Forgive and forget

Whether it’s a failed biology final, or a regrettable Freudian slip around your significant other, there will come a time when everyone needs a second chance. For no one is that truer than convicted felons who often find it difficult, if not impossible to build a new life for themselves once they’ve been released. As a result of the overwhelming obstacles facing a prisoner’s re-entry into society, many released convicts return to crime, if only to supplement their legal incomes.\nAt the heart of the matter is a federal ban on any public assistance for those convicted of drug-related offenses, a full 24 percent of Indiana’s incarcerated population according to the Indiana Department of Corrections. The ban includes living necessities such as food stamps and public housing, as well as child-care, and academic financial aid. In some cases, the law can even prevent a person from getting a driver’s license. By repealing the law, the government can stem the hordes of repeat offenders, who may very well cost the tax payers more than a comprehensive one-time rehabilitation program would. \nNot only are former convicts blacklisted from higher paying jobs, but more often than not they are burdened by extra court costs and fees related to their parole terms. A study published by IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis found that 65 percent of employers refuse to hire ex-convicts, subscribing to the deliriously irrational mentality that the incarcerated are beyond the point of redemption. At the same time, ex-convicts, both on and off parole, incur exorbitant amounts of debt because of court-mandated classes, rehabilitation programs and therapy. Felons have high bills and fewer legal employment opportunities than the average person. Given the circumstances, it’s a wonder that any ex-convicts are fortunate enough to become productive members of the community.\nIf the Indiana state legislature, or the federal government doesn’t repeal the law, ex-offenders will remain ineligible for the American dream. Without the ability to purchase government-subsidized meals, ex-convicts are forced to steal life’s basic necessities. Adding insult to injury, private housing companies are wary of renting to ex-offenders for the same reasons that many employers refuse to hire them. Without food or shelter, released felons will resort to whatever means necessary just to survive. According to the Justice Department, 70 percent of felons become repeat offenders nationwide. This lamentable number is not because of some inborn proclivity to crime and violence, it is a direct result of the calamitous environment into which felons are blindly thrown. \nThe notion of gradual reentry is logically sound, but the application of this law is wildly misdirected. The law ought to be targeted, if anywhere, at violent crimes like rape, murder, or child molestation. Without any legal opportunities to earn a full-day’s pay at a fair salary, former drug offenders will either return to the highly profitable sale of narcotics, or move into property theft, ransom or arson. The government’s prisoner re-entry programs should be consistent with the convict’s difficult reintegration into society. Rehabilitation fails because society is unwilling to forgive.