It’s one of the more common occurrences for Amicus staff or volunteers.
When someone hears about the type of work we do at Amicus, a look comes over his or her face as they decide whether to bring something up. Then their voice often lowers and they look a little embarrassed as they speak about their relative or friend who’s either serving time in a correctional facility or is having a hard time getting their life together after being released. The closer the friend or relative is, the more pain is involved as they relate the story and ask if there’s anything we can do to help.
More often than not, the answer from Amicus is yes. If we can’t help directly, we can usually refer the person to another organization which will be able to, so it’s good to see the tense look on our friends’ faces change into something resembling relief.
We’re glad to help of course but the interaction is also troubling in that it points to some thoughtless public attitudes.
I want to tell those who are asking about our resources that there is no reason to feel alone in their concerns. The United States of America jails more of its citizens per capita than any other society in the world. According to the Pew Center on the States, more than 1 out of every 100 American adults is now confined in prison. One in 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 are incarcerated and one in nine black males in that age group are behind bars.
When one looks at those statistics isn’t it safe to assume that most of us have at least one friend, former co-worker or relative who is currently incarcerated? Rather than feeling shame for being associated with someone in that position, I wish those seeking our help could feel a little pride in the fact that they’re one of the relatively few people who haven’t abandoned the 1.6 million Americans currently in prison.
Amicus is beginning to work with a support group for family members of those in prison and we recognize this as a place where much progress could be made.
If we get past the stigma, I think people would be amazed at how much mutual support there would be for the family members and friends of those incarcerated. Maybe then we’d be able to look each other in the eye and ask ourselves not what’s wrong with our families, but rather, how can we support each other, as those we love do the hard work necessary to change their lives.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The least of these…
And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me. – Matthew 25:40
Warning that Minnesotans are facing a time of "pain and sacrifice," Governor Pawlenty and other state officials said they would slash state spending and rethink the role of government in the aftermath of a $5.2 billion deficit over the next two and a half years.
Accompanying the article about the state deficit and public official’s response, the StarTribune posted a survey asking readers, “Where would you make budget cuts to help reduce the state’s deficit?”
After 5718 responses, the top candidate for cutting in readers’ minds was, not surprisingly, “prisons.”
It’s understandable that given a choice between cutting funding to health care or schools and cutting funding to prisons, citizens would choose the latter, but the response and even the wording of the question pointed out an intellectual disconnection which we need to address.
Many taxpayers seem to believe that in tight budget times the choice is between funding one’s family or children and funding some faceless felon locked behind bars that good community minded folks will never see. That’s a false choice.
In 2006 the state of Minnesota had about 17,000 people incarcerated in jails and state and federal correctional facilities. At the same time, over 130,000 other “lawbreakers” are on parole or probation, living and working in our communities. Corrections in Minnesota is not and never has been a “lock em up and throw away the key” operation.
If we are going to cut funding to prisons, let’s take a new look at our sentencing guidelines to see if we can reduce the number of people we incarcerate. Our prisons should be a last resort for those who are too dangerous to live among us. Over the years, sentencing guidelines have wrapped the prison system’s arms around people who could be supervised successfully in the community. As we take a new look at the role of government, let’s also take a new look at our relationship with one another. Let’s not incarcerate more than we have to and when we do have to, let’s make sure that we do everything we can to prepare the those in correctional facilities for their eventual return to the community.
As the bible says, those incarcerated are truly “the least of these my brothers.” And during tough times, families ought to stick together.
Warning that Minnesotans are facing a time of "pain and sacrifice," Governor Pawlenty and other state officials said they would slash state spending and rethink the role of government in the aftermath of a $5.2 billion deficit over the next two and a half years.
Accompanying the article about the state deficit and public official’s response, the StarTribune posted a survey asking readers, “Where would you make budget cuts to help reduce the state’s deficit?”
After 5718 responses, the top candidate for cutting in readers’ minds was, not surprisingly, “prisons.”
It’s understandable that given a choice between cutting funding to health care or schools and cutting funding to prisons, citizens would choose the latter, but the response and even the wording of the question pointed out an intellectual disconnection which we need to address.
Many taxpayers seem to believe that in tight budget times the choice is between funding one’s family or children and funding some faceless felon locked behind bars that good community minded folks will never see. That’s a false choice.
In 2006 the state of Minnesota had about 17,000 people incarcerated in jails and state and federal correctional facilities. At the same time, over 130,000 other “lawbreakers” are on parole or probation, living and working in our communities. Corrections in Minnesota is not and never has been a “lock em up and throw away the key” operation.
If we are going to cut funding to prisons, let’s take a new look at our sentencing guidelines to see if we can reduce the number of people we incarcerate. Our prisons should be a last resort for those who are too dangerous to live among us. Over the years, sentencing guidelines have wrapped the prison system’s arms around people who could be supervised successfully in the community. As we take a new look at the role of government, let’s also take a new look at our relationship with one another. Let’s not incarcerate more than we have to and when we do have to, let’s make sure that we do everything we can to prepare the those in correctional facilities for their eventual return to the community.
As the bible says, those incarcerated are truly “the least of these my brothers.” And during tough times, families ought to stick together.
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