Thread:

I am not sure who needs to hear this....but economic expectations for people coming back from incarceration are INSANE

1. When I got out, I had $10,000 in court costs, fines & fees, charges per day from when I was in jail awaiting transfer to prison etc.
2. In addition, when I was incarcerated, the State of Michigan found out I had money in a bank account and took it as part of paying the price of my incarceration (well over $1,000)
3. After I was released, I was forced to wear an electronic monitor for nearly two years....I am still paying the cost of that off...it was over $6,000
4. After I was released I was forced to pay a portion of my supervision costs....I am still paying the cost of that off...it was over $3,000

So, if you add it all up, we are talking $20,000

Think about that for a few minutes
5. Remember, none of that covers necessary costs when I was in prison (I tried to live very frugally, but I did have money in my account every month and occasionally had to pay for health care etc.)
6. Now look, in a financial sense, I am incredibly lucky...I am single, no kids...after a number of years struggling, I found a good job and can afford to make payments.

I am the exception....probably less than 5% of people returning are in my situation
7. Most people returning from incarceration don't make $20,000 a year....and they often have kids, and a family they have to support....Forcing people to make choices between feeding their families and paying off criminal justice debt is ludicrous
8. Making people radically financially insecure during reentry is probably the dumbest possible thing anyone could imagine....It is galactically stupid....it is a recipe for recidivism and disaster

WE HAVE TO STOP SETTING PEOPLE UP FOR FAILURE
9. We always talk about "Public Safety" on the front end...when we pass new "tough on crime" legislation or insist on strict controls on folks

NOTHING about these crazy fines and fees makes anyone safer...it hurts returning citizens, it hurts their kids, it makes us less safe
10, If it is in the public interest to incarcerate people, to insist on them wearing monitors, to insist on them having supervision....we have just as much public interest in ENSURING THEY CAN COME HOME AMD REBUILD THEIR LIVES SUCCESSFULLY
11. In my first year home, I made less than $6,000....I was turned down dozens of times for work....I had to constantly hustle just to EAT

And yet, I was constantly pressured to pay fines & fees (even threatened with having my parole or probation revoked)....sigh
12. I will repeat, when you make people radically insecure...when they have to worry about a roof over their heads, food for their kids, and constant bills, it is NO WONDER people return to activities that are illegal but lucrative....we need to stop being IDIOTS
13. I understand people think people should have to pay for their mistakes, TRUST ME,prison is forcing people to pay for their mistakes and it serves NO valid public interest to make people constantly stressed....it forces people to choose between their kids, debt, & crime
14. Oh, one thing I left out, I didn't even include restitution (I was not forced to pay restitution)...For some people that adds additional costs.

I do not think my story is unique, and I am not really complaining for myself
15. And here is something else to consider....we all pay taxes so that when we are in need, there will be a safety net....We invest in that safety net, so that when we need help there will be help....Going to prison is rarely something people expect to do..
16. It is easy to pretend incarceration will never impact you...but for 70 million people in this country...that was not the case

I had never even had more than a traffic ticket when I was arrested....It can happen to you....or to someone you love or care about
17. I also understand people have the right to think what they think....I am just trying to communicate that what we are doing is INCREDIBLY counterproductive to public safety, destructive to families, and people literally have to walk on water to ever get past it all
18. And remember, not getting past it all usually means RECIDIVIST crimes as people go back to trying to make real money, in order to be financially secure.

Successful reentry is about helping people find a future they can believe in for themselves and their families
19. All I am saying is that we need to seriously reconsider this model....We have courts that are assigning fines and fees b/c they literally need the money to stay open....We have county jails doing the same thing....Yes, we all hate taxes, but this model is POISONOUS
20. Last but not least...

I ask you to think about the time in your own life when you were the most financially insecure, now imagine you were being hounded every day by people asking for money and threatening to incarcerate you if you don't pay

That IS OUR REENTRY MODEL FIN
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