tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post668733469835461123..comments2024-03-15T05:45:01.402-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Transportation, Employment and Re-EntryGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-38467141772553096702008-02-08T22:06:00.000-06:002008-02-08T22:06:00.000-06:00Grits;There is a slight difference. Instead of aba...Grits;<BR/>There is a slight difference. Instead of abandoning the bike they bring it back to the bike library.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-67777449750982638582008-02-08T16:05:00.000-06:002008-02-08T16:05:00.000-06:00I must admit, mcmc, I bailed before the session wi...I must admit, mcmc, I bailed before the session with all the politicians. The missus has been down with the flu and needed me back home.<BR/><BR/>JSN, sounds like in practice there's not much difference between what you're talking about and just giving out refurbished bikes for free or cheap, like Judge Kent is doing in Tyler. Great idea!<BR/><BR/>BTW, I forgot to mention that, to shut up probationers who complained that riding a bike around town was too difficult, Judge Kent said took to riding a bike herself to the courthouse every day (I don't remember how far, but quite a distance) so she could legitimately tell them, "If I can do it at my age and station, you sure can." I admire that a lot: It's putting your money (and even your behind) where your mouth is in a way I don't see from a lot of jurists.<BR/><BR/>I still think it's one thing to require bike riding in Tyler, which I know from personal experience is accessible everywhere pretty easily by bike, but quite another to require it in Houston or the Metroplex, where it's really not a viable option in many cases.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-27494558486279234022008-02-08T14:12:00.000-06:002008-02-08T14:12:00.000-06:00mcmc -- if it takes listening to a little politica...mcmc -- if it takes listening to a little political grandstanding to get the issue out in the open and finally being talked about --- let them grandstand to their hearts contentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-70612389242118479992008-02-08T12:40:00.000-06:002008-02-08T12:40:00.000-06:00Anon 9:59They can keep the bike as long as they wa...Anon 9:59<BR/><BR/>They can keep the bike as long as they want. If they don't return it by the due date they own it at a cost of $10. Many people don't return the bike and the deposit money is used to buy parts. The last I heard they had about a $8,000 surplus. It is all volunteer labor the bikes are free and the city charges them $1 a year for rent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-12102847079824244662008-02-08T09:59:00.000-06:002008-02-08T09:59:00.000-06:00To jsn - about the bikes - the base problem is obv...To jsn - about the bikes - the base problem is obviously transportation. How are they supposed to get to the location to get the bike in the first place? And then get home after dropping off the bike? and as grits pointed out...most jobs are after hours, so what kind of hours is this bike thing? I am seriously doubting it is open at night...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-37203528885543321322008-02-08T09:57:00.000-06:002008-02-08T09:57:00.000-06:00WOW!! Grits - excellent article. That is my base a...WOW!! Grits - excellent article. That is my base and most passionate concern - someone goes to prison, gets no new skills/education, but is expected to pay an abundance of fines. However, no transportation or job is provided, or new skill. And as you also noted, it is difficult to find a job when they have a criminal background, regardless of whether or not it is violent.<BR/><BR/>STANDING OVATION GRITS! BRAVO!!<BR/><BR/>It is so nice and refreshing to see that those in higher positions of authority are actually coming to this realization! Now if something realistic and intelligent can actually be done about it....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-70767160103715784122008-02-08T09:03:00.000-06:002008-02-08T09:03:00.000-06:00Great presentation, Grits. You were the only spea...Great presentation, Grits. You were the only speaker in your group who stayed on topic and as a daily reader of your blog, it was good to put a face to the name. Overall, the symposium was very interesting and provided some useful contacts and information. I was concerned that there were no local (Travis County) reps from pretrial services there...they play a big part in local jail overcrowding and need to face that fact and play ball with the rest of us. I hope this becomes an annual event, as well. Was it just me or could anyone else have done without the political grandstanding at the end?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15407400002022199262008-02-08T08:48:00.000-06:002008-02-08T08:48:00.000-06:00The legal system is a cash cow in Texas. That sai...The legal system is a cash cow in Texas. That said I don't think the people in charge will do anything to hurt the cash flow. It is good to see there are a few people in Texas who see a problem with the criminal justice system in Texas. As things are now you have to do what is needed to survive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-42887566132982224492008-02-08T07:35:00.000-06:002008-02-08T07:35:00.000-06:00I find it interesting that criminal records are su...I find it interesting that criminal records are such a big problem in Florida that there are provisions for them on job applications that aren't used as a form of elimination for the many applicants for the few minimum wage style jobs. It also indicates an emergent labor shortage - that will only get worse when we "crack down" on illegal immigrants.JT Barriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15571868033521182864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-81325780555429081682008-02-08T06:19:00.000-06:002008-02-08T06:19:00.000-06:00We all know that Texas is the lock'em up state. Bu...We all know that Texas is the lock'em up state. But it's true that these people need a chance to improve their lives. Some will, some won't but we can't cast them all aside. The Florida law about requiring a person to reveal their incarceration on the 31st day of employment is an excellent idea, but perhaps thought should be given to extending it to 60 days or more. Sort of a probation period which gives employers more time to detemine the work ethics of a new employee. 31 days is a little short. I had an employee that started the job and had 3 deaths in the family in one month and because of this it would have been to determine in 31 ones whether or not they would be a keeper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-2564994804359224202008-02-08T00:18:00.000-06:002008-02-08T00:18:00.000-06:00There has to be something done about the ridiculou...There has to be something done about the ridiculous sentencing policies in this state.<BR/> When you lock up a person for five or more years and put them out on the street with the same skills they went into prison with, stealing, selling drugs. What job will they qualify for when they get out.<BR/> <BR/> Job training and education requirements should be part of every sentence. The Justice Department statistics show these programs reduce recidivism.<BR/><BR/> Maybe judges and prosecutors are more worried about having a job than having a better community.Ej jolivethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04576280088017418632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54253491499901348612008-02-08T00:17:00.000-06:002008-02-08T00:17:00.000-06:00It is refreshing to know topics related to success...It is refreshing to know topics related to successful re-entry are being discussed.<BR/><BR/>I hope the politicians are listening. I also hope the politicians aren't afraid of being considered soft on crime for listening!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-36754791311589850482008-02-07T20:41:00.000-06:002008-02-07T20:41:00.000-06:00this post is to funny.this post is to funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79050263049719037372008-02-07T20:37:00.000-06:002008-02-07T20:37:00.000-06:00The point made about transportation is very true.....The point made about transportation is very true...When I got out of TDCJ, it wasn't until I got a pickup truck that I was able to get a job. Using the buses to get around Houston is doable, but it definitely limits where a person can work and what hours he can work. It's also true that I had to turn down a couple of jobs because even though they were close to a bus line, the hours were late-night, after the bus service had ended.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-10172962790843499862008-02-07T20:10:00.000-06:002008-02-07T20:10:00.000-06:00We have a bike library that is very popular. The p...We have a bike library that is very popular. The police recover a lot of bikes and they hold them for awhile (in case someone claims them). The bike library rebuilds the bikes (the city provides storage space in an old bus depot and work shop in a store front) and lends them on a first-come-first-served basis with a $10 deposit. If the bike is not returned they keep the $10.<BR/><BR/>We have lots of volunteers and bike borrowers and the city is happy because the bikes are better than cars from their point of view. The police are happy because they don't have to store and dispose of the bikes. <BR/><BR/>It could be that a bike library could work for parolees and probationers who are prohibited from driving.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com