Blog 2, Post B: Schipler Ch. 5: Ex-offenders

I am to discuss how ex-offenders are kept from well-paying jobs and at what point have they paid their debt to society, using Schipler's 'The Working Poor' Chapter 5.

Schipler shares with us two elements that keep ex-offenders from well-paying jobs. The first factor are the ex-offenders themselves and the second factor are the employers and their perceptions of ex-offenders.  Depending on how long an ex-offender has served time, and their willingness to use their time to better themselves,  they are able to complete their GED and receive job training in culinary, mechanic, beauty school, and janitorial classes.  If they take advantage of the services offered in jail/prison, they are able to better present their skills for employment once they get out.  

Once free, the ex-offender will most likely go through a series of emotions that have to do with their fear, self-esteem and self-worth in reentering society.  Most ex-offenders are released on parole and part of their requirement is to find employment.  They hope to use the skills learned while incarcerated to attain employment.  Shipler states "the workplace was like a foreign culture" for many of them because they were not employed before they were in prison. He further goes to say, "They entered it burdened by their personal histories of repeated failure; failure to finish school, failure to resist drugs, failure to maintain loving relationships, failure to hold jobs.  Nothing in their track records predicted success, and no brave promises could paper over their doubts about themselves." Once filling out an application, they are faced with anxiety of whether or not their application will be looked over, or if they will be given a chance for an interview to explain their situation.  If they get interviewed, they are then faced "with the inevitable question about a police record-afraid of telling the truth, and afraid of lying." If they are lucky enough to get an actual job, they are riddled with doubt of being able to maintain employment and doubt that they can have a chance of being successful.

The second factor involves the employers.  Unfortunately and with reasonable concern, most employers are reluctant in hiring ex-offenders.  "Some firms automatically reject applicants with prison records." There are some firms who are unable to hire ex-offenders because of the nature of the business and due to the population that they serve and most of the times those restrictions are put in place by the government.  " you cannot have a felon working for you who has been convicted of an A or B felony-crimes against persons, property, or any sexual offenses".  The jobs that are available for ex-offenders are limited, they can work in the janitorial field but maybe certain hours after children or offices are closed.

Legally an ex-offender has paid their debt to society once their sentence is over and is re-entered into society.  The truth is their record will always hang over their head and will be judged and limited because of it.  They will be cast down upon society and people will always be cautious around them.  They do deserve a second chance, but they should go above and beyond to prove themselves and regain one's trust. 

Blog 2, Post F: Extra Credit

We had the privilege of hearing testimony from two women from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless during one of our classes.  These women, Mary and Lee Ann, were brave to share their real life stories with us regarding their struggles and survival of being homeless.  

I could relate the most with Mary because she was also a product of the DCFS system like myself.  During her testimony, I felt like I relived her pain in being alone and having no support system.  We all have different coping mechanisms and unfortunately Mary turned to drugs to help her deal with the emptiness that comes with living in group homes and shelters.  She shared my sentiments in that the DCFS lacks in preparing youth for real life.  They failed to teach us basic survival skills, some that are essential in being independent, like knowing how to open a checking account, how to budget, and cook.  Mary's drug use caused her to shift her priorities rather than focus that energy unto taking care of her young children.  While she did use some services that the government provides to wards of the state, she got caught in the trap of drug use and her homelessness situation spiraled out of control. Having a support system is critical to our survival, without it we become lost.  I am glad to hear Mary's silver lining, that she was able to find support and stability through the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless in terms of shelter and employment.  

Lee Ann also struggled with homelessness as a teenager and into her adulthood.  She also turned to drugs to self-soothe after being sexually abused.   Through that experience she learned to use her body to benefit her in earning cash to provide for her own basic needs which were not being met at home.  She became a prostitute and skipped on getting a high school diploma.  After years of soul searching and gaining street knowledge and coming to terms that she cannot live this lifestyle anyone, Lee Ann gave her life to the Lord and accepted his plan for her life.  She is able to inspire change in people, letting them know that our past does not define who we are.  No matter how low to the ground we get, how disgusting we might be in the eyes of society, there is hope, mercy and grace for all of us.  I'm also glad that the Coalition was able to help Lee Ann become an advocate for those who just need a second chance.  I hope that God continues to put these two women across the paths of those who need to hear the good news.

Blog 2; Post E: 'Poverty in Los Angeles' Presentation

Our class was divided in groups of 4-5 students, each group was assigned a city to research the poverty levels and present to the class the information that we had gathered.  My group was #4 and we researched the 'City of Angels', Los Angeles, California.

• We found that in the midst of the rich and famous, Los Angeles county houses about 40,149 documented homeless people (men, women and children) on the streets in any given day. Adding to the equation are the 'hidden homeless', the ones' who are unaccounted for (like those who are mobile and live in their cars), increasing the numbers by 1.9% for a total of 58,423 homeless people.
• According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) there are about 20 shelter sites in the LA county which provide only 4,779 beds each night for the 58,423 homeless!
• The U.S. Conference of Mayors 2012 Status Report on Hunger & Homelessness (Page 28) states that there is only 6% of unmet housing needs for the homeless.

http://usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/2012/1219-report-HH.pdf   (2012 Mayors Report)
http://www.lahsa.org/year_round_shelter.asp   (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority)

Los Angeles contains factors beyond its control that prevents drastic improvement for services to its homeless population.  Unfortunately, the region is riddled with earthquakes which make it hard to build and maintain new structures. Most buildings are limited to zoning requirements and can only be of a certain height.  In comparison, the projects in Chicago have been known to be up to 15 floors high, while in Los Angeles, they can't go over 4 floors, thereby making mass housing nearly impossible. Over population of the area also contributes the problem of open space.  There is virtually no open space in Los Angeles, most of the land is claimed and there is no unincorporated space available.  The geographic space also causes a hardship on the city because it is mostly made up of hills and is surrounded by mountains.  The city is unable to build new structures for its homeless populations, whether it be shelters, permanent housing or health centers.  

Though the city can't build new space for the homeless, it can utilize the pre-existing buildings, particularly those in Kid Row.  Many of the buildings are run down and it would benefit the city by investing in the neighborhood.

As the saying goes "money makes the world go round" and to state the obvious, money is needed to operate services.  Most would say that more funding is needed, but I believe that there is money available, and the city needs to work with what it receives and reconstruct its priorities as to where the funding given by the Federal government is applied to.  

The good news is that Los Angeles is making improvements to better service the homeless population.  According to the new 2012 Mayors Report (Page 80), it has created more shelter sites and has greatly expanded its Permanent Supportive Housing more than any other city in the U.S. by including 10,911 permanent units and 5,982 transitional housing units.  Somehow they are getting the funding or at the very least redirecting money towards services for the homeless population.

http://usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/2012/1219-report-HH.pdf   (2012 Mayors Report)