Educating Prisoners Reduces Recidivism

Gov Cuomo brought forth an initiative that gives incarcerated persons access to tuition free education. Mark Grisanti is mad about it saying that we should focus on tuition aid first. Sen. Grisanti is a criminal defense lawyer and recidivism (going back to jail) is good for business, Geoff Kelly of Artvoice said that we may as well call it (for Grisanti The New York State Lawyer Unemployment Act) That was an apt way to put it.

However, considering that it takes $60K to house an incarcerated person and only 5K to educate them it is a good deal not only for the state but for our communities. Incarcerated people after being released must get jobs in the same neighborhoods and situation that they got into trouble in and forgetting the other half of college students being crushed under student loans, let’s just figure out this: It brings tax money to localities, the state and federal governments, the return on investment is very high in the fact that they get a check that goes to personal needs, grocery stores, and places to spend that disposable income. Also a job is more than just a job it is a way to fund your life and education can help your chances of moving up in the company.  Also, a study by Bard College showed that incarcerated persons who received a college education while incarcerated were less likely to end up in prison again. No more having to talk to Uncle Mortie and Junebug through a glass pane and picking up a phone to hear you while your every move is watched like a hawk. No more having to deal with a Sheriff deputy that has been working the last 16 hours snapping at you because you ask a question. Remember, this is not just about incarcerated people but those that love and care for them. It lowers the unemployment rate among the recently released and having a job that is commensurate with their education can help bring a sense of pride to them and that is a motivator to be an asset to society as opposed to a burden on it

Senator Grisanti only sees the incarcerated persons in their current state and not how they will be when they eventually leave. I agree that we have to look at law abiding citizens and help them with their education and I say tuition free education for them too. The state would save A LOT of money by saving that money from financial aid and the way to recover that money could be a college tuition tax of 3-8%  of income for a number of years. I would also argue that college students should have access to food stamps or some kind of cash so that they can eat and not have to worry about going without. They’re here to be educated. The main source of income to start that fund would be a 10% tax on Wall Street transactions while pushing to get a capital gains tax from the state and up the rate if there is no rate, I’d start it at 25% and inch it up to 45% over 5 years. This would be a sustainable stream of income to secure our children’s futures instead of coddling rich people, we need to make policies that work for education and our students, and actually PARENT our children instead of sitting them down in front of the tele every day. That is a different arena that has to do with the tax code and bringing a minimum wage to a living wage.  

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