Street roots., March 27, 2015, Page 13, Image 13

March 27-Aprif 2, 2015
Commentary
Page 13
Stronger families, safer communities
BY SHANNON WIGHT
AND ELIZABETH HILLIARD
Washington state implemented an
innovative program in 2010 that addressed
fiscal concerns about increasing prison
regon has recently committed to an
costs and worked to reduce risks to children
and families. The program, called the
exciting new path to improve its
Family Offender Sentencing Alternative
public safety system. This path
(FOSA), allows carefully selected parents
started when the Justice. Reinvestment Act,
House Bill 3194, was signed into law in convicted of non-violent offenses to serve
sentences in intensive community
2013. The Justice Reinvestment Act
supervision rather than in prison. While the
flatlined prison growth
program is more expensive than traditional
for the next five years
probation (about 25 percent more) it is still
and was projected to
one-third the cost of sending a parent to
save the state $300
prison. Early analysis of the program
million in averted costs
indicates that participants are less likely to
of having to open and
commit
future crimes after completion than
build new prisons. While
if they had not been in the program.
so far the act has proven
FOSA is a collaboration between the
successful, women are
Department of Corrections and the
now the fastest-growing
Department of Human Services that focuses
segment of our prison population and have
on the family as a whole. This alternative
been less impacted by the reforms than
not only provides the parents the
men.
opportunity to improve their own lives, but
Women who commit crimes need to be
the lives of their children and, through
held accountable, and at the same time we
those children, the well-being of the
need to make sure they return to our
community.
communities less likely to commit future
Children with a parent who is, or has
crimes. This neglected segment of our
been, in prison are more likely to face time
criminal justice population is now causing a
in prison themselves. Even after a parent’s
potential fiscal and safety crisis for the
return, thèse children are much more likely
Department of Corrections. Oregon’s only
to become involved in the criminal justice
women’s prison is 75 beds away from its
system.
maximum capacity, and corrections officials
In addition to getting pulled into the cycle
are having to consider re-opening the
of crime, children of incarcerated parents
minimum security prison to house
face challenges in all*ather areas of their *
additional women onlhe Oregon State
lives. The-departure, and later return, of a
Penitentiary grounds — a unit that was
parent disrupts children’s emotional and
closed in 2010.
educational development Some studies
There are far greater ramifications than
have even shown that children of
the fiscal costs when we send women to
incarcerated parents exhibit symptoms of
prison. Women are often the primary
post-traumatic stress disorder similar to
caregivers for their children, and their
those suffered by children whose parents
incarceration can cause damage that lasts
have died.
generations. Oregon now has an opportunity
The psychological and developmental
to pass reforms that would impact parents
harm incurred by these children extends
with custody of their children so that,
years beyond the time their parents are
whenever safely possible, we can build
behind bars.
stronger families and safer communities
Often, children whose parents are sent to
while holding parents accountable.
prison do not have family members who can
C O N T R IB U T IN G C O L U M N IS T S
a
SAFETY and
■JUSTICE
Shannon Wight is
the deputy director
o f Partnership fo t
Safety and Justice.
Elizabeth Hilliard
is PSJ’s policy
intern. PSJ is a
statewide, non­
profit advocacy
organization
dedicated to
m aking Oregon's
approach to crime
and public safety
more effective and
just.
take them in. With nowhere else to go,
these children are placed in foster care.
Putting children of incarcerated parents into
foster care costs more than taxpayer dollars.
Because a move to foster care frequently
involves a change in home and school,
children lose friends, teachers and
previously established support systems.
Being abruptly placed
in new surroundings is
a challenge for any
JUlmristg a parent to serve part,
young child. For a
or a ll, of Ills or her sentence
child already facing the
under
Intensive supervision at
loss of a parent,
home
protects
children from
however, these
changes can be
serions distress«
devastating.
Allowing a parent to
serve part, or all, of
his or her sentence under intensive
supervision at home protects children from
serious distress. Not only are these children
spared the hardship of their parent’s
absence, but the parents are placed into
programs that improve parenting skills and
provide them the tools to rebuild their
families.
Rep. Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland, is
bringing a bill during this legislative session
that would allow Oregon to replicate
Washington’s innovative and successful
FOSA program. Choosing to sentence
parents convicted of nonviolent crimes and
who currently have custody of their children
to mandatory supervision with parenting
and life skills training issm art public safety
policy. By doing so, we can reduce the
pressure on the women’s prison and avoid
the incredibly costly move of opening
another prison. Even more importantly, by
initiating a program that holds parents
accountable, strengthens their parenting
skills and keeps them connected to their
children, we are investing in these children
and giving them greater opportunities to
succeed. By keeping families together,
Oregon can break the cycle of crime and
increase public safety with stronger families
and safer communities.