There's got to be a better way to help inmates once they are finally set free from prison, but the plan has to start in the prison before that inmate is set free. That inmate should attend a program called Prerelease in New York State. Prerelease is a program that is supposed to educate a prisoner about where to go to take care of mostly all of his needs as an ex-prisoner and prerelease at times does have good information to teach but as soon as the gate opens mostly everything that was taught in prerelease normally goes up in smoke or is quickly forgotten. Sadly that's the inmates first big mistake.
For this letter I am going to forget about attending prerelease for a moment and just think of an inmate just being set free. It sounds like madness to me, but it's happening across the country daily. Puff, you've just been set free with $40.00 that NYS gives each person leaving its prison system. How long will that money last and how are you going to get more? Money is a big problem for mostly all who leave prison. Money seems to be everybody's problem, but it is even more of a problem for anyone who leaves prison. For some, they have family members who will help out with some funds but for that ex-con with no family member to lend a hand, in his or her mind it's been sad that he or she will do whatever they have to do in order to survive, or in other words "make money," and most likely it is those inmates who will return first. ... Most inmates do not solve the problem mainly because they don't have anyone to turn to ask for help and for that reason I am recommending my proposal of a new program, I would call it "Freedom Brothers."
Freedom Brothers are NOT parole officers or someone who will lock you up if you fail. Freedom Brothers is like a "Big Brother" whose job will start the same day you are released and he will spend 8 hours a day (or more) with you until you are up and on your feet. A Freedom Brother's job is to push you to help to get on your feet and to help you with any kind of social problem. I strongly feel that everyone leaving prison should be given a Freedom Brother. Everyone on Welfare should be given a Freedom Brother. People who are in shelters, even the homeless need Freedom Brothers.
My idea will help create jobs, both for the person on the street and for the person leaving prison. Again, being a Freedom Brother is a job and can even be implemented as a volunteer service. I strongly feel that if this program is implemented it would help to prevent people from going to jail. I've since spoken to several inmates about my idea and they've all said that they like my idea and they would be willing to try my idea if ever implemented.
--A New York Prisoner, December 2003
MIM responds: This comrades proposal for Freedom Brothers recognizes the need for a partnership with someone who is not there to punish you but to help you. This is the type of program MIM is trying to build. And to follow such a model we believe we must do this outside of the state, as we cannot trust a government that locks away hundreds of thousands of oppressed people on petty charges to work in the interests of oppressed people.
Without the resources of the state, this program will need other financial sources and so it may not play the role of providing jobs as this comrade suggests. But the important thing is that we will be able to design a program that will serve the people. We must be creative in finding resources and funding to keep such a program going.
As is pointed out in this letter, money is the biggest problem facing a lot of newly released people. To solve this problem we are working on developing employment opportunities for comrades as soon as they are released. Another idea we are throwing out to our supporters who have a stable income in society is to Adopt a Releasee. As part of our Release on Life Program we are seeking out people who would be willing to share their abundant incomes with a releasee who in return will dedicate his/her time to revolutionary organizing. Our readers who can easily support multiple people on their incomes, but don't have time to engage in day-to-day organizing work themselves should contact us about this opportunity.
As we build our resources for prisoners to get support financially we will be able to provide better personal and political help that would be gained from a Freedom Brothers program. The program will perpetuate itself as releasee's become Freedom Brothers for the next batch of prisoners to be released.