RECIDIVISM: Who's Problem Is It?

Recidivism is a very real problem in today's society of two million prisoners. However, if you look at the data, most ex-prisoners are not going back for committing new crimes on their communities: They are going back for breaking one of the myriad of laws and rules they must follow for their years of probation.

As you might know I've been following Lakeith Amir-Sharif since his release from prison. He is a very articulate young man and is willing to let us look into his life to help society understand that, without their help, recidivism rates are going to remain very high.

Sharif was a Florida prisoner who served his time (9 years) for a non-violent drug offense he committed over 10 years ago.

Sharif was not released on parole nor probation: He paid off some serious debt during his nine years in a very brutal system and got out a year ago.

He has allowed me to share his ongoing 'epic adventure' as he tries to reintegrate with society. The journey is chronicled
at http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/prison/sharif.html

Sharif's major problem during the year of his 'freedom' has been a job. No one wants to hire a felon except people who pay minimum wage, which just isn't enough to meet obligations.

Sharif has not turned to crime, even though times have
gotten pretty rough, even though the drug war has made
that line of work very lucrative.

Recently, as a result of his efforts to stay on the straight
and narrow, Sharif has been homelessly pursuing gainful employment. Many of his readers have tried to help with letters of referral and have asked for this update.

The latest adventure began in Dallas last week during a visit with the mother of his children. Their voices were raised in anger and stress over lack of money, and the cops came. They asked the lady if Sharif had hit her. She said "No, but the week before Christmas, he pushed me aside as he went out the door."

So they arrested him in true Dallas style; a little too rough, ears deaf to the situation, and placed way too many charges on him. He's out now, and has entered college. But the multitude of charges levied on him as a result of the domestic disturbance are haunting him.

Sharif wants me to let the public know that in the general population cell there were 9 men there for 'domestic incidence'. They have all been there between four months and seven months waiting to see a judge on charges that wouldn't hold them that long if they had been already found guilty.

And the taxpayers are paying for that mess.

Sharif's prison misadventures, his efforts since release and his wonderful poetry are all chronicled at at http://www.angelfire.com/fl5/sharif

And he has helped us begin the Ex-Prisoners' Resource Page at MTWT: http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/prison/exresource.html

If you have any Florida ex-prisoner's resources not included on Sharif's page, please let us know about them for inclusion.
There is far too little help for the people trying to recover from a system gone haywire.

Kay Lee
Making The Walls Transparent
http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/starke

Kay Lee,

RE Your Point: Recidivism is a very real problem in today's society of two million prisoners. However, if you look at the data, most ex-prisoners are not going back for committing new crimes on their communities: They are going back for breaking one of the myriad of laws and rules they must follow for their years of probation.

In my mind, recidivism is almost an Industry created by the correctional system to keep the system humming along. I am appalled at the stats and the number of people being returned to prison for technical parole violations or exactly as stated in this post.

Who is responsible to ensure that recidivism rates are reduced? This is a tough question and the answer has roots in almost every corner of the prison system.

If we properly prepared Prisoners for release - what is that called, rehabilitation? If we gave them educational programs and resume writiing/job search skills, and a faint hope of finding employment then perhaps we would not be asking this question. What is the prison system doing to create jobs for recently released Prisoners?

When you read some articles that mention that long term Prisoners are released at often odd hours of the day and night armed with only a bus ticket and a hundred dollars... No home to go to, no job, no money, no ID in many cases, is there any wonder that they may reoffend? What has the system done to prepare or even give one of these people a fighting chance?

Even the most prepared with loving family, partners, and friends are going to have a tough go of it. Imagine what a long term Prisoner is going to go through when they don't have the luxury of family and friends supporting them? Where do they go on a hundred bucks when they don't even have a place to stay? What choice do you have in this circumstance? Depression and feelings of uselessness all lead back to a better life inside... Scary!

What I never understand is that at the cost of housing one Prisoner for a year, we have ENDLESS amounts of money to lock someone up the first time, the second time, and the third time, but no money to keep them out!

If I offend today, the system will find the money to push me through and into the prison system, but money is nowhere to be found to keep me out. Staggering!

We should be fighting the system to create programs to reduce recidivism, but for now I believe that this job is in my hands and your hands. It is our responsibility to understand the high rate of recidivism, what the potential triggers are and to create individual plans for our loved ones that they have a chance.

I could go on, but will leave it here as food for thought!

My prayers go out to Sharif!