Today, former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback and 3-time Pro Bowler Michael Vick was released from a federal prison in Kansas. In August 2007, Vick plead guilty to a dog fighting charge. He has served 21 months in prison and will serve 2 more on house arrest. During this time, he will work for a construction company for $10/hr (CNN.com).
What I have a problem with is the way America allowed the media to turn this trial, as they do with that of every other human of public stature, into a circus. And on top of that, the court played right into it. It is a slap in the face to force Michael Vick work in the construction industry, not because he's better than that, but because it is intended to do nothing but punish and humiliate him.
If the point of serving time is to rehabilitate people, why isn't there a mandatory system put in place to mold convicted criminals into contributing members of society? What motivation does one have to better himself when he knows that, no matter what he does, he will always be seen as a felon? The system is set up to bring people back to prison, not to keep them out. Over 50% of violent felons are repeat offenders (Bureau of Justice Statistics). If this is a known fact, as it has been for some time, why haven't programs been put into place to try to reduce the ratio? All of this money is being put into the prison system when, if more was put into rehab, we'd save money and people. Lifting weights doesn't build character. However workshops on being a better parent, business etiquette, money management, interview prep, etc do.
So why isn't the government doing everything in its power to make these people into better citizens? Because, like everything else in this capitalist society, prison is an industry. Wardens, guards, nurses, doctors, janitors, bus drivers, and cook are all employed by the prison system. Not to mention the cheap labor that incarcerated individuals provide. And let's not forget about the people who make those neon jumpsuits or many other outsourced companies that furnish prisons. Then you have the people at the top of it all who are paid to record and analyze all of the statistics that come from prisons. And those are the people who realize that it is not in the best economic interest of the nation to come up with a real solution because that will leave thousands of hard working productive citizens jobless. So, in other words, America is not going to work it's hardest give these people their freedom because other people deserve their livelihood more.
Michael Vick is one of the most fortunate prisoners alive. He and other celebrities don't feel the pressure to go back to a life of crime (though that doesn't stop Robert Downey Jr. time and time again). But for those convicted felons who can't get a job because they have a record, things aren't so easy. They can not live the American Dream. They do not have the options that the rest of us have because 1) they are shunned by an unforgiving society and 2) they have not had the training necessary to be successful. I'm not going to ask you to write your congressman or woman because you probably won't. But when you get in a position to hire a qualified person with a blemish on his/her record, all I ask is that you take a second look at giving this person a second chance because this new job might be his/her motivation to stay out this time.
Today is the day; how are you going to act?
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