I have a few quirks about myself—one of which I’m willing to
share. Escalators and automatic
revolving doors terrify me. Perhaps
there was a 20/20 episode I watched in my childhood that caused this irrational
fear; Barbara Walters staring at me through the glowing screen detailing the
events of a child who was crushed between the wall and door of a revolving
entrance. Whatever the reason, I’m
always worried about getting caught in the incessant mechanical movements of
those machines. This fear caused an
essay from my Prison and Public Policy class in my freshman year of college to
jump out at me, “The Revolving
Door: Exploring Public Attitudes Toward Prisoner Reentry.” Now, the core (somewhat illogical) reason
this essay has stuck with me is irrelevant.
What the article actually states is just as scary to me. This article brings together the discussions
and opinions of three different focus groups, and asks them various questions
regarding the prison system, prisoner reentry, and the barriers that exist for
people with felony records. When one
focus group was asked about time being served, one woman complained about “shortening
prison sentences”:
I
think that the thing that gets frustrating is the judge hands down a sentence;
you have five years in prison. In 14
months that person is out. Four or five
years should be four of five years, and then you let the [out]. They should do the time.
What that woman displayed in her statement, and what exists
in the United States as a whole, is a misconception of prisons, people with
criminal records, and the justice system.
Realistically, if the person was sentenced for five years to prison and
they are released early, they are still in the corrections system because they
were released on parole or probation.
They still have to report to correctional employees, and can be sent
back to prison in an instant. These were
some areas we studied in my class, but they have become even more apparent
through my work with the Yavapai Reentry Project.
The
Yavapai Reentry Project began as a grassroots effort in 2010 when community
members and professionals in the criminal justice field noticed a lack of
resources for people returning to Yavapai County from prison. Community Counts, a non-profit 501(c) 3,
stepped up and funded the cost to hire an AmeriCorps VISTA (me!) to get the
program started. We contact every
person being released from prison and returning to Yavapai County to let them
know of our services. We offer two
programs, the Independent Referral Program, and the Community Coach Mentorship
Program. Both provide direct support,
resource information, and barrier navigation for people with felony
records. Since beginning direct services
in January 2012, the Yavapai Reentry Project has contacted over 120 inmates
eligible for the program, provided direct services to dozens of reentering and
former offenders, and has had 24 community members complete training to become
Community Coaches to mentor a reentering person.
What I have learned from meeting with people returning from
prison, as well as studies and statistics, is that playful idioms such as
“Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time” and “Prison is just three hots
and a cot” oversimplify systemic issues that affect almost every area in our
community. Homelessness, public health
issues, foster care and broken families, public safety, high rates of unemployment,
and the need for government welfare are all impacted by incarceration and
prisoner reentry. The “lock them up and
throw away the key” mentality behind incarceration causes people to fall into a
cycle that is difficult to escape. For
example, did you know that:
 |
| VISTA member Becca Fealk serving with Community Counts is helping launch the Yavapai Reentry Project |
·
In Arizona, employers can ask about arrests that
never led to conviction and have that weigh in on the hiring decision.
·
Currently, 176 inmates are diagnosed with HIV,
and 5,620 inmates are diagnosed with Hepatitis C, but with the current freeze
on AHCCCS they have few options for healthcare when released.
·
In Arizona, 1 in 33 adults are under some kind
of correctional control—meaning incarceration, probation, or parole.
·
In July 2010, 58% of the men and 69% of the
women incarcerated at ADC were parents, meaning their children were either
taken in by other family member or put in foster care.
·
The state raised the budget for prisons to over
$1 billion for 2012.
·
75% of ADC inmates assessed at their intake have
significant substance abuse histories, but struggle with getting treatment due
to not having transportation and income upon release.
·
While Arizona’s population more than doubled
between 1980 and 2008, the state’s prison population increased more than
tenfold.
·
44.6% (17,821 of the 39,949) people incarcerated
in ADC have served at least one prior sentence.
When people are released from prison, systematic barriers
exist that make it more difficult for people to succeed. In fact, a 2005 recidivism study done by the
ADC, found that out of 54,660 people 42.4% returned to prison within three
years of their release. The Yavapai Reentry Project works to connect people with substance
abuse services, employment training, GED and college courses, and other basic
needs to prevent them from going back to through the revolving door between
prison and our community—and not just because I’m terrified of revolving doors.
The bi-monthly community meeting for the Yavapai Reentry
Project is happening March 1st, 2012 from 10:00 to 11:30am at the
Prescott Public Library. We are looking
for interested and invested community
members to aid in forming committees for our program. Committees will include housing, employment,
volunteering, and more. No experience is needed to attend the meeting
or be a part of a committee, just a desire to help a person and improve safety
in one’s community. For questions, call
Becca at (928) 708-0100. Hope to see you
there!
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