Fork in the Road
The Distance between Prison, Homelessness, and Future Equity
Toni Heffle
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Opinion
Homelessness and prisons are subjects that many people would prefer to avoid discussing. Given the steady increase in both, the conversation merits our attention, since ignoring problems does not make them go away.
Statistics indicate that 1 in 31 adults in this country is in jail or on supervised release, and that 1 of 11 adults is 'underemployed,'or earning income that is barely sufficient to cover their living expenses. This population segment known as the 'working poor' send their children to daycare, themselves to work, often have limited or no health coverage, and live among the rest of us. They are also one paycheck away from losing their home in the event of a job loss or layoff, illness or increased bills from replacing appliances, repairing vehicles, home repairs or elevated utility bills.
While limited funds are not an indicator of eventual homelessness or likelihood to commit crime, frustrated people in dire circumstances sometimes commit desperate acts including assault, robbery and murder, and enter the prison system. Frustrated people who cannot find work to support themselves make wrong choices and enter prisons, exiting with a criminal record that makes it more difficult to enter an already competitive labor force. The consequences also fall upon the rest of us, to reintegrate ex-offenders toward self-sufficiency, so that they become neither homeless, nor repeat offenders.
Within a 10-15 minute drive of our NE Campus are Industrial, Women's and Juvenile Correctional facilities, and within a 20-30 minute drive from any direction, homeless people wander and wait for shelters to open their doors for the night, so these topics are not 'someone else's problem,' but rather 'close to home.'
Aside from exercising caution for our own personal safety, HFU's motto 'I am bound by my responsibility' interprets to 'I am expected to give in return for all I have received.'
With the approaching Lent, the time appears right to recall we are stewards of what God has helped us to acquire, and express our appreciation by sharing our time, talent, and anything else we can to help improve circumstances of others less fortunate.
Statistics indicate that 1 in 31 adults in this country is in jail or on supervised release, and that 1 of 11 adults is 'underemployed,'or earning income that is barely sufficient to cover their living expenses. This population segment known as the 'working poor' send their children to daycare, themselves to work, often have limited or no health coverage, and live among the rest of us. They are also one paycheck away from losing their home in the event of a job loss or layoff, illness or increased bills from replacing appliances, repairing vehicles, home repairs or elevated utility bills.
While limited funds are not an indicator of eventual homelessness or likelihood to commit crime, frustrated people in dire circumstances sometimes commit desperate acts including assault, robbery and murder, and enter the prison system. Frustrated people who cannot find work to support themselves make wrong choices and enter prisons, exiting with a criminal record that makes it more difficult to enter an already competitive labor force. The consequences also fall upon the rest of us, to reintegrate ex-offenders toward self-sufficiency, so that they become neither homeless, nor repeat offenders.
Within a 10-15 minute drive of our NE Campus are Industrial, Women's and Juvenile Correctional facilities, and within a 20-30 minute drive from any direction, homeless people wander and wait for shelters to open their doors for the night, so these topics are not 'someone else's problem,' but rather 'close to home.'
Aside from exercising caution for our own personal safety, HFU's motto 'I am bound by my responsibility' interprets to 'I am expected to give in return for all I have received.'
With the approaching Lent, the time appears right to recall we are stewards of what God has helped us to acquire, and express our appreciation by sharing our time, talent, and anything else we can to help improve circumstances of others less fortunate.
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