Safer & Leaner

Wed, March 11: Prison Fellowship Leader Unveils to U.S. House New Prisoner Re-Entry Model That Strengthens Public Safety, Reduces Drain on State Budgets

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2009—Last week the Pew Center on the States released an eye-opening new report on the size and cost of the American corrections system.  One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections follows up on last year's One in 100 study by focusing on the community corrections system.  It includes startling statistics including:

• 7.3 million adults - 1 in 31 - are under some form of correctional control, more than the combined populations of Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego and Dallas

• There is extreme concentration in some states and cities such as

• Georgia, where the rate is 1 in 13
• Louisiana, where the rate is 1 in 26
• Detroit, where the rate is 1 in 25

• The incarceration rate for men is 1 in 18 (over 5 percent), while for women it is 1 in 89

• Whites are 1 in 45

• Hispanics are 1 in 27

• Blacks are 1 in 11
  

Another alarming fact is that while 700,000 prisoners will be released this year, more than half will be re-incarcerated within three years (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics).  The key to stopping this revolving door of crime and making communities safer is successful prisoner re-entry.

Wednesday, Prison Fellowship Vice President Pat Nolan will testify before a U.S. House subcommittee to outline Prison Fellowship's new approach to prisoner re-entry aimed at improving public safety and making better use of scarce public funds.  Dubbed "Transformational Communities of Care," the initiative collaborates with local government and organizations such as churches to coordinate the care needed for former inmates who move back into their communities upon release from prison.  The program also recruits community-based social services and businesses that will provide for inmates' specific needs, such as offering job search assistance, job placement, transportation to work, housing placement, etc.

WHAT:

Outline of Prison Fellowship's new community re-entry initiative to a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations

WHO:
Prison Fellowship Vice President Pat Nolan, who was instrumental in drafting and gaining passage of The Second Chance Act in 2008

WHERE:
2141 Rayburn House Office Building
Room 309
Southwest of the Capitol on a site bounded by Independence Avenue, South Capitol Street, First Street and C Street, S.W.

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 11
1:30 p.m. ET

MEDIA NOTE:  To schedule an interview with Pat Nolan, contact Michelle Farmer at (770) 813-0000 or (770) 757-4900 cell.