I had planned to speak more about my federal lawsuit and TLS [community integration service}, but I was watching this local news program called “Empire State Weekly,” and they were speaking about a looming budget fight in the state government. We already know there’s a $2.3 billion shortfall in income tax revenue in New York State. Now, there are proposals to make cuts in medical care and education. I mean, really? So much money can be saved reforming our criminal justice and prison systems, but there’s very little talk about that. Why cut funding to essential services people need when we can do more to lower crime and prison recidivism rates and close down more prisons which are not essential to ensuring public safety.
It’s bad enough people can’t afford their prescription medication, and that EMS services are closing due to a lack of funding, but we have this massive prison industrial complex that is draining tax dollars to perpetuate a failing system. One big factor contributing to crime is socioeconomic inequality. There are gross disparities in wealth and education in this country that lead to crime in economically depressed neighborhoods, especially in communities of color. Unlike the left-leaning progressives, I don’t believe in forced redistribution of wealth. However, I believe in increasing opportunities for poor, Black and Hispanic Americans.
This is why I created UFD, the Ujima Fraternal Dynasty. By teaching classic self help principles of success and entrepreneurship, and creating a fraternal association through which these principles can be put into [unclear] effect. I will be able to spur economic development in disadvantaged communities, and thereby lowering crime rates further, and increasing income tax revenue. This I can do. I am uniquely qualified to do it. I have been teaching and training myself to do exactly this for many years. But instead of releasing me from prison so I can begin the work in earnest, the state is shelling out about $60,000 a year to keep me in prison for no good reason. Just a waste of money that could be used to help an elderly person pay for needed medication, or help a few young students get a college education.
Let’s take a closer look at the question of prison reform. Governor Cuomo proposed to close only three state prisons, but no mention was made about decreasing the prison population further through innovative prison reform like those being implemented in North Dakota, based on the model used in Norway. Norway’s prison system has a 20% recidivism rate compared to the United States’ 76.6% rate. For every 100,000 persons, Norway only incarcerates 63 people, compared to the 655 people per 100,000 persons the United States incarcerates. The goal of the Norwegian prison system is to create good neighbors. So instead of punishing and disciplining prisoners and subjecting them to harsh treatment, the Norwegian prison system treats its prisoners as human beings, even calling them residents and not prisoners or inmates or offenders.
Something about this system works with only a 20% recidivism rate. Critics in this country who feel prisoners shouldn’t be treated nice will call Norway’s prison system soft. But ask yourself this: would you rather be able to pay for your prescription medication and put your kid through college, without going into debt? Or, would you rather see prisoners treated badly who only come out worse as a result, because that’s how your taxpayer dollars are being spent while you’re barely making ends meet. This is Dontie S. Mitchell, better known as Mfalme Sikivu, reporting to you from Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. Follow me on Facebook @freedontiemitchell. Thank you for listening and God bless.
These commentaries are recorded by Noel Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
