Florida ex-inmates deserve more than right to vote | Commentary

The pandemic has made the world a different, darker place for so many, widening the gaps in our social safety net into gaping chasms. The most economically vulnerable in our society — minorities, the poor, and underemployed — have been disproportionately affected.

Another group, already poised to re-enter society at a marked disadvantage, will emerge into this pandemic with little chance for a better future. We cannot ignore the plight of those returning from incarceration.

COVID-19 uniquely imperils the already bleak economic security of individuals newly released from our criminal justice system. When released, just about everything imaginable is stacked against them. It can take months to find a job. Most often they have no stable place to live. Many have medical and mental-health issues yet lack access to appropriate treatment. According to a 2019 article in the Substance Abuse Journal, 83% of state prisoners have a history of substance abuse; however, only a small fraction receive treatment before and after release. They are woefully ill-prepared to re-enter society.

The U.S prison population accounts for 25% of the world’s inmates and yet we have less than 5% of the world’s population. Tens of thousands of prisoners have been freed in the last few months to reduce overcrowding in institutions that are vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. This has overextended the capacity of organizations that typically provide re-entry services which were already unable to provide their typical support because of COVID-19. Many organizations have closed their doors due to budget cuts from local governments, which were in turn cut off from receiving much-needed support from Washington.

Governments have provided little, if any, support to address the massive re-introduction of former prisoners into society during our weakened economy. According to Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis, founder and executive director of the Institute of Justice Research and Development at Florida State University, “We have data that shows the numerous obstacles that await those being released and we know what can positively impact their lives as they re-enter society. Doing nothing certainly isn’t one of the solutions.”

The rate of recidivism after release is high, and failure to support and guide former inmates pushes those rates higher. Pettus-Davis’ research shows that “the lack of community support for individuals and their loved ones after their incarceration experience is a pervasive and enduring contributor to high re-arrest rates nationwide. Over a five year period, approximately 77% of formerly incarcerated individuals are re-arrested.”

In addition to familial and community support, stable employment can lead to lower recidivism rates. However, employment-related training is limited in prison. After release, with a criminal record and during a pandemic, it is almost impossible to find a job. Lacking support and with dim employment prospects, former inmates are left with few options but to return to criminality.

Recidivism is not the only risk they face. Death from drug overdose accounts for three-quarters of former inmate mortality during the first two weeks after release. Many, especially those who served long prison sentences beginning at a young age, have had no opportunity to develop critical life skills outside of a prison environment. It’s easy to see why many are simply lost upon release.

These individuals deserve much more than the right to vote. They need the opportunities to enable them to successfully rejoin society.

We can implement proven solutions and offer help to those newly released. We need to start with better preparation within prison prior to release, including better job training. We also need to fund post-release mental health and substance-abuse counseling and help identifying suitable housing. We need to listen to the experts like Dr. Pettus-Davis and start treating these issues with knowledge-based solutions and stop ignoring the existing results that negatively impact us all.

These are not Republican or Democratic issues. With state and local governments in dire financial positions, without help from the federal government in reallocating critically needed resources to support this population, local governments and organizations will be unable to provide the necessary services to prevent these individuals from returning to the criminal justice system. For their benefit and well-being of the communities they return to, the time to take action can’t wait another day.

Gil Ziffer is executive director of the Florida Consumer Alliance and a former Tallahassee city commissioner.