Safe Convicts

On Saturday, November 24, 2012 New Haven, CT informed the public that due to the rate of recidivism state officials would enact a law to help folks released from prison find adequate housing and employment.

This law would allow judges and the state Board of Pardons to issue “certificates of rehabilitation” to convicts that do not pose a public danger.

Is the state of CT admitting that their prison system does not work.  Are they simply locking folks up under sub-standard conditions without having programs in place to facilitate the actual “rehabilitation” that is supposed to occur.

In 2000 the American Society of Criminology published a White Paper that described the philosophy of incarceration and its purpose as "retribution" which means to repay. But it appears that folks are often times "repaying" repeatedly, i.e. they serve time in jail as a result they may have not obtained a work history thus they are not selected for employment. It also states, "More recently, a heightened fear of crime among the voting public coupled with economic prosperity has created a criminal justice system that imprisons persons who have never been convicted of violent crimes and who have had no prior convictions." Emphasis on "The Voting Public".

Sidebar:  Free at Last - Slaves were issued "Freedom Papers" identifying them as "Free People of Color". This document protected the slave from being "re-slaved".  Seems to me the "Safe Convict" papers keep the "Convict" "en-slaved to the system".

Definitions:

1.    Inmate - refers to one of the residents of a dwelling;

2.    Prisoner - refers to someone who has been deprived of the liberty or freedom against his/her wishes and is confined

3.    Convict - refers to a person convicted of a crime

If the 3rd definition is true then a person that must carry around a "piece of paper" to prove they are a "Safe Convict" would imply they are still "Convicted".

Let me see if I understand this correctly, after a person has served time incarcerated, that person gets "a piece" of paper that they can carry around with them that identifies them as a "SAFE CONVICT" per WTNH News Channel 8 this morning. That piece of paper indicates they are not a threat to society and they can work or get an apartment???

I'm not sure that someone should have to carry around a piece of paper that (1) identifies them as a "Safe Convict" (what is a safe convict); (2) What is the purpose of incarceration for a crime if when you're released you're still [Locked out]?