Monday, June 07, 2010

Reentry Task Force looking for input

Ana Correa of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and Vice Chair of the state's Reentry Task Force asked me to tell readers about a survey being conducted by the task force on which they're seeking community participation. She writes:
Hello,

I hope you are doing well. Below is a link to a survey created by the Community Re-entry Working Group of the Statewide Reentry Task Force, Chaired by Commissioner Roy C. Brooks of Tarrant County and Vice-Chaired by Ana Yáñez-Correa, Executive Director of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. A primary objective of the working group is to identify barriers that impact individuals’ successful re-entry into Texas communities from local or state correctional facilities, specifically including the following:

• statutory barriers
• regulatory barriers
• programmatic barriers
• resource barriers
• implementation barriers

It is very important that we gather feedback from professional service providers, agency staff, and others who have experience with reentry issues in Texas.

We would greatly appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey. Your valuable feedback will help the work of the Reentry Task Force and policy-makers from key legislative committees determine ways to make your job easier and more efficient, as well as to identify ways to reduce the barriers of reentry.

Here is a link to the survey, please share the link with other interested parties, including co-workers: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N8T6RW7

Thanks for your participation!
Those interested in reentry subjects should take a few minutes to share your opinions.

9 comments:

TDCJEX said...

The survey does not ask the one group who can provide them with the most useful answers . Ex convicts . I found it odd they asked about providing religious services. Those are easy to get. Just go to what ever place of worship yopu desire . Often they come to you.

A lot of the barriers is the fact that most employers will not hire any one who has a record period . That any conviction is a life sentence and no matter what you do you are never going to be seen as fully human by a good percentage of society hell you could cure cancer and still not be good enough The bottom line is the barriers are mostly political and social . Many of the others can be solved before a person is free from the states control or custody .


They ask are the current laws that prevent you from helping individuals re enter the community There are a few but most of them apply to the ex convict such as what jobs that can and and if they are as ex offender where they can live and who they can live with . Sometime a person on parole cannot go home because the only person they can go home to has a felony conviction and most conditions of parole say you do not live with or associate with a convicted felon . If I wanted to hire a parolee I could not! That is based on the false assumption That somehow any one with a felon is irredeemable and cannot ever do anything worthwhile and of course is going to re offend as soon as they so much as meet another person who has been convicted. Often the only people who will hire or have anything to do with a ex convict is another ex convict . Which is part of why it is very difficult for anyone to reenter society in the first place .? Almost every state has some law that prevents any one with a criminal history misdemeanor or felony form working in many fields . If you have drug conviction of any sort you can give up on college or any education beyond high school .

Most barriers are reactionary catch 22 laws and the overall misconceptions about ex convicts in society I don't care what any one says once you are convicted it is a life sentence and most of society has deiced you are now useless and less than human . We do not believe in second chances we want revenge and want some one to suffer .As one disturbed person said a few hearing about a child crying when her father was executed The said some along the lines good now she knows how we feel . What society really wants is that some one else suffers and hurts because they do do, no matter how petty the offense or the circumstance , that is never going to change . in my lifetime . Judging by the anonymous troll who to takes great pleasure at human suffering misery and tragedy . Now if the would just be brave and honest why not say it you want revenge you want others to hurt and suffer and enjoy it. Why not be brave and attach your real name and that of your organization to the insults and offensive remarks

Anonymous said...

Ex, my husband is on the task force. He is talking to parolees and parole officers as well. I, personally am working to get started a clothing bank for those coming out on parole in our rural area. My husband is genuinely interested and wants to see this task force be a help to parolees and I hope I can help him succeed in his endeavor. If you can give me some ideas, I will gladly pass them on to him.
I don't know how serious the other members are, but my husband is determined to try and make a difference.

txskn54 said...

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. I have a son, feloney conviction that was dismissed, still on his background report, it's been a year and no one will hire him. I read everyday of felons that CANNOT find a job. Until employers start giving them a chance, they are going to go right back to prison, where they get a roof over there heads and 3 meals a day. Many are living on the streets now. I have a 55 year old brother up for parole next year. Whos is going to hire an felon, 11 years in prison, 55 years old? NOBODY. Nobody will give them a chance

TDCJEX said...

Anon 11:38 I meant to reply to you but got cuaght up in a few things . I would like to give you and any one interested a worth while list of ideas .My guess is it will be fairly long and I will set of more than one reactionary troll .

BTW I understand why you might choose to be anonymous

Anonymous said...

How can we talk ex? That would be great. Jobs area huge concern.

Anonymous said...

ex, do you know anyone from wilco (a lady), i think we may have a mutual friend.

TDCJEX said...

HI No I do not think I know any one from Wilco but I could be wrong on that But that does not mean I do not know your friend . If do know a few people out of Smith county and Bexar county .

I would love to talk with you . I had passed I wish this blog platform had a way of sending messages . I ended up with a good 10,000 word document .
I have so many ideas such as not revoking on a technical violations , letting ex con live with or hire a parolees , easier interstate paroles , allowing travel and being able to attend college in other states

Getting prisoners ready for the freeworld before they are released by voting earlier and setting release date a year in advance so they can be sent increasingly less restrictive g housing periodic reviews of every parole eligible person ot see if they can be paroled sooner, Change the classification rules and regulations so anyone who shows good behavior and does what they can do to change Their lives . Helping single mothers and fathers many women are single mothers .

Giving good time back to count towards release as well as when you can be eligible for parole. As of now y good times might help some prisoners become eligible earlier but not all . That does not give them a incentive to do a thing Parole should be based on what you do after you are convicted not what yo u did to get convicted


They should have a drivers license Social security card and other documents when they leave be it maxing out or parole . It is very easy and no tat all expensive. In fact every thing I suggest is less expensive unfortunately that is what wil sell any reform

Having who ever picks them up know what they will need ie cloths getting a prepaid cellphone as they will need it , Letting prisoners set up a bank account work with a person in the freeworld do these things this should be done on assignment to where ever it is they are going . Seeing up a debit / checking count so they can learn to be financially responsible this would mean paying them and or allowing them to earn a income


But all of this is not any good if no one will hire you with a conviction . Getting rid of the “box “ for most jobs .obviously predatory sex offenders are in a whole different category along with serial killers who make up a very small number of prisoners .They can be held humanely for life , the rest give them a chance based on more tht nature of offense and allow for a retroactively different sentencing. People might be surprised if a person know that they if I do A,B,C,D and I can get out and then if I do E,F,G etc and so on I can discharge They will respond . Most people know when a sentence does not fit a crime and few crimes are what they are “officially “ alleged to have done .

I also would like to see there reconciliation program return This would surprised at just how many prisoners would like to talk to their victims and say they are sorry not because they got caught but because most know they harmed some one . That might do more for all involved than the current revenge system . I hope that helps I can think of a lot more .

Is your friend a attoney ?

Anonymous said...

ex, i am sticking myself out on the proverbial limb. you can get hold of me through texas voices
www.txvoices.com. leave an email and they will contact me and i will get back to you. i hope someone can and will delete this email after you see it. ty

TDCJex said...

HI Ihave you addy saved and if Scott could delt4e that it will be greatly appreciated . TYfor taking a risk