U.S. -- Ex-con Nation?
http://www.prisons.net/
On hears the figure that approximately 600,000 felons will be dumped on our streets this year. Imagine that one has spent 15 years in one of NY's 33 new upstate prisons following upon a mandatory Rockefeller drug sentence. One is dumped onto the streets with new jeans and T-shirt, a Metro card with two rides, and enough money to buy a couple of meals -- but not to afford a place to spend a night in NYC. Lucky you are if there are still friends or family to take you in. If you happen to be African American, you will find yourself competing with the 50% of young African American men here who are unemployed. Fat chance as a felon -- which you must fill in on any job application -- to find a job, let alone a place to spend a night. So it is out on the street with your hand out -- or looking for trouble to get some money to live?
So we Americans pull in another global first. More in prison -- 2,1 million -- and more ex-cons -- 6+ million and growing.
No wonder the rich folks are moving into those locked up communities.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net
On hears the figure that approximately 600,000 felons will be dumped on our streets this year. Imagine that one has spent 15 years in one of NY's 33 new upstate prisons following upon a mandatory Rockefeller drug sentence. One is dumped onto the streets with new jeans and T-shirt, a Metro card with two rides, and enough money to buy a couple of meals -- but not to afford a place to spend a night in NYC. Lucky you are if there are still friends or family to take you in. If you happen to be African American, you will find yourself competing with the 50% of young African American men here who are unemployed. Fat chance as a felon -- which you must fill in on any job application -- to find a job, let alone a place to spend a night. So it is out on the street with your hand out -- or looking for trouble to get some money to live?
So we Americans pull in another global first. More in prison -- 2,1 million -- and more ex-cons -- 6+ million and growing.
No wonder the rich folks are moving into those locked up communities.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://BlogByEdKent.blogspot.com/
http://www.bloggernews.net
posted by Ed Kent at 9:18 AM
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