Sample Opinion/Editorial
July 18-24, 2010 will be observed nationally as Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, at least 95 percent of all state prisoners will one day be released from prison. Most of these individuals return to their neighborhoods ill-equipped to meet the everyday challenges of life. Confronted with minimal job opportunities, housing issues, and the lack of other support, many individuals will return to prison or jail. Nearly two-thirds of former inmates are rearrested within three years of their release. Probation and parole agencies are in a unique position to assist these returning offenders with funds appropriated through the Second Chance Act. These agencies can make great strides towards a more meaningful life for millions of Americans.
A second chance is not just for those who have been incarcerated in state or federal prisons, it is also important for the thousands of people who have spent many years in and out of county or city jails, making it difficult to keep steady jobs or adequate housing. Periodic jail stays impact offenders with physical or mental illnesses more than most as medical problems not routinely treated can have a serious impact on behavior and re-offending.
We have an immense opportunity to make smart, common sense approaches to help individuals released from prisons and jails succeed in the community and to improve public safety. The costly cycle of recidivism takes a major toll on our communities. The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) and the thousands of community corrections professionals represented by APPA are working hard to address these challenges at the state and local level.
Please join us in celebrating 2010 Probation, Parole and Community
Supervision Week - July 18-24 - and Support for a Second Chance!