This comment is in response to a July 18th post by Paul.
With over 700,000 people being released from incarceration every year in this country, it is in our best interest that we provide these individuals with programs to help them with their eventual transition from prison to mainstream society.
I am reluctant to characterize the release of formerly incarcerated citizens into the societal mainstream as "re-entry" given that many of the people in our prison system were never part of conventional society in any meaningful way prior to being sentenced to prison. Providing education and teaching vocational skills to those serving prison sentences not only makes the offender a better person through a structured personal commitment to self-improvement, it offers him upon his release at least some chance to obtain lawful employment and to potentially become a productive engaged member of his community,granting him a "stake" in broader society that he likely as a self-identified outsider felt he previously lacked.
Given the record number of people in the United States leaving prison annually, we cannot afford to effectively exile the formerly incarcerated from larger society or relegate them to the periphery of the predominant culture without dangerously weakening the political stability and social cohesion of the entire nation.
Formerly incarcerated citizens who have served their sentence, who have paid their debt to society, and who are genuinely trying to walk the right path deserve a fair shot to derive the full benefits conferred upon all members of society, including the opportunity to become engaged in gainful employment. This is not a "boundless sense of entitlement" on the part of Daniel Labbe and other formerly incarcerated it is a reasonable expectation of equitable treatment which they have earned by doing their time and making an honest commitment to reform themselves.
It is in the enlightened self-interest of the community into which the recently imprisoned person is returned, and in a broader context, the country as a whole that the newly released be assisted in changing his course in life. This means not only telling him that this change is possible through banal sloganeering but must include practical instruction on how to make it actually happen.
Ashleyshari is right - your handwriting is very clear, but that doesn't apply to everyone! The main reason I believe, is that search engines can't pick up words in scanned documents, so when we transcribe the posts, it's easier for them to be found in searches.
I am a veteran Colombian that for six years I was part efforts to undertake illegal armed Colombia known as the AUC. reintergre me leaving society and illegal weapons within a peace process with the Colombian state. I did my voluntary surrender to authorities, procuratorates and judges. took more than six years deprived of liberty where each answer for crimes committed during my membership in illegality. I wish to bring a message of peace to children and youth so that they never incorporated into these illegal armed. can learn more about me on the website and email www.pocurandounperdon.com jair@procurandounperdon.com.
I am a veteran Colombian that for six years I was part efforts to undertake illegal armed Colombia known as the AUC. reintergre me leaving society and illegal weapons within a peace process with the Colombian state. I did my voluntary surrender to authorities, procuratorates and judges. took more than six years deprived of liberty where each answer for crimes committed during my membership in illegality. I wish to bring a message of peace to children and youth so that they never incorporated into these illegal armed. can learn more about me on the website and email www.pocurandounperdon.com jair@procurandounperdon.com.
I am a veteran Colombian that for six years I was part efforts to undertake illegal armed Colombia known as the AUC. reintergre me leaving society and illegal weapons within a peace process with the Colombian state. I did my voluntary surrender to authorities, procuratorates and judges. took more than six years deprived of liberty where each answer for crimes committed during my membership in illegality. I wish to bring a message of peace to children and youth so that they never incorporated into these illegal armed. can learn more about me on the website and email www.pocurandounperdon.com jair@procurandounperdon.com.
I am a veteran Colombian that for six years I was part efforts to undertake illegal armed Colombia known as the AUC. reintergre me leaving society and illegal weapons within a peace process with the Colombian state. I did my voluntary surrender to authorities, procuratorates and judges. took more than six years deprived of liberty where each answer for crimes committed during my membership in illegality. I wish to bring a message of peace to children and youth so that they never incorporated into these illegal armed. can learn more about me on the website and email www.pocurandounperdon.com jair@procurandounperdon.com.
I'm sitting in a classroom in Detroit, Michigan, at a conference of people talking about media and how we can use it to make the world a better place. The people from Between the Bars are here talking to us about the site and the bloggers who use it, and they gave us some time to sit and read people's posts. I found your posts and thought I would say hello.
I was struck that you mentioned feeding the birds, just after a post in which you mention how hungry you yourself are. I have been thinking that I should get a birdfeeder to stick on my window at my apartment, and I think you have inspired me to finally do that. If you can use your scarce resources to feed the birds, I probably should too.
I also worry a lot about the changes in our climate, the melting ice caps and the implications for future generations. I heard on the radio today that there are big rainstorms in India right now, with floods that are destroying rural communities, and the rains are unseasonably heavy. I think that's probably the new normal. I wonder if you get to go outside in the rain ever, in prison. Or are you mostly stuck inside if the weather is bad? I know I'm often annoyed when I get caught in a rainstorm, but if I could never feel the rain again I know I'd miss it.
It's strange writing to someone I don't know, but I hope this letter finds you well. It's really interesting to see this tiny window into the life of someone incarcerated.
RSS
With over 700,000 people being released from incarceration every year in this country, it is in our best interest that we provide these individuals with programs to help them with their eventual transition from prison to mainstream society.
I am reluctant to characterize the release of formerly incarcerated citizens into the societal mainstream as "re-entry" given that many of the people in our prison system were never part of conventional society in any meaningful way prior to being sentenced to prison.
Providing education and teaching vocational skills to those serving prison sentences not only makes the offender a better person through a structured personal commitment to self-improvement, it offers him upon his release at least some chance to obtain lawful employment and to potentially become a productive engaged member of his community,granting him a "stake" in broader society that he likely as a self-identified outsider felt he previously lacked.
Given the record number of people in the United States leaving prison annually, we cannot afford to effectively exile the formerly incarcerated from larger society or relegate them to the periphery of the predominant culture without dangerously weakening the political stability and social cohesion of the entire nation.
Formerly incarcerated citizens who have served their sentence, who have paid their debt to society, and who are genuinely trying to walk the right path deserve a fair shot to derive the full benefits conferred upon all members of society, including the opportunity to become engaged in gainful employment. This is not a "boundless sense of entitlement" on the part of Daniel Labbe and other formerly incarcerated it is a reasonable expectation of equitable treatment which they have earned by doing their time and making an honest commitment to reform themselves.
It is in the enlightened self-interest of the community into which the recently imprisoned person is returned, and in a broader context, the country as a whole that the newly released be assisted in changing his course in life. This means not only telling him that this change is possible through banal sloganeering but must include practical instruction on how to make it actually happen.
I'm sitting in a classroom in Detroit, Michigan, at a conference of people talking about media and how we can use it to make the world a better place. The people from Between the Bars are here talking to us about the site and the bloggers who use it, and they gave us some time to sit and read people's posts. I found your posts and thought I would say hello.
I was struck that you mentioned feeding the birds, just after a post in which you mention how hungry you yourself are. I have been thinking that I should get a birdfeeder to stick on my window at my apartment, and I think you have inspired me to finally do that. If you can use your scarce resources to feed the birds, I probably should too.
I also worry a lot about the changes in our climate, the melting ice caps and the implications for future generations. I heard on the radio today that there are big rainstorms in India right now, with floods that are destroying rural communities, and the rains are unseasonably heavy. I think that's probably the new normal. I wonder if you get to go outside in the rain ever, in prison. Or are you mostly stuck inside if the weather is bad? I know I'm often annoyed when I get caught in a rainstorm, but if I could never feel the rain again I know I'd miss it.
It's strange writing to someone I don't know, but I hope this letter finds you well. It's really interesting to see this tiny window into the life of someone incarcerated.
Best,
Kat