Prisons Don’t Reform Inmates – A Call for Submissions

Embed from Getty Images

—
America is a punitively-oriented nation which believes “prison is a man paying back his debt to society.” But what happens when that debt to society becomes a problematic millstone around society’s neck?

More than four in ten ex-convicts will return to state prisons within three years of their release. (circa a report from the Pew Trusts, in 2011). States today spend more than $50 billion on corrections, but recidivism remains high. Our prison-industrial complex has become a problem at multiple levels.

The ever-growing population of prisoners is now overwhelming our ability to build new facilities to house them. We produce more prisons nationwide than schools.

When citizens find their way into the penal-industrial complex, they rarely escape it unscathed. Their physical health can be compromised by diseases such as hepatitis or HIV. Their mental health is assuredly challenged due to overcrowding, the stress and violence of prison life, low quality medical care and the brutality of prison guards.

Should a prisoner endure and manage to be released with his “debt to society” paid, he’s still required to mark himself an ex-felon either through extended probations, which if violated, return him to prison, or by having to check a box on applications as an ex-felon, assuring his inability to find meaningful employment.

As a result of this, many ex-felons are driven into a shadow economy, where they are paid in cash, and unable to acquire social security, insurance, or other forms of stable economic opportunities. Those are the fortunate ones. For those unable to find such work, they find themselves working as part of a criminal underground if they cannot find family or other forms of support to keep themselves out of prison. Inevitably, this can lead back to prison.

“Nationwide, over 150 cities and counties have adopted what is widely known as “ban the box” so that employers consider a job candidate’s qualifications first, without the stigma of a criminal record. Born out of the work of All of Us or None, these initiatives provide applicants a fair chance by removing the conviction history question on the job application and delaying the background check inquiry until later in the hiring.”

What do you think?

Is excessive recidivism an issue in your state or county?

Should background checks prevent ex-convicts from having employment dealing with children, the elderly or the infirm?

Where do you stand on the “Ban the Box” initiative?

How do we address the issue of ex-convicts not being paid well?

Are there programs where you live which help ex-convicts find gainful employment or return to being part of their community?

If you are already working with an Editor at The Good Men Project, you can request them—or submit your essay and/or request me, Jeremy McKeen, Lead Editor—and I will be happy to assist you.

Please indicate that you are responding to this Call for Submissions. 

Or write on this topic using one of the prompts or anything else you think is relevant.

Then click here to send your post through our submission system.

If you already have an Editor at The Good Men Project, you can request them—or we will match you with an editor.

◊♦◊

The Good Men Project is different from most media companies. We are a “participatory media company”—which means we don’t just have content you read and share and comment on but it means we have multiple ways you can actively be a part of the conversation. As you become a deeper part of the conversation (Which really is “The Conversation No One Else is Having), you will learn all of the ways we support our Writer’s Community—community FB groups, weekly conference calls, classes in writing, editing platform building and more. 

♦◊♦

◊♦◊

Photo: Getty Images