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Congressman Joe Sestak chairs RHD forum on jobs, re-entry for ex-offenders
1/29/2010 3:44:21 PM
RHD's Malcolm Ennels (L) with Congressman Joe Sestak at forum
Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak hosted a forum at Resources for Human Development in which he detailed legislation to decrease the high rates of recidivism among ex-offenders and led an engaging discussion on many of the issues RHD works on every day.
Sestak, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, talked about his Community Reintegration and Crime Prevention Act, which aims to provide resources for nonprofit organizations to provide transitional services for eligible ex-offenders, helping them obtain employment and successful re-enter society after prison.
"We must hear and learn from examples of what have worked and encourage more organizations to follow the lead of RHD and St. Gabriel's," Sestak said. "We should take particular note in Philadelphia, where we know all too well the decades-long problems with our criminal justice system. This is not only important to help ex-offenders recover, but for the safety of our communities and to enable those leaving prison to contribute to our economy."
The day featured a panel discussion with Congressman Sestak and Malcolm Ennels (director of RHD's Partnership for Employment), as well as representatives from the Pennsylvania Prison Society, the University of Pennsylvania, and St. Gabriel's System, which provides treatment services for delinquent youth.
RHD has also worked on an initiative, Brothers' Keepers, to provide employment to marginalized populations including ex-offenders and adjudicated youth through gainful employment in a work environment that empowers its employees to become financially self-sufficient.
"For all the hard work we do at RHD on this issue, I notice that I always see the same faces at the table,'' Ennels said. "We hope the entire community will recognize that this is something that affects all of us – and it will take all of us to address these issues in a way that makes a difference. That's why we're so thrilled to Congressman Joe Sestak take the time to sit down and talk with us about creating that kind of community effort."
A 2006 Urban Institute study of Philadelphia found that nearly four out of five prison releases from 1996 through 2003 were re-releases. Seventy percent of prisoners released in 2003 had been incarcerated previously within the last eight years. The Consensus Group on Reentry & Reintegration of Adjudicated Offenders in Philadelphia noted that if we could reduce recidivism rates by only 10 percent, Philadelphia would save over $6.8 million a year in jail costs alone.
"The threat of additional prison sentences or other sanctions is not enough to prevent recidivism," Sestak said. "One crucial component is ensuring that paroled offenders find and retain employment, a significant challenge when one considers the ex-offenders' various personal difficulties and employer discrimination against candidates with criminal records."
Sestak was elected to Congress in 2006 after a distinguished 31-year career in the United States Navy. During his Navy career, Joe attained the rank of 3-star Admiral, served in the White House as Director for Defense Policy on President Clinton's National Security Council, served in the Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and led a series of operational commands at sea. He is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to Congress.
For more information, contact: Kevin Roberts, RHD Communications at 215-951-0300 (ext. 3714) or email at: kevinr@rhd.org
