The debate on prisoner release

By ARIELLE REICH

Recent crimes committed by paroled inmates have drawn attention to the prisoner release system in Connecticut. In the aftermath of those events, many have been quick to place blame on our parole system, arguing that criminals must be locked away for longer sentences with less, or zero, chance for parole. While that reaction is certainly understandable, and many of the proposed changes are worthy of discussion, there may be additional factors to consider when trying to lower rates of recidivism from criminals released back into society.

Certainly, the crime which sparked this debate was a particularly awful occurrence, and therefore something of a special case. However, since the issue is now at hand we should take this opportunity to explore the root causes of recidivism. In doing so, it’s critically important for lawmakers to consider not just length of punishment or access to parole for our criminals, but also the efforts we make to properly release those prisoners back into society.

Our legal system is based on the idea that individuals who commit crimes are entitled to a fair trial, and considering the crime, to serve time in a correctional facility that will ideally be both punitive and rehabilitative. Unfortunately, we spend little time
focusing on the support systems in place to assist former prisoners in their effort to reintegrate into law abiding society once their time is served. With the rapid increase in incarceration rates over the past thirty years, our state should be paying added attention to the process for releasing the prisoners once they have completed their
sentences, and difficulties ex-inmates face upon their release. (I’m excluding sex-offenders from this example as their recidivism rate has proven extremely high and these particular offenders have shown themselves to be extremely resistant to any therapeutic or rehabilitative process).

Former prisoners are seldom prepared for life outside the confines of prison. A greater focus on rehabilitative programming would undoubtedly reduce recidivism rates, and serve to protect the safety of our communities. I wonder if shifting the focus to programs designed to increase the success of prisoner reintegration would ultimately be more effective in saving tax resources and safeguarding our citizens.

Of the nearly 1.2 million inmates currently serving sentences in state and federal prisons in the United States, at least 95% will be released back into society at some point, at the rate of around six hundred thousand inmates leaving prison each year. Connecticut specifically is dealing with vastly overcrowded jails. Upon release, former inmates are forced to deal with obstacles that impede the process of gaining employment, finding safe and affordable housing, and maintaining their status as responsible citizens. In addition, with the lack of preparation for release while in jail, chances increase that the inmates will return to their former criminal behaviors and activity, often including drug use.

Prisoners, regardless of their ability, are often given sole responsibility for making plans for life outside of prison while they are still incarcerated. They are expected to return to their previous residences and transition from a completely dependent state to total independence and autonomy with little or no support. They’re often released during the night and typically given a small sum of cash, along with a bus or subway ticket, and left to find immediate essentials such as food, housing, and clothing on their own – not to mention things like health care.

In addition, restrictive housing codes, social stigma, employer discrimination, and untreated addiction and infectious diseases also serve as additional hurdles. It is often the case that former prisoners are left homeless and penniless with little training and education, and no choice other than to return to pre-jail associations, drugs, and crime.

If a criminal finishes paying his or her debt to society, don’t we owe that person a fair chance to reintegrate? And if not for the sake of the prisoners, then for the rest of the population who could possibly play victim to future crimes. In order for this state to function in a more socially just, fiscally efficient, healthy and safe way, we need to collectively develop a plan for knocking down the barriers to reintegration.

DanMalloy.com in the Stamford Advocate

By BRIAN DURAND

Today’s Stamford Advocate has a nice article on the launch of this blog. The piece has a lot of speculation about Dan’s own political future, which is to be expected, but I think he did a great job of summarizing what we’re trying to accomplish here:

This is more about progressive politics of the future than it is about a progressive politician of the future.”

The paper spoke to some of our other contributors (who’ll you’ll be hearing from in the coming days and weeks) and even to our own state Attorney General, Dick Blumenthal.

You can read the full article here.

Joining Senator Dodd’s Fight

By DAN MALLOY

Senator Chris Dodd has been leading a courageous fight over the past week opposing a Senate bill which would grant immunity to large telecommunication companies that may have illegally shared private information about their customers with the Bush administration.

The Senator’s campaign has now launched a “Citizen-Generated Whip Count” to track votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee, asking supporters to contact the Committee members and urge them to vote “nay” on the bill.

I want to quickly add my name to the large and growing list of people supporting this fight. More importantly, I want to urge everyone to take the actions Senator Dodd suggests, and to call these committee members and make your voice heard. It’s hard to imagine a greater affront on the rule of the law than granting retroactive immunity to large corporations that assisted in spying on American citizens.

It is hard to imagine – yet, if it weren’t for the actions of our Senator, this bill would likely be well on its way to becoming law, which is probably what is most troubling of all. It should be apparent to all of our Senators that protecting the constitution is of paramount importance, yet it’s taken a great effort to even begin the wheels of motion against this bill. Such an obvious wrong should simply not be this hard to stop.

Let’s make it easier together, by standing up with one voice against it.

I’m proud to have Chris Dodd as my Senator today, and I’m hoping that his fellow lawmakers are learning from his actions.

Confessions of a Freshman

By WILLIAM TONG

As a freshman legislator, I should probably be frustrated by the process, or the gridlock, or the struggle to get things done. Or maybe just by my low standing in the Chamber. But I’m not. I’ve been surprised, in fact, to discover that being productive and effective is largely a matter of effort. What is most frustrating, on the other hand, are the labels and assumptions we have to overcome to begin working at all. Me Democrat. You Republican. Liberal. Conservative. Moderate. Politician. That last label is the worst of all. Because I chose to run for office and to serve, colleagues or constituents can sometimes make negative assumptions about my motivations, my judgment, my effectiveness, and worst, my integrity.

This leads to a very real embarrassment, at times, about politics and public service, which last time I checked, is not something we should be ashamed of. (It’s even worse than the other label I wear every day – lawyer!). Make no mistake — I am a strong and committed Democrat. I believe in the power of government and the law to ensure legal, economic and social justice where the free market fails, and that strong leadership can effectively manage and deliver public goods. I strongly believe there are very real differences between the major parties. But more often than not, party-affiliation proves too much, and labels and false assumptions can kill a productive conversation, or worse, prevent people from talking at all.

I can tell you that it can be different. In my first hearing on the Judiciary Committee, I sat right next to the leadership. I suppose I did this to be close to Andrew McDonald and Gerry Fox so they could stop me if I had the sudden urge to say something that could end my career before it started. The seat to my right was empty at the start of the meeting, reserved for the Republican Ranking Member, State Representative Arthur O’Neill. Shortly after the meeting started, Art came in quietly and sat down. He lost his mother that very afternoon, after a long illness. But he was there, doing his job. His grief was palpable, quiet but severe, and for the rest of the hearing I could only wonder how much strength and commitment it took for him to be there and to fulfill his responsibility. The first thing I knew about him was the depth of his humanity and commitment, and that was really all I could see. The fact that he was a Republican, or a Ranking Member, or maybe an adversary, seemed to be of very little value. I am certain that is a major reason why he and I were able to work so well together to pass landmark gun control legislation this session, a bill he had worked hard to defeat in the past.

In my experience, it’s a pretty short hop over the party-affiliation wall to find a safe place to talk. It’s even shorter within one’s own party. So as we begin our conversation on this blog, I hope we’ll work together to develop a shared vision of progressive leadership that transcends labels and assumptions. Not by simply conceding a point or two, but by respecting, hearing, and trying to understand one another. I hope we’ll develop a kind of leadership that begins where Art and I started – as two decent and honorable human beings, doing our best to find pragmatic solutions and advance our state and its people as honestly, cooperatively and as capably as we can.

Introductions

By ARIELLE REICH

I have to admit that I’ve been what the blogging community calls a “lurker” for quite some time. I read the blogs religiously, but up until now, I never had a username, and I never posted on a website. I am excited to become involved and even more excited to be a part of this particular site. I feel incredibly grateful to Dan Malloy because, unbeknownst to him, he is the reason I am involved in politics today. In May 2006, I joined the Dan Malloy for Governor Campaign as a deputy field director in the 4th CD. I was deeply inspired by what I saw and learned on the campaign trail and was bitten by that proverbial “bug.” I loved every minute of it.

After the Malloy campaign ended in August, I worked for Ned Lamont for Senate, and then decided to switch gears and go back to school to study public health policy at Columbia. It has been important to me to stay closely involved in local politics, and I am even testing the waters with a campaign of my own, running for the Stamford Board of Finance. While my focus is on supporting Mary Lou Rinaldi, the Democratic incumbent, I am honored to be one of the nominees on the ballot this November. I hope that I can help to maintain the Democratic majority on the Board of Finance, and that my involvement can make a positive impact on the political process.

I’ve always believed that local government has the greatest importance. It is easy to get wrapped up in the war debate and the presidential campaign, but when it comes to the things that affect you and your family — whether it is your kids’ school, paying taxes, and the safety of your neighborhood — local politics often have the most immediate effect on our day to day lives. Getting involved in your city is easy and worthwhile. Forums like this allow us all the share opinions, express concerns, and urge legislators to pay attention to what we want brought to forefront of the political process. They are listening, but it is our job to make noise.

At twenty four, I am often told that it is unusual for someone my age to be so focused on local politics and go as far as running for office. Headquarters are often filled with middle aged and older volunteers, and the occasional teenager. However, I feel so strongly that it is time for my generation to step up and fill in the gap. We all lead busy lives, but it is important to make the effort and pay attention to what really matters. Not only should be working every election cycle to help elect responsible leaders, but even without a campaign going on, to stay involved and stay informed. This brand new forum is an excellent way to share discourse and ideas, and I feel privileged and delighted to be a part of it.

Welcome to the new DanMalloy.com!

By DAN MALLOY

If a lifetime of working in public service has taught me anything, it’s that our most grand social changes are begun on the smallest stages; a conversation in line at the grocery store, a cup of coffee between friends, a town hall meeting… these are the places that history-making ideas are born.

Last year, I made a run for the Governor’s office alongside two other strong Democratic candidates. Although as a party we were unable to take back the governor’s seat, I think we accomplished something important. Together our campaigns sparked fresh dialogue and helped frame the debate on issues crucial to Connecticut residents: tax reform, jobs, transportation, education, the environment, and much more. Today, we have made progress – but the fight continues on all of those fronts.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to re-launch danmalloy.com as an outlet for people to explore issues facing Connecticut and our nation, and to discuss progressive solutions to our problems. I’ve reached out to some friends of mine from around the state to get this effort started, many of whom have agreed to be contributors to this blog, and I will be reaching out to many more good friends in the near future. Together we’ll track news and progress around the state and weigh in on what’s happening. I’m encouraging each poster to speak his or her mind freely, as we work to foster an environment of open and candid discourse.

All politics truly is local. I believe that while our country should be thinking globally, its citizens need to be acting locally if we hope to affect any real change. I hope that you’ll keep an eye on this site in the months to come and that you’ll join in the discussion whenever possible.

Welcome to the new DanMalloy.com!