Comments on: California in Denial http://www.ellabakercenter.org/blog/2009/10/california-in-denial/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:43:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Megan http://www.ellabakercenter.org/blog/2009/10/california-in-denial/comment-page-1/#comment-197949 Megan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:57:57 +0000 http://www.ellabakercenter.org/blog/?p=278#comment-197949 I am in full agreement with needing to reduce our prison population - but we also need to be aware of all the systems that will effect. There is real concern in certain counties that there are few to none as far as reentry programs for prisoners and support for when they are released. So recidivism rates for those prisoners may be extremely high. The current expungement laws are also a concern. They are very limiting, and with a prison stay on your record, good luck finding gainful employment, which would also lead to recidivism. With so many social services cut due to the budget crisis, we have to be mindful of the environment we are sending these people into. What health care systems are in place? Where will they find housing in the current housing crisis? These are the questions we need to begin to focus on so we are ready when California stops dragging their feet and does release tens of thousands of community members back into the streets. I am in full agreement with needing to reduce our prison population – but we also need to be aware of all the systems that will effect. There is real concern in certain counties that there are few to none as far as reentry programs for prisoners and support for when they are released. So recidivism rates for those prisoners may be extremely high. The current expungement laws are also a concern. They are very limiting, and with a prison stay on your record, good luck finding gainful employment, which would also lead to recidivism.

With so many social services cut due to the budget crisis, we have to be mindful of the environment we are sending these people into. What health care systems are in place? Where will they find housing in the current housing crisis?

These are the questions we need to begin to focus on so we are ready when California stops dragging their feet and does release tens of thousands of community members back into the streets.

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