Recidivism is a perennial problem in Philadelphia. Making this problem worse, is a deficit of facts about recidivism. Recidivism is a subset of reincarceration. Reincarceration means that someone is suspected to have committed a crime (or did a technical violation of parole), whereas recidivism typically means that someone has been found guilty of a crime.
Reincarceration …
December 27, 2011 Tags: news, PA
Category: Ex-offenders, Policy No Comments 
[Tough case here. Easy to wax nostalgic about every program, but at least in this article not sure the writer or the program give us truly compelling reasons for hard-fought funding]
In late November, the city’s Mural Arts Program (MAP) unveiled a new mural facing the second-floor elevators of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. Titled “Community, …
December 9, 2011 Tags: news, PA
Category: Ex-offenders, Policy, Projects No Comments
Branden Metzo grew up eating with his family at the dinner table seven days a week.
His parents, Theresa and Mark, were there at every turn in his life. Theresa said they did “all the things parents are supposed to do.”
Despite his upbringing, Branden, like so many others, fell prey to a danger that exists in …
December 5, 2011 Tags: news, PA
Category: Addiction, Community No Comments
Paul Heroux: Mental Illness as Key
Mental Illness in Jail
One particular population in any jail or prison stands out more than any other, and that population is the one afflicted by a mental illness. Jails and prisons are the new asylums.
Consider that when I was working in the Philadelphia prison system, I looked at the percent of inmates who were identified …
December 27, 2011 Tags: commentary, news, PA
Category: Mental No Comments