Students assist parolees in Washtenaw's Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative
With her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a "Don't Mess with the Mitten" T-shirt on, Annie Lee entered a room of parolees with an armful of pizza and bread sticks.
They were part of a weekly "meet and greet" organized by the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative, a state-funded effort that aims to help former inmates get on their feet and stay out of prison.
Volunteers like Lee flesh out the Washtenaw MPRI, which employs a bare bones staff and relies on the help of 15 interns and volunteers, said Mary King, the MPRI's community coordinator.
And King says the group of MPRI volunteers is unique - many are former students who feel compelled to continue helping ex-convicts long after their internships have ended.
The program is run from the Catholic Social Services building on Packard near Golfside. Catholic Social Services administers the Wasthenaw MPRI program.
The weekly "meet and greet" session was Lee's idea when she was an intern and Eastern Michigan University criminal justice student in 2007. She's continued to volunteer since as she pursues a master's degree in criminology.
Participants have just been released from prison - they come to eat, hear presentations and learn about resources to help them find jobs, housing and transportation.
Floyd Brown, 42, attended a recent session just days after he was released from Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson. He said he liked what he heard from a representative from the Michigan Works! Association, an MPRI partner program that helps potential employees find jobs.
"I want a new start," said Brown, who has spent a total of eight years in prison. "It's just changed me. I don't want to go back, because it's terrible there."
Brown attended a Michigan Works! employment workshop a few days later.
The last time Brown was released in 2006, he was back in prison within a year. King said MPRI tries to provide new parolees with social services and programs for the first 90 days after their release to prevent them from falling into old habits. The next 90 days involve following up.
While the focus of the program is on jobs, housing, transportation and relapse prevention, the interns fill in the gaps.
They work evenings and weekends, planning social activities like barbecues and softball games. In the fall, they'll tutor former inmates, partnering with Washtenaw County's Project Outreach literacy initiative.
"Our interns round things out and offer ways for returning citizens to be engaged in positive activities," King said.
King has accepted interns, mostly from criminal justice and social work majors, from the University of Michigan, EMU and Washtenaw Community College. This summer, Washteanw MPRI has 10 interns and five participants from Americorps Volunteers in Service to America, a national service program designed to fight poverty.
The Washtenaw MPRI site opened in 2007, one of 18 sites opened statewide since 2005.
"It's exciting work and meaningful work," said King, who started working with inmates as an intern in the '80s at the Huron Valley Women's Facility in Pittsfield Township.
Interns have played an integral role in shaping the organization, King said.
"They've helped work with low-risk parolees and done case management, helping them access resources in the community. They've helped us do some advocacy work. Those are just a few of the jobs they take responsibility for," King said.
Megan McKinley recently earned her master's degree in social work from U-M and completed a year-long internship with Washtenaw MPRI. She just signed on for another year at the site through Americorps VISTA to focus on workforce development.
McKinley said she's trying to strengthen partnerships between the Washtenaw MPRI and employers in the community. In other words, she's spending time convincing employers to hire convicted felons - and most of them don't like the idea.
"A lot of times when an employer sees the felony box checked in the application, it goes right in the trash," McKinley said. "But employing returning felons is one of the best ways of keeping a community safer."
McKinley didn't expect she'd focus her career on working with ex-inmates.
"We like to say that you get into this field, you catch the bug," she said. "It becomes your driving passion if you're social service oriented. You start to do it, and you realize how big the need is and how they're overlooked."
Keeping convicted felons from returning to jail is no small task - recidivism is a significant and expensive problem for the state.
Recidivism is defined as a return to prison due to a parole violation or a new prison sentence within three years, according to John Cordell, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections. Recidivism costs taxpayers almost $100 million per year, with each prisoner costing an average of $32,400 annually, state officials said.
Washtenaw County had the highest recidivism rate - 60 percent - among Michigan counties with urban populations in 1998. More recent comparative data has not yet been studied, according to the MDOC. Data from 2005, the latest available, showed almost half of Washtenaw County's released inmates returned to prison within three years. Statewide, 40 percent of released prisoners return within three years.
Washtenaw MPRI'S 2009 budget is $779,000, and the program on track to serve about 350 participants this year, King said. Every new parolee in Washtenaw County is offered MPRI's services.
Statewide, MPRI's 18 sites will receive $36 million in 2009 from the state's $2 billion Department of Corrections budget. MDOC has the sixth largest prison population in the nation, according to 2008 mid-year statistics from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The prison population stands at 48,000, and about 10,000 prisoners are released annually.
Andre Wallace, 25, got out of prison at the end of July and also attended the recent "meet and greet."
He said after the session that he's never held a job - he's has been in and out of jails and prisons at least 10 times, spending eight of the last 10 years locked up for a variety of charges from forgery to larceny to burglary.
Wallace said he'd like to get an education to perhaps learn how to repair air conditioners. He said he doesn't want to go back to prison, but he's not confidant he'll swear off his old life either.
"I'm not going to tell myself I'm never gonna sell drugs again, because I might not never get a job, and I might have to," Wallace said.
Photos by Melanie Maxwell, AnnArbor.com: Top - University of Michigan graduate Ashley Schwedt hands out information to ex-inmate Terrell Johnson, left, as ex-inmate Andre Wallace looks on during a recent "meet and greet" session. Next: Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative Community Coordinator Mary King speaks during the session.
Juliana Keeping covers the University of Michigan for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2528 or julianakeeping@annarbor.com.
Comments
Brandi
Mon, Oct 4, 2010 : 4:52 p.m.
It actually is your problem TFF3, its everyone's problem.
maverik
Thu, Aug 20, 2009 : 4:43 p.m.
What do some of you people want, to keep inmates locked up forever? This program is a lot better than just puting guys out on parole. The people that are going to do the right thing and have served their debt to society need a "hand up" rather than be left with no help to figure things out for themselves. Has no one heard the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child'? Well, this is the same concept.I for one pray this program works and God Bless the people that are willing to give their time.
jason
Tue, Dec 13, 2011 : 6:06 p.m.
It doesnt work. the guy in the picture broke into my house in june.
TFF3
Wed, Aug 19, 2009 : 12:40 p.m.
Why are we spending so much money on a group of ADULTS who are fully capable of making their own choices in life? "Victims" of a drug war? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I agree the "war on drugs" is a major farse, but saying any drug dealer is the VICTIM of anything is complete BS. There is a very simple way of not returning to prison: don't break the law. This article alone lists multiple occurances of people who admit they aren't ready to change their lives. That's THEIR problem, not ours. Quit babysitting people who make bad choices. That just enables them to do it again and again, it's like a child who isn't disciplined.
yhc
Tue, Aug 18, 2009 : 11:12 a.m.
Macabre Sunset, your comment makes no sense. Let's be clear: no one is coming out early. Another point that you don't seem to understand: parolees are legally returning to our community ANYWAY. Legally, they cannot stay in prison longer than their maximum sentence even if they're bad to the bones. Those who leave prision due to the fact that they've "maxed out" are not even parolees. By definition, parolees are people who actually behaved enough to not stay as long as the system is allowed to legally hold them and have stayed long enough as the system is legally required to hold them (min-max). Hence, PAROLEE, and the target for support by MPRI. And zipcodes aren't unsafe b/c parolees return, they're unsafe b/c perfectly capable people do nothing by way of action out of some misguided sense that this has something to do with a political party. Keeping a community safe by supporting people who have every legal right to be there isn't a liberal agenda, it's a community safety agenda. jeez o' petes, some peopple just don't get it...
jlkddd
Mon, Aug 17, 2009 : 2:13 p.m.
ezbngreen, what business do you own? I will make sure not to do any business with you. Your views on this subject are extremely close minded and not fair at all.
Macabre Sunset
Sun, Aug 16, 2009 : 5:31 p.m.
So why doesn't that apply to these people, then? They treated people badly, they should spend a full term in prison. And they should have to prove themselves before they get another chance. Sadly, all a liberal attitude toward crime does is push people toward the safer zip codes. And when those areas become less safe, there's always another zip code. That's why Livingston County is the fastest growing area in Michigan. Used to be Oakland County. We can't justify endangering our children out of some misguided obligation to those who have already made poor decisions. Let's focus instead on those at risk in bad areas who have good hearts and haven't hurt others.
Alan Benard
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 3:53 p.m.
It is very easy for people to moralize about good choices. Endlessly repeating one's philosophy about personal responsibility will not improve the situation. People need to stop pretending they can buy themselves out of the problem of criminality. It will not be sufficient to insulate yourself in your "good" Zip Code. It will not be enough to build more and more prisons and hire more and more guards in the country with the highest percentage of incarcerated citizens. At some point, this society will have to find a more productive way to cope with the underclass. The Golden Rule is a two-way street. You expect to be treated well by others. You must also treat others as you would like to be treated.
ezbngreen
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 3:38 p.m.
Would be nice to see the sucess stories of the people who have taken advantage of this program... I would wager that the vast majority continue the path that they chose. however I would be pleased to hear otherwise. I wish them the best of luck but my expectations are are not very high for them. I will continue to help those that have chosen the proper path. The others I dare say society has a place for oyu as well. It might be prison or maybe a ditch somewhere on the side of the road.
mjmckin
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 1:32 p.m.
Prevention is key. You tell me how to fix a broken society where crime, poverty, teen parenthood, poor education, and substance abuse are all cyclical within families and then we can talk prevention. In the meantime, you suggest giving these citizens (and they are citizens with basic human and civil rights--they can vote and pay taxes) a one-way ticket---to where? Are they not welcome back to the homes and communities they came from? When your parents "wished you luck" in life, did they not leave you with the cultural knowledge to make success for yourself? Did you grow up with a single parent, who may have been engaging in illegal activities themselves? Did you feel as though society wanted you to succeed? Were you barred from obtaining housing? Did you apply for over 200 jobs, knowing that your application went straight to the trash because of the felony "check box"? Do you have a mental or physical illness as a direct result of spending years in social isolation and abuse in a prison cell? Think about how easy it would be for you, ezbngreen, if you had all of these forces working against you. You believe that the "wrong path" is a simple choice. But consider that people can be put on the "wrong path" from birth, without much choice in the matter. We all make decisions that have consequences. The point I am trying to make is that these individuals have felt the consequences of their decisions and many are ready to turn their lives around. They can't turn their lives around if you won't let them.
ezbngreen
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 10:29 a.m.
What are the statistics for MPRI users? Has the money spent been spent wisely? As a business owner in Washtenaw County I can honestly say that I don't want convicted felons working in my business. I do however employ young adults from the area who show some integrity. I have a problem with people who have chosen by there own hand to break the law and live off of the dole. The excuse that society has turned there back on them is correct. But society never paid me to start my business. We are fortunate enough to live in a place where one can go out and start a business (lawful business) and get rewarded for doing a fair and honest day of work. These people; even if the sucess rate was high for the MPRI program; would it make much of a difference compared to the high rate of recidivism. I try to help those that chose the Righteous path. Not the ones who keep using the "woe is me" excuse. Prisons and jails are not money makers. The majority of their clients never pay back the fees that they accrued. I would rather see only violent offenders be sent away. Lets face it the acorn didn't fall far from the tree. I would bet that the majority of these clients have family in the justice system too (i.e prisoners and inmates). So what we are dealing with are repeat clients and their relatives who have chosen to take the wrong path. Why not target these families and get the youngsters in the family who haven't chosen the path yet and get them the help to break the cycle. As for those that have chosen i'll reserve my comment (I have nothing promising to say about them). Except maybe a one way bus ticket and a pat on the back (just like the one I got from my parents when i finished high school) and a "good luck in life."
yhc
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 9:49 a.m.
Ezbngreen and jgd82, your logic doesn't make too much sense. This program is keeping people from RETURNING to prison where it costs the state/tax payer and EDUCATION a staggering $30,000 per person. Investing $2,000 on a parolee to keep them from returning actually frees up $28,000 FOR education AND keeps the community safe. By they way, you seem to suggest to do nothing for parolees b/c they're ex-convicts, if you left parolees completely alone, the article implies that they would most likely recividate given the County's 60% rate -- Have you considered what the human cost to the community is if you do nothing for parolees?? More crimes b/c of no support means less for educations and more victims. And legally, you cannot keep people in prison beyond their max sentence, so locking them up "forever" isn't even an option, so you might as well do what you can for the fraction of the price to keep people from going back. And quite frankly, many prisoners dutily pay back their crimes by sitting in prison - the U.S. and Michigan all-together has one of the most punitive systems for non-violent crimes.
mjmckin
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 9:27 a.m.
The money allocated for this program is a direct reinvestment of the money saved on incarceration. It has saved the state money from the $2 billion spent each year at the MDOC. So to address your concerns, MPRI is saving the state money--money that can be used to further the education of at risk youth. As for "cozy with a criminal," I'm not sure this is a bad idea. I have spent plenty of my free time with former felons and have many friends who have done time in prison. Showing people that you care about them is one sure way to soften their perception that the world is out to get them. I would be that they would be much less likely to commit a crime sleeping on my couch than they would roaming the streets homeless...
ezbngreen
Fri, Aug 14, 2009 : 8:04 a.m.
It has been proposed that this program helps those that society has shunned... rather than debate the issues on why society has "slammed the door in their face." Why don't we start a program called "Cozy to a criminal" fine citizens such as yourself could take them home and live with them for a few days to see what priorites and excellent decision making abilities they have to offer. As I stated before I would rather spend the money allocated for this program on youths that have "done the right thing" but are unable due to economic problems continue their education. There are plenty of people from the county who grew up in an area that is considered to be a high crime area. Yet they chose to continue with school and chose not to do drugs or commit crimes. Help these people out; they too made a conscience effort.
mjmckin
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 9:38 p.m.
The "do gooders" in this article are people who are working for free or less than $5 an hour to make the ann arbor and surrounding communities safer. They have given the time, energy and heart necessary to help turn "criminals" into "human beings." The crime rates in the area have dropped since the inception of this program, as have the rates of people returning to prison for new crimes or violations of parole (a 26% decrease to be exact). It's unfortunate that crime is a bi-product of an unequal society and there will always be misguided people who wish to hurt others for their own gain. However, what people fail to see here is the big picture. The majority of people in prison are there because of drugs, or mental illness, or desperation in poverty. Now that they are released back into the community, where do they go? They are homeless and can't find work, they are treated like lepers and cultivated to hate the community that hates them, but does not know them. The fact is that the majority of people in prison (1 in every 100 adults are "felons") are not there for murder or armed robbery or rape. They come out of prison hoping they will have a fresh start, but the door is slammed in their face. Why would you choose a life of sobriety without crime? When society expects you to fail, you will commit another crime if for no other reason than to be sent back to prison for three square meals and a bed. I ask people who wish to post in the future to consider the inhumanity and impracticality of a prison system that warehouses human beings, often for petty crimes; abuses them, turns them against society and releases them into a world where they WILL NOT succeed without help of organizations such as MPRI.
ezbngreen
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 7:27 p.m.
Ok here I go again... posted twice on this editorial and twice it's been pulled;so much for alternative viewpoints. 779k spent on people who admitted that they are not confident that there life of crime is over. Couldn't we spend the money on the kids in school who want to learn? Or maybe those that graduated and want to go to college but there family is unable to pay there way to attend school? Spend the money on those who have chosen to do the right thing: Not the ones who have already chosen the life of crime.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 3:31 p.m.
It might be more productive to better illustrate the cost of maintaining a parole program in Michigan. Has to be far more expensive than keeping existing prisons open. Instead, Jenny and Barack talk about importing even more dangerous criminals from Guantanamo. Yeah, pizza and softball for the pieces of trash that broke into someone's home. That's nice.
jgd82
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 11:51 a.m.
Ditto to the last 2 posts! Take pizza and breadsticks into the little jerk that tore my door off, invaded my home, my life, and ripped away any sense of security I had in my abode that I worked hard for...perhaps these "do gooders" would serve the public better by assiting the victims of crime, rather than the criminals. These people don't want help...what hand out they can't get they steal! Helping?? 42 year old criminals are wayyy past any form of "un baking" their skewed morals and value system! I just can't help seeing red on this issue...
drewblows
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 10:46 a.m.
Doesnt the MPRI program pay a large amount of an ex-cons salary if they find work. Do the ex-cons get other state/federal aid (ie food stamps/Bridge card and medical insurance)? If they then return to prison wouldnt it be nice if they could repay all the help the were getting trying to prevent them from returning to the joint.
yhc
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 9:56 a.m.
What a smart way to approach a truly human service issue. I wonder who finally figured out that it made more sense to help someone surrounded by a healthy community for roughly $2,000/year rather than locking them up surrounded by inmates without any help for $30,000/year.
GP
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 9:17 a.m.
I'm so glad this service is available to area felons. I wish the article would have gone more in depth as to what the meet and greet entailed. I think the article could be part of a series following former felons as they make their way in the world, how the program helps or fails them, etc.
Sarcastic1
Thu, Aug 13, 2009 : 6:10 a.m.
Sorry, but you're never a "former felon". Once a felon, always a felon.