Lately, I am hearing a lot about "Reentry Programs" for incarcerated persons who are being released from prisons. That's a wonderful thing to see. They are being connected with people and organizations that offer training in: employment skills; life skills; social skills; how to reunite with family and loved, and psychological counseling and so much more. Some are even providing transportation options to assist the returning individual in minimizing that particular obstacle when it comes to getting to work, checking in for parole, etc. These are great opportunities and blessings for those in need.
However, I am convinced that there would be excessively more people returning home from prison if they were allowed to get out! There are thousands of individuals still behind prison walls that deserve to be home and making positive contributions to their communities and families. I have concluded that the main issue with this is the lack of proper LEGAL REPRESENTATION. These incarcerated persons need legal help to: overturn excessive sentences; promote fair sentencing; address unfair mandatory minimums; fix the atrocious parole guidelines, which do NOT focus on rehabilitation as they claim, but more or keeping people warehoused and feeding the prison industrial complex, which is a billion dollar per year BUSINESS.
There is inadequate legal representation before during and after incarceration. Individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues are too often "represented" by attorneys who have no idea how to represent a person dealing with these challenges.
Once the person becomes property of the state, there is the consistent experience of excessive and unnecessary lockdowns; excessive heat, which leads to health problems; short tempers; fights, etc. Parents are overburdened with excessive costs to communicate with their incarcerated child and paying for tablets that the prison shuts off at will, while still charging for the use of it; the daily stress of wondering about basic human rights violations; the loss of their loved one's personal items when they are transferred from one prison to the other and more.
As a mother with a child in this horrendous system of modern-day slavery, I am appalled at how difficult it is to find someone with legal power to go up against the system. Very few want to be the David in this Goliath drama. They prefer to maintain the status quo rather than fight for the rights of incarcerated people and their families.
What a disgrace!