Out of Prison With Nowhere to Go: A Guide to Prisoner Reentry

Posted on July 30, 2010 by elizabethlombino

Post originally published on Change.org

Out of Prison With Nowhere to Go: A Guide to Prisoner Reentry

It’s 3 a.m. in the middle of winter. You are dropped off at a subway station and given a pass for one ride. You have no money, no one to call, and only the clothes on your back, which consist of shorts and a t-shirt. What do you do?

This is the question sometimes faced by persons leaving prison in New York City. Recidivism, or repeated criminal activity, is one of the most tragic and economically costly occurrences in our society. But when a person serves her time and then is released back into society years later without proper emotional preparation or economic resources, how can we expect her to establish herself?

The scenario above is real. If someone is arrested during the summer months and released during the winter months, she literally returns to society with the clothes on her back, no matter how weather-inappropriate they are. This is beyond inhumane — and just might be the first step towards recidivism as this person may have no other option than to commit another crime to survive.

To assist lawmakers in tackling this challenging issue, the Reentry Policy Council of the Council of State Governments Justice Center recently issued a report entitled “Reentry Housing Options: The Policymakers’ Guide” (pdf). The report notes that “[s]tudies have shown that the first month after release is a vulnerable period ’during which the risk of becoming homeless and/or returning to criminal justice involvement is high.’” Newly released persons face an extreme shortage of affordable housing resources. “Without a stable residence, it is nearly impossible for newly released individuals to reconnect positively to a community.”

In tough situations, survival instincts take over and people do what they need to do to survive. We’re not condoning criminal behavior, we’re just pointing out the reality of this horrible situation, and trying to imagine what it would be like to walk in a former’s prisoner’s shoes in that moment. If a person is raised in the streets and only knows the streets as a resource to get what she needs, she might return to that behavior, even if it means doing something that’s against the law.

This report examines three approaches to improving the availability of affordable housing: “(1) creating greater access to existing housing units (for example, by improving housing placement services), (2) increasing the number of housing units made available specifically for the reentry population (new construction or conversion of existing units), and (3) engaging in a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization effort that includes, at its core, a plan to expand services and supports, including affordable housing, to at-risk populations.” All are viable options, though it’s hard to imagine communities welcoming housing developments for former offenders.

This report and its goals are vital to reentry services. If implemented, they will not only help rehabilitate those who served their time in prison, they will also help society as well. For the individual, the suggested changes could provide basic services that can help prevent further crimes from being committed — like, well, sweatpants and winter coats. For society, the potential decrease in crime can benefit everyone and save tax money that currently goes to our criminal justice system.

To read the post on Change.org, please click here.

Filed under: Change.org, Poverty | Leave a Comment »

One and Done: Reducing the Stigma of Having an Only Child

Posted on July 30, 2010 by elizabethlombino

People seem to be bothered that I’m not pregnant. By people, I mean everyone but me and my husband. We have a beautiful 3 year old daughter who is healthy, happy and just a bundle of energy.  We have no plans of having any more children.  We are content in our decision. Others are not as pleased.

I never realized just how much people care about our procreation plans.  And it seems to be more intense now that we have a child.  When we were first married, we had the occasional questions about starting a family.  Now that we have a family, everyone seems preoccupied with our making it larger.  Maybe since they assume we are fertile, we’re going to continue breeding.  Especially now that Mia is approaching 4, they think time is running out.  Like if I don’t get pregnant soon, we’re going to miss some magical window.

When I tell people that we’re done with having children, I get a mix of emotions from the inquirer, all of them intense.  The conversation usually goes something like this:

Nosy person:          How is Maya? (A few people are convinced this is her name.)

Me:                            It’s Mia.  She’s great!

Nosy person:          Soooo, when are you going to start trying for another?

Me:                            Another what?

Nosy person:          Another baby!  Maya needs a little brother.

Me:                            Not a little sister?

Nosy person:          Oh no, you must have one of each!

Me:                            Well, actually we’re done.

Nosy person:          Done with what?

Me:                            Done having children.  Mia is plenty.

Nosy person:          (long pause with look of shock and confusion) Oh.

That’s usually where the conversation ends.  I certainly don’t want to extend it and the other person is usually shocked into silence.  Ok, I admit I may be exaggerating a bit, but only a little.  This seems to be a heated topic for some people.

Sometimes if I know the person well, they will ask follow-up questions after they regain composure.  The questions are usually about me and trying to find reasons for my awful decision to have only one child.  Questions like, were you an only child, or did you hate your siblings, or did you not receive the American Culture Handbook on Having More Than One Child?

I never realized how much people care about having more than one child.  Apparently it’s a topic that is getting more attention as it was the cover story of the July 8, 2010 issue of Time Magazine .  The writer shares my feelings regarding this issue and seeks to debunk all the many myths out there.  These myths have been repeated to me dozens of times by all those people who fear for the sanity of my daughter if she really truly does stay an only child.

My favorite is the myth of the playmate; that we need to have another child so Mia has someone to play with.  It’s a big assumption to assert that Mia and her potential sibling will get along or even want to play together.  Not to mention that the new baby would be immobile and more focused on eating and pooping for quite awhile.  Not sure if Mia would enjoy that much at all.  Mia has plenty of friends and cousins her own age.  Yet, the myths prevail and they are powerful.   Almost all of my friends and acquaintances who have children have more than one.  Or they are trying to conceive in the hopes of not having their child be an “only”.  All of this makes me incredibly curious about this insatiable need for parents to have more than one child.  And curious as to why all those parents of only children get the flack that we do.

Here’s a little background on our decision; maybe this is my way of helping people better understand our decision (I’m not being defensive or anything, really).  When Rich and I got married and started talking about having children, we envisioned having 2 or 3 or even 4.  We wanted a big family with lots of kids. When I got pregnant with Mia, it was an amazing, intoxicating experience.  I had an uneventful pregnancy and could imagine myself being pregnant over and over with no problem.

Then I went into labor.  That’s when it all changed.  Looking back now, I realize I was experiencing an intense Perinatal Mood Disorder. In an instant, I became intensely anxious and overwhelmed and was full with panic and dread.

The next year of her life was a blur to me.  All the symptoms of severe PMD fit me perfectly.    Thankfully I have an amazing husband who got me the help that I needed.  It was a rough recovery and I’m still receiving services.  I’m a firm believer that PMD, especially Post-Partum Depression, just doesn’t magically end when your child begins to walk.  Parenting is unlike any other experience and for those of us who have compromised mental health, there are challenges every day.  Through my treatment I have had 3 gynecologists, 2 psychiatrists, 1 psychologist, and 2 clinical social workers tell me what I already know – that if we decide to have more children I will almost certainly have PMD again.  And the next time may be worse.  That’s not a situation I’m willing to risk giving Mia a playmate for.

Rich and I made the decision that Mia is enough.  Given my medical condition and a few other major factors in our life, having another child is not the best choice for us.  It is not realistic for us to have a large family like we originally planned.  We are completely at peace with our decision.  We love our little family.  Mia is amazing and we know we are better parents to her now than if we had more children.

It seems that having one child is becoming more popular and less of a stigma. We certainly aren’t the only parents with only children.  People are realizing that only children are wonderful, happy kids; not at all fitting the stereotype of the “lonely only”.  It’s clear that Mia is a vibrant and well-adjusted child with plenty of friends and great sharing skills.  She seems more interested in getting a cat or a dog than a sibling.  That works for us!

Filed under: Hope Notes, Just for Laughs, Motherhood, One and Done, Parenting, PerinatalMoodDisorders, Self-Care | 21 Comments »

Prison Reentry Policy Guide

Posted on July 30, 2010 by elizabethlombino

Here’s an excerpt from our latest post on Change.org:

Out of Prison with Nowhere to Go: A Guide to Reentry Housing

It’s 3 a.m. in the middle of winter. You are dropped off at a subway station and given a pass for one ride. You have no money, no one to call, and only the clothes on your back, which consist of shorts and a t-shirt. What do you do?

This is the question sometimes faced by persons leaving prison in New York City. Recidivism, or repeated criminal activity, is one of the most tragic and economically costly occurrences in our society. But when a person serves her time and then is released back into society years later without proper emotional preparation or economic resources, how can we expect her to establish herself?

The scenario above is real. If someone is arrested during the summer months and released during the winter months, she literally returns to society with the clothes on her back, no matter how weather-inappropriate they are. This is beyond inhumane — and just might be the first step towards recidivism as this person may have no other option than to commit another crime to survive.

To assist lawmakers in tackling this challenging issue, the Reentry Policy Council of the Council of State Governments Justice Center recently issued a report entitled “Reentry Housing Options: The Policymakers’ Guide” (pdf). The report notes that “[s]tudies have shown that the first month after release is a vulnerable period ’during which the risk of becoming homeless and/or returning to criminal justice involvement is high.’” Newly released persons face an extreme shortage of affordable housing resources. “Without a stable residence, it is nearly impossible for newly released individuals to reconnect positively to a community.”

In tough situations, survival instincts take over and people do what they need to do to survive. We’re not condoning criminal behavior, we’re just pointing out the reality of this horrible situation, and trying to imagine what it would be like to walk in a former’s prisoner’s shoes in that moment. If a person is raised in the streets and only knows the streets as a resource to get what she needs, she might return to that behavior, even if it means doing something that’s against the law.

To read more, click here.

Filed under: Homelessness, Hope Notes, Social Work | Leave a Comment »

NYC Sex Crime Victims Now at Greater Risk of Homelessness

Posted on July 27, 2010 by elizabethlombino

Post originally published on Change.org

NYC Sex Crime Victims Now at Greater Risk of Homelessness

Economic times are tough. There’s no doubt about that. We all are aware that some services need to be cut and certain programs may not be funded at the same levels for some time to come. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality of our current state of affairs. Yet even in this new reality, there should be some guidelines and some thought given as to which programs get the axe. No such luck.

In New York City, the City Council just cut $332,500 from the city budget which had previously been going to finance the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault and three rape crisis programs: one in the Bronx, one in Queens and one in Manhattan. Prior to these cuts, a law enforcement task force had recommended better officer training in response to receiving complaints from sex crime victims and counselors that victims’ claims were being minimized at best and ignored at worst by responding police officers. Tell the city council to restore funding for NYC sexual assault centers!

Victims of sex crimes are already some of the most vulnerable, marginalized and misunderstood individuals who have the misfortune of dealing with the criminal justice system. They are also at risk of becoming homeless due to lack of resources, ineffective resources and interventions, and few options to provide support. Now, thanks to these budget cuts, they have even fewer resources and areas of support. Victims need to be protected and guided through the maze of uncertainty towards recovery. With this slash to funding, many victims will be left to deal with their trauma on their own.

 

They will have to make impossible decisions with minimal aid and guidance. Many will be forced to flee their environment and face homelessness in order to protect themselves and their children from further abuse. Many will have to enter the shelter system (which costs the city money, of course) or live on the street to survive. Cutting funding for sex crime victims not only re-traumatizes the victims and their family, it also potentially puts further strain on homeless services.

This is a horrific moment in our troubled economic times. Why is it that some of the most needed services are the ones that receive the budget cuts? Isn’t it more an issue of who has political clout? Victims of sexual crimes often do not have a voice and they certainly feel as if they don’t have power. By cutting services, we are confirming that many will never be heard or helped. They are once again subjected to abuse and neglect, now by the very system that was set up to help them.

To read the post on Change.org, click here.

Filed under: Change.org, Homelessness, Poverty | Leave a Comment »

HUD Awards $30 Million for HIV/AIDS Specific Housing

Posted on July 22, 2010 by elizabethlombino

Post originally published on Change.org

HUD Awards $30 Million for HIV/AIDS Specific Housing

The struggles of those infected with HIV and living in poverty are getting the attention they need. With continued attention, more funding should follow to address the persistent problem.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced that $30.2 million in grant money will be distributed to state HIV housing programs. The funding is through HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA), which aims to protect those HIV+ individuals who are  living in poverty and who are at risk of becoming homeless. HOPWA funding can be used for a variety of services and interventions, including rental assistance, to ensure that HIV+ individuals maintain stable housing, a key component of managing the disease.

The idea is that if a person’s basic needs are met, she can then better care for her health. Prevention, that is the key.  Being proactive (by providing an eviction prevention grant) instead of reactive (adding another shelter bed once an individual becomes homeless) can ensure a person has a safe and stable place to better care for his or her HIV. Not to mention, this model also can save the government thousands of dollars.

HOPWA was enacted in 1992 as it became clear that people living with HIV have unique and varied housing needs. Housing still remains one of the greatest unmet needs for this population. This is what advocates have been supporting for years. We have argued on this blog that HIV is a manageable disease only when a person has stable housing and access to effective and consistent resources. If a person is HIV+ and struggling with poverty, his health may be at risk of declining rapidly. Often the push is for more treatment for HIV and more medical interventions. While these are certainly needed, they cannot come at the expense of ignoring other basic needs such as housing. New York state has learned this lesson the hard way; now it seems as if the nation is aware of it as well.

This announcement falls in line with two new strategic plans of the Obama administration: the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (pdf). This is big news for advocates on both sides. Some HIV housing advocates would argue that this is not enough money to adequately address this important need. Money is also an issue when it comes to the national strategy for HIV. The Obama Administration outlines an ambitious plan to more effectively treat those who are HIV+, yet no additional funding is allocated. The news is big in theory, yet in practice, there will clearly be challenges.

HOPWA is a vital program in the fight against homelessness, however, and for the effective care and treatment of persons living with HIV.  We’re pleased that these issues continue to receive funding and national attention. With the exposure and the tireless efforts of advocates on all fronts, one day more realistic funding will match the battle cries.

To read the post on Change.org, click here.

Filed under: Change.org, HIV/AIDS, Poverty | Leave a Comment »

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