IS OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WORKING?

Feb 29, 2012 by Steve Whytman - Optimal Potentials Coach

IS  OUR CRIMINAL  JUSTICE  SYSTEM  WORKING?

Irene R. Morgan – founder Whatcom County Re-Entry Coalition

As I continue to work with the under served and disadvantaged I am always reminded how wasteful our society is.  We waste our time, our money, our resources, and the human potential of others.

Our Law and Justice and prison system is completely broken.  Whatcom County spends 70% of our County’s budget on Law and Justice.  We arrest and jail the homeless for surviving in often brutal conditions.  We arrest and jail our mentally ill because we have not yet developed alternative programs and housing for them.  We arrest and jail our drug and alcohol addicted citizens which keeps them in a merry-go-round of court dates, fines, and dysfunction.  The courts are plugged with massive numbers of cases that mostly end with plea bargins that serve no one except the court system.  Folks are caught in a spiral that takes a toll on many who finally give up when they see no end to their dilemma.

80% of our prisoners are non-violent.  We could send folks to treatment for long periods of time for the cost of incarceration – $36 to $50,000 per year.  There are many ways to rehabilitate and educate that are much more cost effective than incarceration.  40% of our prisoners are illiterate with 2^nd grade education.  Let’s educate them so they can be functional and contributing members of our society.  Often they don’t know how to work – they have had no roll models.  It’s my belief that when people know better, they do better.  When functional literacy and life and work skills are part of a program, they blossom and grow and build self confidence.

Did you know that in the last 30 years in the United States our population has grown 35% and our prison population has ballooned 293% and our prisons have increased by 300%?  Does this seem out of balance?   What kind of ‘industry’ is this?  Private prisons are in almost every state.  It is a mega-corporation industry and are traded on the stock market.

Our prisons are filled with people of color and lower economic whites.  It becomes a debtors prison, with fines and interest compounding with every return to the system.

We have talked with many of the public officials and folks that run ‘the system’.  They all know it is not working and is broken, but few have solutions or ideas to remedy the problem.  Below is our vision and solution.

 RE-STORE  A  LIFE  CENTER

 Founder, Irene Morgan envisions a three pronged center fashioned after Delancy Street in San Francisco, CA.  The program would be at least two years in duration enabling folks to truly  change their habits and become functioning members of our society.

• Housing is the first component, for we believe healing cannot begin until a person feels safe, warm and fed.
• Employment, training or education is the second element, as one must be able to work to support themselves and their family.  We will run businesses so there is opportunity to learn on the job skills for some folks have never worked.  With 40% illiterate basic education will be needed.
• Our third aspect is a Recovery Center for those who are addicted and ill.  There will be the medical model along with alternative modalities for wellness.

We are seeking funding and location for this project.  If you have interest or ideas please contact us.  For more information go to our website –  www.whatcomrec.org