Post Prison Education Program - Teaching ExConvicts

[rehabcounsel]

There's no bigger bang for your buck than to support an effort such as this Post Prison Education Progam's Pro-Active efforts to enhance the quality of life in the societies in which we all are forced to live and abide. God Bless! Let\s talk live about this and other such programs across this great nation every Saturday at 8:00pm Pacific Time by calling 1-661-449-9333 or tune in at

.blogtalkradio-dot-com/the_bla­ck_plight-in-america Won't you do your part by telling a friend or two!

[mwells219]

one only needs to look at the statistics of prison recidivism shows that the prison industrial complex isn't the answer to america's problems.

[kate10T]

does anyone knows whEn exactly was this news on TV? like date and day? PLEASE!!! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

[christopherjoneswa]

@kate10T This was summer of 2008.

[christopherjoneswa]

yeah, "tough on crime"... how many times in real, everyday life do "tough" and "smart" mean the same thing?

so much crime is committed to fuel drug addiction, I know, and it has been my experience that people who don't use drugs commit a lot less crime.

this program works, it works in tandem with other "smart" practices best.

[lisafitzhugh]

"tough on crime" is far from our innate moral standard. Only empathy, not punishment, has the power to transform us. This program is truly the most appropriate response to treating our fellow humans. It's time has and will continue to come as the old ideas fade away, slowly but surely.

[whbsjl]

A good program

[mayskim4him]

I can attest to the fact that funding the Post-Prison Education Program (PPEP) is the answer to public safety, and a down right smart investment. This Program provides real hope and opportunity for former prisoners, their children, and their families. Higher education gave me the hope and the opportunity I needed to believe in myself, to better my circumstances, and to live a productive, meaningful and law-abiding life. Formerly incarcerated over 50 times, I am now a MPA graduate student.

[TBoutz]

Fourteen of 15 studies during the 1990's concluded that post-secondary academic education, either pre- or post-release, reduces the chances of a prisoner coming back by 50%. I have taught at the WA. St. Pen. for 34 years and know absolutely that programs like this could save the state millions of dollars in incarceration costs. We need more people like Sen. Kline who are driven by a desire to do the right thing rather than their fear of not being re-elected. This is a program that makes sense.

[makalipokane]

I agree completely and instead of building more prisons or trying to invent new programs within the state Dept. of Corrections, why not support and fund a proven program that already exists and has been up and running successfully for several years? In addition, the Post Prison Ed.Program, a non-profit non-governmental organization, is probably statistically more successful in stemming recidivism than the entire state Dept of Corrections with all its programs and resources.

[thundersperson]

It is amazing to me that in a society that claims to value education, we so very often actually devalue what education does for individuals and our society. Yes. Seriously. Education really does changes people's lives for the better.

[kurtzr]

this is an extremely important issue and this organization is a model program for helping people improve their lives in a way that benefits us all.

[pollytrout]

I've been volunteering with the Post Prison Education Program for 3 years, and it is a fantastic program! I've seen first hand the difference it makes in people's lives. Education is the most effective way to break the cycle of poverty and crime.

[mousesking]

I'm not sure if the county system Is the appropriate place to start a school program because of the distractions of so many short timers.But in the state system I know anyone can get an education If thay can pay for it.

Financial aid forms are available to all inmates.I don't think tax dollars should pay for inmate education.

[boddoia]

If this excellent program isn't funded by the legislature, it will cost us a lot more than the minimal amount needed, in both lives and money. Some people have been imprisoned due to senselessly severe drug laws; others ended up committing crimes because they saw no other way to support themselves. Simply opening up the prison doors and kicking them out into this deepening economic crisis with no help to get their lives back is criminal in itself. Fund the program, legislators!

[chertoks]

This is a VERY important program. Legislation should work hard to find the appropriate funding as it makes good sense all around.

[Bluto42]

A simple cost/benefit analysis of this problem leads to the conclusion that rehabilitation programs are a wise choice for the well-being of society.

Sociologist Robert Merton describes the creation of the "innovator" in society as "when success goals [are]universally imposed on the members of society while the means to achieve them [are] restricted for some members, deviance [can] be expected on a broad scale." To ostracize former law breakers results in directly adding to crime problems.

[rchange]

State Senator Adam Kline, who appears in this news story speaking in favor of Ari's program, is the exceptional legislator who understands that policies which constantly grind the poor into the dust often produce blow-back and are not in society's best interest. Most lawmakers are cowards, driven by fear and responsive to their fearful, ill-informed, constituencies, and as any amateur psychologist knows, fear is the root of hate. That's politics in America: ugly as a monkfish and twice as dumb.

[bfhinebaugh]

With a 67.5% rate of recidivism being reported by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, government clearly is not doing what is needed. If post-secondary education reduces recidivism to about 10% to 12% as indicated in the meta-analysis quoted below then why continue to pay on average more than $30,000 per prisoner per annum and not invest in improved lives and safe communities?

[owlman4444]

Regards: Post Prison Education Program

If only people could understand that a person needs to have hope in order to care about himself and others. Without hope why should anyone care about their fellow man when he does not care himself!!! There needs to be a change in the way we think about these issue's this is one way to start making a change in the system.

please become involved.

thank you

Jonathan Levesque

[eglantineseattle]

This is a great video. The Washington state legislature must support this program. It keeps us safe!

[christopherjoneswa]

People need to see this!!!

[arikohn]

IMPORTANT ISSUE: "A recent study shows that inmates with at least two years of college have a 10% re-arrest rate, compared to a national re-arrest rate of approximately 60% [Center on Crime, Communities, and Culture], Cathryn A. Chappell, "Post-Secondary Correctional Education and Recidivism"