We DIDN'T realize how broken the system is.
We DIDN'T know 77% of first-time offenders return to incarceration.
and
We DIDN'T know what to do about it.
As the 12 of us strolled up the stone staircase of the Superior Court of San Francisco we were cheerfully greeted by Mrs. Lisa Lightman, Director of San Francisco Collaborative Courts. She thoroughly introduced us to a novice program called the San Francisco Collaborative Courts that work with individuals and families in and out of the criminal justice system challenged by substance abuse, mental illness, and other social welfare concerns. This program is a new initiative started by the State of Clifornia back in the 90's and many other states have followed suit. It aims to start a grassroots movement within the community to clean up the streets and off services to criminals rather than continue to service them in and out of jail. SFCC aims to facilitate greater self-sufficiency, family health and community engangement. Lisa really seemed to have a general interest in each person she works with in the rehabilitating drug court program. She and the rest of the system realize that there is tremendous overspending with dismal results.
We then were escorted into a court room to sit in on a Graduation Ceremony for four individuals who successfully completed the drug court program. There were no caps, gowns, bands, or diplomas. But rather something far more basic: freedom. As discussed earlier, there is only one or two bad decisions that separate you from someone sitting in the penitentiary. The only thing that got these graduates through the door was choice and they finally chose to strive for something better. Following powerful speeches from two of the drug court facilitators and mentors (who were former drug addicts themselves) we could feel the insurmountable rush of hope that flooded the room. Hope in the eyes of the family members who watched their loved ones accomplish something good, hope in the words that the staff members spoke of, and hope in the hearts of graduates who CHOSE life over crime.
We then walked up one block to another building introduced by the SF Court Sytsem and in conjunction with the SFPD called the Community Assesement and Service Center (CASC). It recently opened in June 2013 and is a one-stop recently center that serves comprehensive need of clients under SF Adult Probation Department. It was a clean building that looked more like a campus center as opposed to a probation office, but nonetheless nice. Our group sat down with three women (Melissa Gelber, Lauren Bell, and Kelly Winter) who dove into the logistics of this model. In turn we learned that they have a new initiative called a "re-entry pod" where they provide probation supervision of clients while also offering a range of evidence-based service to help them "get back on their feet." Check them out here at www.cjcj.org!
It sounds so glorious, but we were quickly reminded that 50% of the graduates return to the court system within time. So what gives? Temptation. It's all around us. Even at Rutgers University. But what people need is social, moral, and psychological support to continue to make the right choices. Whether it's counseling, food services, or housing, there are many organizations and people out there very willing to help.
We finished out our day with a little R&R at the hostel (which is hectic and serene at the same time), travels downtown, and some boxed mac and cheese for dinner....yes, this is a college trip.
I apologize for this post being very non-visual, but the places we visited today deemed inappropriate for photography. And that is the beauty of our trip....it's not always about documenting on paper, but more so documenting in spirit.
With that I end with a quote from Judge Richard Ulmer who served as the leader of the drug court graduation ceremony:
We then were escorted into a court room to sit in on a Graduation Ceremony for four individuals who successfully completed the drug court program. There were no caps, gowns, bands, or diplomas. But rather something far more basic: freedom. As discussed earlier, there is only one or two bad decisions that separate you from someone sitting in the penitentiary. The only thing that got these graduates through the door was choice and they finally chose to strive for something better. Following powerful speeches from two of the drug court facilitators and mentors (who were former drug addicts themselves) we could feel the insurmountable rush of hope that flooded the room. Hope in the eyes of the family members who watched their loved ones accomplish something good, hope in the words that the staff members spoke of, and hope in the hearts of graduates who CHOSE life over crime.
We then walked up one block to another building introduced by the SF Court Sytsem and in conjunction with the SFPD called the Community Assesement and Service Center (CASC). It recently opened in June 2013 and is a one-stop recently center that serves comprehensive need of clients under SF Adult Probation Department. It was a clean building that looked more like a campus center as opposed to a probation office, but nonetheless nice. Our group sat down with three women (Melissa Gelber, Lauren Bell, and Kelly Winter) who dove into the logistics of this model. In turn we learned that they have a new initiative called a "re-entry pod" where they provide probation supervision of clients while also offering a range of evidence-based service to help them "get back on their feet." Check them out here at www.cjcj.org!
It sounds so glorious, but we were quickly reminded that 50% of the graduates return to the court system within time. So what gives? Temptation. It's all around us. Even at Rutgers University. But what people need is social, moral, and psychological support to continue to make the right choices. Whether it's counseling, food services, or housing, there are many organizations and people out there very willing to help.
We finished out our day with a little R&R at the hostel (which is hectic and serene at the same time), travels downtown, and some boxed mac and cheese for dinner....yes, this is a college trip.
I apologize for this post being very non-visual, but the places we visited today deemed inappropriate for photography. And that is the beauty of our trip....it's not always about documenting on paper, but more so documenting in spirit.
With that I end with a quote from Judge Richard Ulmer who served as the leader of the drug court graduation ceremony:
"Be the one out of the two."
He used this analogy to encourage the graduates to continue down the right path. But can't we use that in our everyday lives? I hope you all continue to make the right decisions and "follow the path less travelled."
