Gary Field
DC#M05398
Century CI
Century, FL 32535
E1-103

12/8/13

Greetings and solidarity!

By now, many people are aware that we have a "prison problem" in this country. With only 5% of the world's population, we have over 25% of its inmates (approx 2.4 million many will also acknowledge that our "rankings" among industrialized nation fall short academically--some admit that we have an 'educaiton problem'

I submit that when 75% of our 2.4 million inmates are DROP OUTS it's time that we stop thinking of incarceration and education as separate problem--I address this issue in my essay "raising the bar," which explores the relationship between education and incarceration. (It was included in one of my first 'posts' to between the bars--www.betweenthebars.org/blog/1398

In addition to the 2.4 million inmates in this nation, we also have 5 to 7 million who are currently on some form of parole, probation, or community control. According to the US Dept of Justice statistics, another 7 to 9 million Americans are currently cycling through local and county jails--rather than a college degree, many will graduate from misdemeanors to felony degrees (1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree felonies) and wind up in prison.

90% of America's 2.4 million inmates will eventually be released (at the current rate of about 700,000 a year!) The recidivism rate (The rate at which released inmates are re-arrested) is about 40% nationally. However, in some communities it is an astronomical 80 to 90%!

Some pockets of poverty are so deep that change is hard to find.

In the coming weeks I would like to begin sharing posts which spot light people, groups and organizations who are attempting to make a difference--I'll begin with the efforts of a remarkable man who volunteers his time, talent and energies--A 501(c)3: Unity in the Family Ministry
Dr. Calvin Aranis
www.unityinthefamilyministry.com