For People Just Leaving Prison, a Novel Kind of Support: Cash
The New York Times, July 7, 2022: For People Just Leaving Prison, a Novel Kind of Support: Cash
“Alwin Jacob Smith became a free man last summer after being locked up for 21 years because of what he calls ‘my little old rocky past’ — most notably, robbery and drug possession.
“He worked hard while incarcerated, getting an associate degree in ministry, attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and substance abuse support groups, and eventually leading those groups as a peer mentor. Mr. Smith’s release, which he celebrated with a steak-and-eggs breakfast, came about through a California law that allows prosecutors to re-evaluate sentences to determine whether they were excessive — in his case, 65 years to life.
“And when he was finally released, Mr. Smith, 52, was given an unexpected kind of support in his transition: cash.”
Additional reading:
Center for Employment Opportunities
Collateral Consequences Resource Center, September, 2020: The Many Roads to Reintegration: A 50-State Report on Laws Restoring Rights and Opportunities after Arrest or Conviction
