On sentencing reform, we have to talk more about reentry

Congress displayed a refreshing and all too rare example of bipartisanship this fall when the Judiciary Committee voted 15 to 5 to move the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 to a floor vote.

If it passes, the bill would mark a significant step in fixing our broken criminal justice system.  Thirty years of tough-on-crime policies – such as mandatory minimum sentencings and three-strike policies for drug-related crimes — has led to over a 750 percent increase in our prison population.  People go in, but they don’t come out. 

{mosads}Congress can change that. But in order to ensure success, our communities need to rethink how we help citizens return to the community once their time is served — what we call “reentry.”

As we talk about sentencing reform, we have to talk more about reentry and rehabilitation.  It’s not enough to simply reduce sentences; we need to increase access to education, housing, job training, mentorship, and counseling to prepare people to reenter.

I have worked in and out of the prison system for over 25 years, and I know how important it is to have access to programs that prepare individuals for reentry long before their release date.

As the executive director of Community Family Life Services – a non-profit organization located in the shadow of the Capitol building – We work with women and men everyday who are returning home following a period of incarceration.  When they are released from prison or jail, many are homeless, have limited clothing or any possessions other than what they brought to prison.  Many don’t have adequate job training or updated skills to reenter the work force. Finally, they don’t have strong family or community supports which are central to a successful reentry strategy. 

Just this week, I spoke with a woman who successfully reentered society after 33 years in prison.  But it didn’t happen overnight.  She was homeless for almost eighteen months bouncing between half-way houses, short-term transitional housing, shelters, and the streets.  She battled curfews, red tape, travel restrictions, in order to maintain a steady job.  Today, she has secure permanent housing, a good job, and a positive outlook.  It was supports and commitment from organizations that cared about her success that contributed to her ultimate success.  A lot of returning citizens aren’t so lucky. 

Faced with these challenges, returning citizens are at high-risk of drug addiction, recidivism, and even death. Without robust reentry programs, sentencing reform will be all for naught.

Currently, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 calls for increasing rehabilitation programs for “eligible” prisoners over the next six years and monitoring reentry.  That’s a good start, but it’s not nearly enough.  But it’s also not up to Congress alone.  It takes a village.  As we rethink sentencing laws and work towards a more just and equitable criminal justice system, we need to come together – government agencies, foundations, non-profits, individuals – and help create livable communities here in Washington, D.C. and across the country.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons should be encouraged to forge more relationships with reentry programs and encourage those in prison to work towards rehabilitation from day one , regardless of the length or terms of their sentences.

We need more citizens to volunteer as mentors and work with men and women both in prison and out of prison to ensure each returning citizen has the support, strength, and resolve necessary to make the transition to open society and live up to their full potential.  

We need to reduce red tape for men and women living in half-way houses and short-term transitional housing to make it easier for them to obtain and maintain employment. And we need to increase affordable housing in our city so people can afford a home to return to.

As Congress considers a vote on the Sentencing Bill, I invite members to visit us at 3rd and E St NW.  Talk to the women returning home to DC so they can better understand the challenges they face and what it will take for them to succeed.  Every person who steps into our resource center is capable of a successful reentry, but they need our support – everyone’s support — to achieve it.

McSwain is the executive director of Community Family Life Services.