PAUL SCHRAG: FELONS FACE A HOST OF BARRIERS WITH LITTLE SUPPORT >>>

Sometimes things just don’t make sense. Take, for example, the way we treat felons re-emerging into society. They don’t get much help. Thanks to a few recent bits of legislation, they get some education in hopes of determining whether or not they’re viable for training to take their place in the local workforce. Recent legislation has provided vouchers so some prisoners can pay rent for three months. Some of them. But more often than not, they’re given a little cash, their belongings, and a pat on the ass. It’s not pretty, and the effects are felt strongly in every community.

At a recent Tacoma City Council study session, State Sen, Mike Carrell (R-28th) offered some soothing statistics that dispelled, at least for now, the perception that Pierce County inherits more than its fair share of former felons. It’s a common perception that Pierce County has become a dumping ground for felons, who frequently end up living on the streets and frequently end up returning to a life of crime, draining public resources and generally mucking things up. According to some preliminary research, it looks like Pierce County is no longer a dumping ground. Something to be soothed about, sure.

But there’s a bigger problem, and it starts with thinking about felons as refuse, numbers, burdens, etc. Felons are people, and our perception of what kind of people they are, and what kind of treatment they deserve once they have paid their debt to society, needs to change.

Talking with Carrell made that clear. Read what he said here.