| In a small, white collar suburban | | | | for a decent job. For more than five |
| community just outside of Salt Lake | | | | years, she roughed it through classes |
| City, Utah the ex- offender we spoke | | | | and endless trainings, entering |
| with (he asked us to keep his identity | | | | smoke-filled rooms with her oxygen mask |
| confidential) had been a model citizen, | | | | blackened to simulate rescue situations |
| receiving promotion after promotion at | | | | and navigating the Appalachian mountain |
| work, avoiding all negative influences | | | | roads near the prison in a yellow fire |
| from his prior life, and even started | | | | truck."Any of the physical requirements |
| his own foundation to assist in the | | | | that you had to do" for state licensing, |
| rehabilitation of fellow Federal and | | | | "we were required to do in our classes |
| State offenders. He was released from | | | | when we were in Federal Custody," says |
| probation, had moved on in a world where | | | | Ms. Owens.She eventually rose to the |
| he would finally be able to be | | | | fire team's top rank of lieutenant, |
| productive and could use the skills and | | | | garnering 300 hours of training and 100 |
| tools that he learned to assist the less | | | | hours at the scenes of actual fires in |
| fortunate. Life was good..His success | | | | the towns outside the prison.In January |
| hasn't come easily. The light haired | | | | 2001, President Clinton granted her |
| 38-year-old is an ex-offender who had | | | | clemency on his last day in office after |
| served in the Federal System for filing | | | | receiving her name from Families Against |
| a false statement with a federal bank ( | | | | Mandatory Minimums, a group that |
| lying on a credit application) and for | | | | advocates changes in sentencing laws. |
| possessing "more that four pictures" of | | | | See eight years in prison, she left |
| pornography, that in 1998 was considered | | | | Alderson to stay at her parents' home in |
| Illegal. Did we mention that it is | | | | Alpharetta, Ga., confident a fire |
| still illegal in Utah to have conjuical | | | | department in one of Atlanta's booming |
| relations with your spouse that involve | | | | suburbs would hire her. She filled out |
| any type of "oral interactions"..... or | | | | each job application truthfully, noting |
| more easily defined as oral sex.Walking | | | | she was a felon. But state law bars |
| out of the famed "Club Fed" as members | | | | hiring former felons.Ms. Mitchell says |
| of the media have called this place of | | | | she offered to "clean hoses, flush the |
| supposed rehabilitation, he says that he | | | | truck, even clean the mess hall" |
| "made a pact with god, to use all of his | | | | anything to get her foot in the door -- |
| talents for the good of mankind" and | | | | all to no avail.Eventually, she was able |
| ssince being released from prison over | | | | to land a job with an organization that |
| three years ago, he has struggled with | | | | trains service dogs for people with |
| basic necessities that we take for | | | | debilitating diseases and injuries. Last |
| granted, such as finding affordable | | | | year, she moved to Utah and started a |
| housing and getting a valid state ID | | | | catering business with her husband, who |
| card.A single non-custodial parent with | | | | she had met back in high school. The |
| a steady paying job, he would normally | | | | business didn't take off so they are |
| be considered a prime candidate for | | | | planning to try again next year in her |
| public-housing assistance, but he knows | | | | husbands home town of Rigby, Idaho.Many |
| the odds are against him. Local housing | | | | ex-convicts leave prison wanting to |
| rules bar ex-felons from living in | | | | start anew, and the first step is often |
| public housing for six years after | | | | trying to get an education. But while |
| completing their sentence. But this | | | | 63% of all undergraduates receive some |
| offender is one of the few that we have | | | | form of financial aid, money isn't easy |
| spoken to that have the support of a | | | | to come by for ex-felons.Federal law |
| family. "So many ex-offenders have no | | | | states that first-time offenders |
| knowledge that the life of crime that | | | | convicted on federal or state |
| they know CAN come to an end, said | | | | drug-possession or drug-trafficking |
| Sheila Demarco, a substance abuse | | | | charges are ineligible to receive |
| advisor in Salt Lake City. "But having | | | | financial assistance for as long as two |
| the support of a family who cares is | | | | years after their convictions. |
| becoming a rare commodity" said | | | | Completing drug rehabilitation can cut |
| Demarco."In prison, you learn the value | | | | that time, but such programs can be |
| of being your word, being respectful and | | | | expensive."I understand their concern. A |
| staying inside the lines" he said, and | | | | college campus is a perfect place to |
| I really got clear on how important | | | | sell drugs, but I also know I can't move |
| family is in ones life" he said. So, in | | | | forward in my life without an education |
| keeping with the commitment that he made | | | | and a good job," says Ms. Wheeler, a |
| to keep his family first he decided to | | | | former offender we spoke to who was |
| do whatever it took to "make it" this | | | | released last year. She now earns $6 an |
| time.Now, every month, he makes the | | | | hour at a The Training Table, a |
| hour-long trek to the local airport, | | | | fast-food restaurant, trying to make |
| ready to board a plane, so that he can | | | | ends meet to help support her |
| visit with his child that lives out of | | | | 1-year-old.For our first subject, |
| state. "I have been going to visit my ex | | | | finding housing has been the toughest |
| and my child for almost a year now, he | | | | challenge. Upon being released in 2004 |
| said. "And I love the way that I feel | | | | from federal prison, he then headed for |
| when I know that I am doing the right | | | | a halfway house in Salt Lake City, |
| things in life."I have to admit, It's | | | | Utah.Like many prisoners released before |
| one battle after the next -- trying to | | | | their sentence is completed, he was |
| obtain housing, trying to obtain | | | | required to find a job in 15 days or |
| employment," he says. "I want a second | | | | face the possibility and constant threat |
| chance. I want people to see that yes, I | | | | of being returned to prison to finish |
| have made mistakes, but I am making it | | | | his last six months. But to get a job, |
| right." "I know that I can do this, but | | | | he needed valid identification from the |
| it is not easy", he statedOur subject is | | | | Department of Motor Vehicles. In Utah, |
| one of more than 630,000 people released | | | | residents need a combination of |
| each year from correctional institutions | | | | documentation such as bills and voter |
| in the U.S. Not surprisingly, people who | | | | registration cards that each add up to |
| have been locked up for many years, | | | | enough cumulative "points" to qualify |
| often poorly educated and lacking in | | | | for a driver's license or nondriver |
| financial support, face a range of | | | | ID.The ex-inmate we spoke to says that |
| obstacles to re-entering society. Yet | | | | he had a federal prisoner ID, a birth |
| some of the biggest are put there by | | | | certificate and a Social Security card. |
| federal, state and local governments, | | | | Those were not enough. Motor-vehicle |
| including hurdles to getting student | | | | personnel asked if he had a passport, a |
| loans, public housing and other forms of | | | | bill with his name on it, any additional |
| government assistance.For years, the | | | | identifiers. "I kept telling them that |
| thinking among law-enforcement officials | | | | I'd been in prison the last 3 years and |
| and politicians was that this was the | | | | didn't have any other identification." |
| price people should pay for breaking the | | | | Eventually he found a sympathetic |
| law. Now there is an emerging belief | | | | supervisor who issued him the card.He |
| that the larger price is being borne by | | | | found a job quickly at a local |
| society, since the practical barriers | | | | telemarketing firm, but switched after a |
| facing ex-prisoners make it more likely | | | | few months to work for a large painting |
| that they will slip back into a life of | | | | company, where he could use the |
| crime.National Statistics indicate that | | | | construction certificate he'd earned in |
| two-thirds of ex-felons return to police | | | | training on the inside.Still, he |
| custody within three years of their | | | | struggled to find a cheap yet safe place |
| release for new crimes or for probation | | | | for he and his daughter. The two are |
| or parole violations, according to | | | | now living in a home that was provided |
| Justice Department studies. U.S. | | | | for them by a family member.The federal |
| taxpayers spent $60 billion on | | | | government has a small number of |
| corrections in 2002 at the local, state | | | | restrictions against ex-felons living in |
| and federal levels, up from $9 billion | | | | public housing, such as sex offenders |
| two decades earlier. Over that same time | | | | and those who have manufactured |
| frame, corrections (including private | | | | methamphetamine in a housing complex. |
| prison programs) have been the second | | | | However, local housing authorities are |
| fastest growing government spending | | | | able to impose their own restrictions on |
| category after health care.Aside from | | | | ex-felons living in public housing, and |
| public-housing restrictions, many former | | | | those can be expansive, based upon the |
| felons find they need special waivers to | | | | local attitude of State Agencies who |
| get licensed in vocations they learned | | | | impose such rules.Howard Harder, |
| while serving time. Some find their | | | | spokesman for the Los Angeles City |
| attempts to get an education are stymied | | | | Housing Authority, says there are |
| by laws barring loans to those convicted | | | | virtually no vacancies in the city in |
| of a crime. Still others can stumble | | | | public housing and with about 136,000 |
| into technical violations that send them | | | | applications pending it is unlikely that |
| back to prison, such as reporting late | | | | someone with a felony record will get |
| for a meeting with a probation officer, | | | | in. Besides, ex-felons are ineligible |
| submitting a dirty urine sample or | | | | for public housing for six years after |
| failing to pay a fine or restitution as | | | | the completion of their sentence, |
| required. For those who have completed | | | | including probation.Until something else |
| lengthy sentences, the most frustrating | | | | comes along, he says he'll keep pushing |
| barrier is also the most basic -- | | | | for promotions at work. Returning to a |
| getting a legitimate ID card, such as a | | | | life of crime and risking a return to |
| driver's license."Having one barrier may | | | | prison is not an option, he says: "I |
| not be considered that big a deal," says | | | | don't have another 3 years to give to |
| Anthony Gerry, director of the prisoner | | | | anyone."Copyright 2006- Robert Paisola- |
| re-entry institute at the Washington | | | | All Rights ReservedFor Additional |
| Institute of Criminal Justice in | | | | Information see Author, Robert Paisola, |
| Washington DC. Usually, though, | | | | donates his time and resources on a |
| offenders face several barriers, he | | | | worldwide basis to support the |
| says, adding: "You can't get housing, | | | | reformation of criminal offenders and to |
| you have child support" payments to | | | | ease the re-entry process for ex |
| make, "you can't get ID and no one will | | | | offenders. He established a foundation |
| hire you. When looked at in full, that | | | | to assist in this effort. His work and |
| sends a signal: You're not wanted." said | | | | dedication to this cause have resulted |
| GerryAfter years of pushing for tougher | | | | in many forms of recognition, however, |
| sentences, politicians in Washington are | | | | as Robert put's it "It is not about me" |
| now starting to rethink their approach. | | | | It is about the thousands of inmates |
| The Second Chance Act, hammered out by a | | | | that we assist each year around the |
| bipartisan group of lawmakers and | | | | world, to end the revolving door of |
| introduced in Congress last year, would | | | | recidivism.If you are in need of |
| have provided more than $80 million in | | | | specialized motivational training to the |
| grants for programs to help ex-offenders | | | | inmates, former inmates or drug |
| re-enter society.Lacie Mitchell might | | | | rehabilitation patients that you |
| have benefited from a key part of the | | | | supervise, Robert Paisola is the person |
| legislation: a provision ensuring that | | | | to bring in to visit with your clients. |
| ex-offenders can be licensed in | | | | He will PROVE that there CAN BE and IS a |
| occupations they trained for in | | | | different way of living. Seminars are |
| prison.Ms. Mitchell was determined to | | | | also available for a nominal fee to work |
| learn a skill so that she could get a | | | | with Supervising Staff, Jail Personnel |
| job when she left the Federal Bureau of | | | | and Federal Agencies including the |
| Prisons, Federal Correctional | | | | Federal Bureau of Prisons.Does This |
| Institution, in West Virginia, a women's | | | | Work? email for additional booking |
| prison made famous recently for housing | | | | informationRobert Paisola is driven by a |
| Martha Stewart.In 1993, Ms. Mitchell, | | | | passion for people--motivating them to |
| who had just finished her sophomore year | | | | reach for the highest standards of |
| at Santa Rosa Junior College in Northern | | | | success. As founder and president of |
| California, obtained LSD for her | | | | many International Corporations, Robert |
| ex-boyfriend and mailed it to him in | | | | trains sales and marketing professionals |
| Georgia. He was caught and cooperated | | | | who want to strive to get to the |
| with authorities against those he had | | | | top...and stay there.Routinely |
| enlisted to secure drugs. He was | | | | Distinguished by The National Speakers |
| sentenced to two years while she | | | | Forum, Robert is also a regular |
| received 10.Ms. Mitchell, now 32 years | | | | contributor to Business Week Magazine, |
| old, joined the prison's all-women | | | | CNN, CNNFN, XM Satellite Radio, The Wall |
| fire-fighting team, a group that | | | | Street Journal, Telemundo International, |
| provides fire protection for the prison | | | | National Public Radio and many other |
| and backup for other local fire squads. | | | | organizations. |
| She figured it would position her well | | | | |