With a Managed-Care and Maximizing Cost Agenda
As we look at ALL HANDS on DECK, WE, Not Me Initiative-Plan-Project, it is imperative that the prison system, law enforcement and justice system are thoroughly evaluated for managed care that include: cost-savings relative to rehabilitation, crime prevention, crime intervention, family restoration, guidance for human talent, re-entry, best practices, transparency and debt management accountability.
The reasons are:
- The budget of a prison is “the highest” or one of the “highest” line items in a state budget, especially large urban areas – especially large urban areas whose demographics include significant populations of African American, other People of Color and the Work-Poor; i.e., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In the state of Wisconsin, the prison population went through the roof and offenders were sent to Tennessee, Texas and Minnesota. Corrections and Crime In Wisconsin, a report, http://www.familyimpactseminars.org/s_wifis19c01.pd.f
- In 1997 and 1999, Truth and Sentencing, a broad sweep of laws came down that did not include ALL in the strategic planning, especially those who are presently in bulk numbers – African American and Latino. Additionally, the high penetration of drugs and no laws of reasonableness further exacerbated the number of those individuals “trapped” with sentencing that by no means fit the crime or was par with “white-color” crime – marijuana vs cocaine. In fact, white collar crime was not given the sentencing as the crimes dealing with possession of marijuana.
The Truth and Sentencing law failed the test of “reasonableness, long-term managed care and re-entry into society”; therefore, our then unkempt prison system was forced further into being a high cost and abusive dysfunctional system with obese budgets for creation and managing.
In some states, 3-strikes you out was the overlay – Wisconsin is one – the law was enacted in 1994. The one-size fit all is arguably a violation of the 8th Amendment – cruel and unusual punishment – i.e., the third offense was stealing a tire or slice of pizza.
- Private companies, I.E., WACKENHUT, were allowed to lobby and receive mega dollars for building industrial prison complexes. They took the cash and ran. The citizenry were left with further dysfunctional results – including lack of revenue to pay for the ever-increasing costs. The marriage of drugs , poverty, lack of access to employment and quality of life opportunities; and, unjust laws, guaranteed high and disproportionate numbers of African American, other People of Color and the Working-Poor (un-, under-skilled, temporary and over-handy worked and exploited).
- For managed care -- suitable arrangements that take into account the reason for incarceration, an assessment for release/re-entry to society and cost-savings while incarcerated.
- Contamination and escalation of behavior – cohabitation, AIDS, pre- and post natal care, mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse, gang environment, other chronic illnesses that affect managed care and re-entry to society.
- Laws vs punishment -- given the unfair ways our law enforcement and justice system has/is treating African American, other People of Color and the Poor; 6-month and annual reviews for updates and cost-savings.
- Review of probation and parole for “quality control” and excellence in management; laws should be revisited for "reasonableness", "current value", “updated training of staff” and effectiveness.
- Punishment should be explored that is in connection with employment during the stay for re-imbursement of victim (s) as well as education attainment for re-entry.
- Our higher public education systems (colleges and universities) and private prison owners should work with government and those dedicated to social justice to help evaluate, humanize and streamline the prison system so that it meets today’s mission of "rehabilitation as well as time-served" - this would include an evaluation of the "life" and "death row" offenders and prisons.
- Re-evaluation of laws and processes, especially since more and more individuals, especially African Americans and others are being found INNOCENT due to DNA technology as well as sloppy investigations, untrained law enforcers, trumped-up causes, racism and lack of legal representation after decades in prison – some even believe to have been “executed” for crimes THEY DID NOT commit.
Your article points out a lot of the areas in which the criminal justice system in Wisconsin fails to bring about true "justice" and can actually have a negative impact on society. Unfortunately, Wisconsin has a regional reputation for a very punitive justice system. However, there has been a push recently to adopt more restorative measures, and restorative justice programs are beginning to take strong roots in the state. It would be great if a review of the criminal justice system would find its way onto the policy agenda of our state lawmakers.
ReplyDelete