|
|
| Books may help inmates stay out of prison |
| By sfgate.com - Michelle Cale |
| Published: 06/07/2011 |
|
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a three-judge federal court order last month requiring California to reduce its prison population in two years. Each year, it costs taxpayers about $48,000 to keep a woman incarcerated in the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. And what do we get for our investment? Not rehabilitation. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 50 percent of women inmates released return to prison. We're missing an opportunity to help women to stay out of prison. Educating prisoners is one of the least expensive ways to reduce the likelihood that people will return. A 2005 report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy cites numerous studies showing how education reduces recidivism. In May last year, I visited CCWF with other members of the Women's Foundation of California and the Women Donors Network. We met with incarcerated mothers -- women who were in prison for just a short time, and women who were there for life. We talked to them about their families, the conditions inside the prison, their frustrations and hopes. Most acknowledged responsibility for the mistakes and poor choices that led to their convictions. At the same time, they expressed great hopes for the future, especially their children and families. These women want to be reunited with their kids and break out of the cycle of crime, drugs, and violence that brought them to prison. We also learned about the woefully under-stocked prison library and subsequently asked the librarian for more information. The cost for what they need is pitiful: A dictionary would cost just $20, an atlas $15. Most shockingly, an up-to-date copy of the California Penal Code is just $140 -- and it's something the prison is legally required to provide. It turns out that $1,500 would close the funding gap -- that's less than 50 cents for each incarcerated woman. The prison library should be properly funded to support the women -- many of whom have never finished high school -- as they seek the remedial education and support they need. Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think