"Working to
Build A Better Community"
"The
probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not deter us from the
support of a cause we believe to be just."
~ Abraham Lincoln
EX-OFFENDER HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
THE BIG PICTURE: REALITY IN THE U.S.
Prison Information
Addiction
and Public Health
Impact on Families
THE REALITY IN MASSACHUSETTS
THE LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS
COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN
MASSACHUSETTS
PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES
PRISON INFORMATION AND COSTS IN THE
U.S.
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THE NUMBERS /
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THE NUMBERS IN MASSACHUSETTS
/ GLOSSARY
Prisons cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Without viable re-entry programs, recently released inmates will continue to re-offend and the burden of prison costs on taxpayers will continue to rise. The problems and costs associated with recidivism will continue to perpetuate themselves as long as ex-offenders are released into a society in which they face nearly insurmountable barriers to a successful re-entry. By improving ex-offenders’ access to housing, society can enable recently released inmates to gain the stability they need to become productive members of society and, in turn, reduce their burden on taxpayers in the form of reduced prison costs.
The Numbers
At
the end of 2002, the United States had incarcerated 2,166,260 persons.
This total represents individuals held in:
Federal & State
Prisons 1,361,258
Territorial
Prisons 16,206
Local
Jails 665,475
INS
Facilities 8,748
Military
Facilities 2,377
Jails in Indian
Country 1,912
Juvenile
Facilities
110,284
2,166,260
- The U.S.
Government spent almost $58 Billion in tax dollars on corrections in
2001, an average of $26,134 per inmate.
- More than
630,000 inmates will be released from prisons nationwide this year.
- In conjunction with the White House’s Faith Based and Community Initiatives, the U.S. government has launched what is called a “Going Home Initiative” for serious and violent ex-offender re-entry in society.
- Approximately $15,000,000 was appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $15,000,000 for FY 2004.
- The funds for this Initiative are committed to various state correctional agencies. These state agencies must partner with faith-based or community organizations, because local involvement is an essential aspect of each phase of the program (in prison, transition, and release to community).
The exorbitant costs of the prison system have been recognized by the U.S. government as a problem that will not mitigate itself. Providing ex-offenders access to housing and other resources may give them the stability they need to make the shift from being tax burdens to taxpayers.
The Numbers in Massachusetts
Though the prison population in Massachusetts has recently declined the
state continues to underwrite excessive prison costs amounting to hundreds
of millions of tax dollars per year.
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Southeastern
Correctional Center |
As
is true
in the rest of the U.S., ex-offenders in Massachusetts are faced with
an uphill battle when attempting to successfully re-enter society.
This often translates into an added tax burden to society. The costs
of providing housing in the form of shelters to ex-offenders also acts
as a drain on public funds. Programs that facilitate recently
released prisoners’ access to housing support ex-offenders in
their transition from being tax burdens to tax payers.
- June 2000, MA
Correctional facilities housed 21,976 inmates at a cost of $32,975 per
inmate/per year. If we can reduce recidivism, and therefore reduce the
inmate population, the burden on public funding would be less
overwhelming.
- 21,000 inmates
are released each year from Massachusetts correctional
facilities.
- During 2002, 9
states in the US experienced prison population decreases, including
Massachusetts which was down 2.4%.
- 2004 MA Budget
for Prisons & Jails: $830 million, up $31.1 million from 2001.
- As part of the White House serious and violent ex-offender re-entry initiative Massachusetts Department of corrections was awarded $1 million dollars.