Saturday, July 5, 2014

A reader asked how I would assess the effectiveness of re-entry programs. I would look at the data showing high recidivism rates and conclude that despite platitudes about corrections, prisons are designed to perpetuate intergenerational cycles of failure. I would say that prisons succeed in keeping people isolated from society, and they succeed in creating a subculture of failure. But they fail at preparing offenders for law-abiding, contributing lives.

To support the assessment I make above, I refer to an article with the headline, Homeless Parolees Weigh on California Counties. Such an article says a great deal. Administrators and legislators may push more people out of prison gates, but few people return to society from prison with the values, skills, and support system in place that will enable them to function as law-abiding, contributing citizens. Re-entry programs, as they exist today, fail to prepare people in prison for success.

Days since my release from prison: 327

Miles that I ran today: 0

Miles that I ran so far this week: 48.76

Miles that I’ve run during the month of July: 29.69

Miles that I ran so far in 2014: 1,388.63

Miles that I need to run in order to reach my annual goal of 2,400 miles: 1,011.37

Miles I’m ahead of schedule to reach my 2,400-mile goal by the end of 2014: 160.04

My weight for today: 167