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| "Preach the Gospel at All Times, If Necessary Use Words." - St. Francis of Assisi | ||||||||||||||
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Reality Check
By Isaac Dodd, Executive Director
New Directions
In the 21st century, the psychology of crime and punishment is not the same as it was intended to be. Though, if you break the law you should be held accountable for your actions. But in today's society, the crime rarely fits the punishment and vice versa. The penal system has become big business. The philosophy of rehab has been removed and replaced with a passion for incarceration. Because prison is now a "for-profit" business, at the tax payer's expense, it cost on/around $20,000-$28,000 to house an inmate for one (1) year. We now have prisons privately owned by private corporations. Big corporations are receiving state and federal funding for the upkeep of the prisons and halfway houses. Who would have ever thought that the day would come when private companies would own prisons and halfway houses? The inmate has now been dehumanized and simply looked at as a commodity.
The prison population continues to grow at an enormous rate. Men and women are going to prison and getting released only to return again, as a result of bad decision making, lack of intervention, and lack of support. The recidivism rate is just as high as the incarceration rate. The state of Colorado prison population is presently on or around 20,293, the probation rate is 58,108 and ranking 25 in the violent crime rate nationally. Please note, the state of Colorado residence population is on or around 4,665,177.
And did you know that upon an inmate's release from prison, they are required to pay for drug and alcohol classes. As well as any other classes deemed necessary by their parole/probation officers, for whom they are charged a monthly fee to check in with. On top of that they are charged monthly rent if they are placed in a halfway house. Now they have to do all this without any source of income to which to pay for these classes or the monthly fees. And if they miss one payment or class, they are considered in violation of their parole/probation. In some cases, that is cause for a person to be sent back to prison for the duration of their time.
There is a desperate need for a real alternative to incarceration. New Directions was birthed from this need. We are a community based organization in Denver CO. Our mission is to engage in reducing the prison recidivism rate here in Colorado. At New Directions, we have identified some of the problems within our community that need to be addressed. Some of the stumbling blocks for an inmate upon their release are: lack of job skills, lack of education, lack of resources, and lack of accountability. New Directions' main focus will be on employment, education, job training, housing, mentoring, and health care. We believe that if these points are promoted and reinforced we can break the cycle of incarceration.
I ask that you please help New Directions help those who need a second chance in life. With a donation from you, we can help some one improve their life and the lives of those around them. We are accepting financial, clothing, food, and any other donations you may deem necessary for our mission. Monetary donations can be sent to: New Directions P.O. Box 18923 St., Denver, CO 80218. All other donations can be delivered to 1520 Marion St., Denver, CO 80218.
It takes a village to raise a child, even after that child has grown up. We are trying to save the lives of our children and the future of us all. Partner with us in becoming a solution to one of the biggest problems in our community.
Thank you in advance,
Isaac Dodd,
Executive Director
New Directions
1520 Marion St. Denver, CO 80218
Phone: (303) 831-0635 Cell: (303) 217-6524
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