BY THOMAS A. FERRERA AND PAUL MIYAMOTO SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE.
JUNE 27, 2020. Sacbee.com
Amid the sweeping responses to the coronavirus pandemic is the release of thousands of prisoners across California. With these releases, the issue of prisoner reentry takes on a new urgency. Now, more than ever, we need critical support for programs addressing the steep challenges facing people coming out of the system and restarting their lives.
The dimensions of the problem are clear. With coronavirus straining vital post-prison services, former inmates have few places to turn for help. In much of California, these folks have zero protection against housing discrimination and are ineligible for food stamps. Many will return to their same neighborhoods, often jobless, without a place to live and lacking the basic skills they need to be self-sufficient. Without resources, few will receive any help in turning their lives around.
Reentry and education programs benefit everyone – the formerly incarcerated, our local communities and peace officers working the streets. Our communities and California’s economy all benefit when formerly incarcerated individuals achieve their independence and lead healthy, responsible, crime-free lives.
We know from experience that education is the best second chance for inmates. Prison education and transition programs are a critical first step in the process of building a self-sufficient life post-release. Approximately 60 percent of inmates lack a high school diploma. Education in prison reduces recidivism, saves taxpayer money and is a powerful tool to deter re-offending. A major study by the RAND Corp. found taking classes in prison cuts the potential chances of recidivism by 43 percent. A solid education opens up doors of opportunity and the freedom to fully engage with the world.
In the jails and probation systems we run as sheriffs, Five Keys Schools and Programs are the primary resource for incarcerated and recently released adults seeking a high school diploma and workforce training. Five Keys and other prison education programs are tailored to work within the complex environment of a jail and focus on the needs of students living in, and exiting from, the criminal justice system. By providing a basic education in our jails, we are dramatically reducing the chance we see these folks in our system again.