas

by Bernice Yeung

San Francisco has one of the highest recidivism rates in the state—some 78.3 percent go back to prison within three years of release—according to a report released today by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

The study tracked about 108,000 inmates released from state prisons between 2005 and 2006 over the course of three years. Overall, the state recidivism rate, which has long been among the highest in the country, clocks in at 67.5 percent, which is not a significant change from previous statewide tallies.

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FILED UNDER: Corrections, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Prisons, Recidivism, Reentry