Education for Prisoners

Recently the Obama Administration announced a plan to restore access to Pell grants for prisoners in a limited capacity. Recent research conducted by the RAND Corporation (2013) has shown a positive correlation between college education or job training and reduced recidivism (re-offense rates). The more education a prisoner receives while incarcerated, the less likely he or she is to commit more crimes; up to 43% less likely! 

Of course, some object to prisoners having access to free college money when law-abiding citizens, by and large, must take out loans or work extra jobs to put their children through college. This is a valid concern and one I would have shared before coming to prison. However, if education reduces the likelihood of a convict returning to prison by 43% the taxpayers win in the long-run. 

Michigan's budget for the Department of Corrections is nearly $2 billion! Pell grants would allow prisoners access to less than $6,000 per year, and can only be used for college education. Prisoners will never have direct access to these funds. Furthermore, Michigan prisoners cost the taxpayers around $35,000 per year! A reduction in reincarceration rates as significant as this RAND study estimates could save the state significant money in the long run (a $4 to $5 return on every $1 invested). 

Legislation is currently pending in Congress to restore access to Pell grants to prisoners in a more complete way under the "Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) Act." Please ask your Congressional representative to support this important legislation. It's good for prisoners, and it's good for Michigan taxpayers.

Every Crime Has a Victim

Before coming to prison I was pretty ignorant about the law and crime in general. When you obey traffic laws, pay your taxes on time, and don't rob or kill people you don't think too much about crime. Unless of course you live around it all the time. Only after coming to prison did I begin to hear about "victim-less crimes." These would be property crimes, embezzlement, cheating on your taxes, drunk driving (no accident), etc. But doesn't all crime have a victim? If you break into a home and steal something, the homeowner is victimized. If you embezzle money, the business or organization is victimized and consequently the owners or beneficiaries. Tax cheats, while perhaps entitled to their own money, nevertheless break the law and cost other taxpayers money. Drunk drivers who don't hit anyone or anything fall into a broader category that all crimes fit into. The families who are disrupted and financially strained when their loved one goes to jail or prison are the victims. Every crime has a victim and unfortunately the impact is usually much broader than those who the crime was committed against. Most victims would like to see their perpetrator punished, and crime should be punished. But for many, both victim and perpetrator may benefit from restorative practices that are aimed at healing the hurt the victim experienced, and healing the brokenness of the perpetrator by humanizing the impact of their crime. The time for "lock 'em up and throw away the key" is over. Let's start focusing on healing so victims don't have to be victims forever and criminals who truly regret their crimes can be a part of restoring peace to their victims.