Friday, February 6, 2009

Executive order hints at prisoner re-entry

I mentioned before the ambiguity surrounding how far Obama is willing to go to take reforms in criminal justice and prisoner's rights.

Today, Sentencing Law and Policy notices a single clause in a recent executive order by President Obama:

Faith-based and other neighborhood organizations are vital to our Nation's ability to address the needs of low-income and other underserved persons and communities. The American people are key drivers of fundamental change in our country, and few institutions are closer to the people than our faith-based and other neighborhood organizations. It is critical that the Federal Government strengthen the ability of such organizations and other nonprofit providers in our neighborhoods to deliver services effectively in partnership with Federal, State, and local governments and with other private organizations, while preserving our fundamental constitutional commitments guaranteeing the equal protection of the laws and the free exercise of religion and forbidding the establishment of religion. The Federal Government can preserve these fundamental commitments while empowering faith-based and neighborhood organizations to deliver vital services in our communities, from providing mentors and tutors to school children to giving ex-offenders a second chance at work and a responsible life to ensuring that families are fed. [emphasis added]

1 comment:

1American4Justice said...

Original he isn't, but I wonder where he got that notion? I don't see anything that I would consider a hint of giving ex-offenders a job. This was a lot of talk about Faith Based Prisons and Faith Based Organizations. An article I read said something to the effect that they have a lower reactivism rate here in Florida, compared to what, the 98,000 others that are not in these. If you are only taking a small population and making this statement, well yes that is true. But let's not forget the rest of the inmates.