Jeanne Reed
"In The Box, Out Of The Box"
|
|
|
| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
Correction centers - the jails. The problem is there isn’t enough “correction” to help the people who made bad choices. Most serve their time in sterile, noisy, inhuman conditions and are released ill equipped for a new life Illinois spends $1,300,000,000 per year incarcerating about 44,000 people. Of the nearly 30,000 persons who leave prison annually about 50% will be back in three (3) years. Prison is a shallow solution to deterring crime.
Corrections Centers need to be places to nurture and rebuild lives. Persons in these Centers should have opportunities to obtain at least a GED; job, financial, life, and stress management skills; and engage in the arts (painting, music, drama, and creative writing). Developing an appreciation for diversity in people and cultures and exposure to the natural world are also important.
Would this cost more money?... Probably... But it could save money and lives and return people to the community capable of enjoying life and being community builders.