Dear editor,
During this election season there have been many misleading attack ads bringing attention to increased crime, cash bail and parole to sensationalize, scare and promote a “tough on crime” approach. “Lock them up and through away the key.”
I have been active the past 15 years, with (Northcentral Congregations Organized to Make an Impact) NAOMI, an affiliate of WISDOM, advocating for reform of the criminal legal system with the focus leading to a “smart on crime” approach: To respect human dignity, reduce recidivism, protect our communities and, finally, deal with the causes of criminal activity to prevent crime. I would like to share some of these ideas.
The truth about parole
There is no parole eligibility for anybody sentenced after January 2000, when Truth in Sentencing started. A judge in Wisconsin will specify how many years someone will spend in prison, known as initial confinement, and how many years a person a person will be monitored in the community, known as extended supervision.
The nearly 2,000 Wisconsinites, or about 10 percent of our prison population, who are eligible for parole were sentenced more than 22 years ago by judges who assumed they would have a chance to earn their release through completion of designed positive programs while incarcerated. Those who were released on parole in the past four years have worked hard at needed jobs and have supported their families and communities and none of them have been found to have committed a new violent crime.
I would like to tell you about my friend Bill who was in this category. I met Bill in 2015 at McNaughton Correctional Center, where he was incarcerated, and I was on the ministry team. I continued a relationship with him through letter writing and visits at two other correctional centers that he was transferred to. When I met Bill, he had been incarcerated for over 35 years, since he was 17, for being a party to a homicide occurring during a drug deal. He had a difficult childhood; was a gang member; involved in many correction programs, with out-of-control behavior. This continued his first couple years of incarceration and he spent most of his time in solitary confinement. Then he started to mature, read the Bible, take correspondence courses and other available training programs. His faith developed and his transformation continued. When I met him, he was not the same person as he was at age 17; many positive changes. Bill earned parole in 2019 and was released to his hometown of Milwaukee, lived with a sister, took advantage of support programs available for released inmates, attended church regularly and thrived. He was gainfully employed and adjusting to his “new” world. Bill continued to thrive, married, moved to Rockford to be close to his daughter and granddaughter and continued to be gainfully employed. I have continued telephone contact with him and hope to visit him soon. I believe Bill to be one of many successes for those released from prison. I have many friends and colleagues involved in EXPO (Ex-incarcerated People Organizing) who are active contributing members of their communities. We all benefit when people are treated with dignity and respect and given opportunities to flourish in their communities!
The truth about cash bail
Cash bail is an antiquated, unfair way to decide who should be released to the community while awaiting trial. Cash bail only guarantees that poor people stay in jail while people with money can be released. The plan to end cash bail is a plan that would hold or release people according to the danger they present, rather than according to how much money they have. So, cash bail doesn’t really make us safer.
Addressing the root causes of crime
Wisconsin will never be able to solve problems of crime by putting more officers on the streets, building more prisons and incarcerating more people. Instead, a bold new initiative is needed that relies much more on addressing the root causes of crime: poverty, hopelessness, quality of educational opportunities, lack of treatment and resources for addiction and mental health issues. We need investment in living-wage jobs; safe stable and affordable housing; public transportation; violence prevention programs; peer support programs for formerly incarcerated people; available high quality treatment programs and educational opportunities.
Persons who commit serious crimes need to be held accountable, but are not throw away people and continue to have value as human beings worthy of rehabilitation and redemption.
Ron Alexander of village of Maine, Northcentral Congregations Organized to Make an Impact, or NAOMI
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
