Prisoner Reentry And The Black Church Community

William Edward Anderson President/CEO

The Vision Catalyst Group Copyright 2006

The Transition of PrisonersA Current Crisis;

A Cultural Imperative;

An Obligation of the Church



Analyzing the Scope of the Prisoner Problem

2,200,000 + prisoners in the U.S. 774,000 in 1990 US largest incarcerating

nation in world 7,000,000 + under

“Correctional Supervision” 3.2 million in 1990

Recidivism at a rate of nearly 70%



The Cultural Impact: The Exodus African Americans represent 12.7% of the national population,

yet 48.2% of the national prison population1

1 out of every 8 black men between the ages of 25 and 29 is incarcerated on any given day2

Over 700,000 (33%)of those in prison are black men between the ages of 25 and 39 years6

About 1 in 3 black men will go to prison in their lifetime as opposed to 1 in 6 Hispanic men and 1 in 17 white men3

African American males are incarcerated at more than 6 times the rate of white males4

Although White youth sell and use drugs at the same or higher rates as youth of color Black and Latino youth are arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned at dramatically higher rates for drug crimes.

In 1980, 14.5% of all juvenile drug arrests were Black youth; by 1990, Black youth constituted 48.8% of juvenile drug arrests

Among young people incarcerated in juvenile facilities for the first time on a drug charge, the rate of commitment among Black youth is 48 times that of Whites

While the rate of young Whites being sent to prison for drug offenses from 1986-1996 doubled, the comparable Black rate increased six-fold



The Cultural Impact: The Return Over 630,000 inmates will return from incarceration to communities within the next 12

months Over 80% of all inmates return to the nations largest 25 urban centers About 44% of black inmates returning from prison have not graduated from High School. The majority of inmates leave prison with no savings, no immediate entitlement to

unemployment benefits, and few job prospects. One year after release as many as 60% of former inmates are not employed in the legitimate labor market.

More than 1.4 million African-American men (out of a total population of roughly 10 .4 million) are unable to vote due to a past felony conviction.That’s more than the combined population of every Black male and female living in Atlanta; Cleveland; Boston; Miami; Phoenix; St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond Va.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Louisville, Ky.; and San Diego and Sacramento, Calif.5

“Mass influx in inner city communities of returning parolees can breakdown the cohesion in socially disorganized communities…Moral authority is increasingly vested in “street smart” young men for whom drugs and crime are a way of life. Attitudes, behaviors and lessons learned in prison are transmitted to free society…as family caretakers and role models disappear or decline in influence and as unemployment and poverty become more persistent, the community, particularly its children, become more vulnerable to a variety of social ills, including crime, drugs, family disorganization, generalized demoralization, and unemployment” 7



Why the Crisis…?



Two More Critical Factors… From 1995 to 2001 the average time spent in

prison rose by 30% “An examination in the rise in imprisonment from

1992 to 2001 concluded that the entire increase was as a result of changes in sentencing policy and practice.” (JC Karberg and AJ Beck, “Trends in U.S. Correctional Populations: Findings from the Bureau of Justice Statistics”, presented at the National Committee on Corrections, Washington DC, April 16, 2004.)



Measuring the Impact… States spent over $29 billion on Prison

operation in 2001. Does not count the cost of Law Enforcement, the

Judicial system, and other hard and soft costs

This equates to a cost of $134.00 annually to every single American

The average cost per inmate nationally is $22,650.00



Measuring the Impact…

The social cost to communities, families and individual lives is literally incalculable!



Discussion Points National Response; .what’s driving it? National Shape of Reentry

Presidential Notice- State of the Union in 2004 (Children of Incarcerated Parents) and 2005 (Prisoner Reentry) 11/21/06 - Senate Moves Closer to Passing Second Chance Act

On Thursday the Senate came closer to passing the Second Chance Act as members of Congress returned to Washington for the "lame duck" session to elect leadership for the newly controlled Democratic House and Senate.

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) led the effort to queue up the measure for a vote. The renewed interest in the bill better positions the Second Chance Act for a vote in early December when Members return to work on the federal spending bills and other unfinished business.

House leaders have committed to act on the legislation if the Senate is successful. If the bill is not passed during the lame duck session, bill sponsors plan to reintroduce the measure in the 110th Congress.

The Second Chance Act is the first piece of comprehensive legislation to address multiple challenges related to the return of incarcerated persons from prisons to their communities. Despite the many partisan battles in the 109th Congress, particularly related to Judiciary issues, the Second Chance Act was authored with bipartisan cooperation in both chambers. The Second Chance Act is supported by over 200 organizations and enjoys broad bipartisan support, with 113 cosponsors in the House and 34 cosponsors in the Senate.

State Council of Governments-Formation of Reentry Councils in each state www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry



Discussion Points Policy vs.. Programs

Are we treating the symptoms without addressing the root causes?

Sentencing Laws Treatment vs. Incarceration, Community Front End Investment Housing Policy, Aid Policy, Educational Policy Voting and Civil Rights…Double Jeopardy?



Discussion Points Programs as well as Policy Transition vs. Reentry Continuum of Care Communities of Care The Church’s Role



P & PIssues

MoneyMgmt

D & ACounseling

Mental/PhysicalHealth

Education

LifeSkills

Employ-mentPersonal/Family

Counseling

SpiritualGrowth

JobTraining

LegalIssues

Friends

TimeMgmt

LeisureTime

FoodHousingClothing

ReleasedInmate

Travel/Trans

The Prisoner & His Family



The Transformation…

Transformed mind: to believe as Jesus did

Transformed character: to live as Jesus did

Transformed relationships: to love as Jesus did

Transformed service: to minister as Jesus did

Transformed influence: to lead as Jesus did

Reconciliation with God and others



Hidden Factors…New Paradigms to Explore



“Where there is no Vision, the people perish”

William Edward Anderson

President /CEOThe Vision Catalyst Group

2040 S. Alma School Rd Suite #1-207Chandler AZ 85286

(480) 899-9624 phone/[email protected]

Executive DirectorPrison Fellowship Arizona

[email protected]



Footnotes and References1. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin Mid Year 19992. The Sentencing Project; “New Incarceration Figures: 33 Years of

Consecutive Growth”, pg 3, 2005 3. TP Bonczar, Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report Prevalence of

Imprisonment in the U.S. Population, 1974-2001 (Washington DC: 2003) NCJ 197976

4. Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, People of Color and the Prison Industrial Complex-Facts and Figures, 2006

5. American Indicators: Civil Liberties, Crime & DrugsRoad signs compiled by the Progressive Review (2006)

6. PM Harrison and JC Karberg, Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin: Prison and Jail Inmates at Mid-Year 2002, (Washington DC, April 2003), NCJ 198877

7. Elijah Anderson, sociologist, Streetwise: Race, Class and Change in an Urban Community, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1990

Prisoner Reentry And The Black Church Community

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