Advocate for Public Safety/ Recidivism/ Tax Solutions - Second Chance Day on the Hill (home)

[Camden Northsider]

I thought this was interesting and might be of interest to other Minnesotans. Personally I feel very strongly about giving ex-offenders (or even just persons with minor criminal histories) a fair shot at making it after they have paid their debt to society. Why not work to help Minnesotans become tax-paying citizens again, as opposed to continuing to penalize persons after they serve their sentence, and thus increase the likelihood that taxpayers will not have to continue to foot the tab for incarceration costs of roughly 35K/ person (if not higher) every year (in a state that, although having a low prison population per capita, is one of the fastest growing in the nation)?

"One in five Americans has some form of criminal record. Six thousand Minnesotans return home from prison every year. On February 11th, join hundreds of other Minnesotans and advocate for change. Hear the stories of those who have struggled to move beyond their past, become contributing members of our community and redeem themselves.

Second Chance Day on the Hill principles:
(1) End punishment upon completion of sentence,
(2) Regulate availability of criminal records,
(3) Diagnose and treat mental health and chemical addiction,
(4) Include impact of collateral sanctions in plea agreements,
(5) Limit the impact of incarceration on children and families,
(6) Increase access to employment,
(7) Secure detention should be a last resort for youth,
(8) Restore voting rights upon release from prison.

For more information, visit Second Chance Day on the Hill (http://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SC_home - broken link)."