Pataki's decision to trade large grants of donated land for expanded access
to developers was a complete sell out.
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The issue that I would like to explain to you though, is the reintegration
of felons into their communities. As you are probably aware recidivism is a
major issue in criminal justice. Men return to their neighborhoods after
long bits without any personal funds, no support and find themselves ignored
and with very limited prospects. The volatile mix of personal indiscipline,
temptation and social circumstances which set them into criminality
originally reasserts itself and many men succumb, commit heinous new crimes,
are apprehended, convicted and re-incarcerated.
The Department of Correction (DOC) could do much better. California has
developed a plan in which prisoners nearing the end of their bits are
required to begin release planning. This consists of a) describing the
conditions that lead to their offense and how they will deal with them
better; b) describing their social network and affirmatively planning their
living situation upon release; c) detailing a plan for education or
employment upon release and beginning the paper process necessary to
implement the plan. These three simple measures are part of an in house
disciplinary program. That is to say, only prisoners displaying exemplary
behavior in prison may participate. The program has been successful in
helping to improve prison discipline, in helping prisoners with the
extremely difficult emotional adjustments to release, gives the prisoners
and their families outside hope and since the program is operated by
existing staff it costs very little money. One can also imagine that
success stories of successful prisoner reintegration to society must also
have a tremendous positive effect on prison staff morale.
I like this program because it is humane and innovative, effectively
addresses a real need and does not require allocation of additional funds.
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