Why is providing community resources for returning citizens so important? By giving support for citizens returning to society after incarceration, New Mexico non-profits, private and public organizations are working to reduce the recidivism rate and the negative impact incarceration has on families. Here are a few statistics about incarceration in New Mexico:

• About 15,500 people are currently in prison or jail in New Mexico.
• At least 95% of all state prisoners will be released from prison at some point.
• About 65% of prisoners returning to our community will recidivate within 3 years after being released from prison.
• Every $1 invested in educational programs results in saving $2 in prison costs, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Challenges Faced by Returning Citizens in New Mexico

Organizations that provide community resources for returning citizens ensure that formerly incarcerated people have proper access to housing, substance abuse treatment, health care, child care, education, transportation and emergency funds like TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Remember:

• Many returning citizens are facing poor employment histories and inadequate job skills. Studies show that securing a good job with a good wage is vitally important to decreasing recidivism.
• Studies show the higher an inmate’s education, the less likely he or she is to reoffend. Although 90% of state prisons provide educational services, only 25% of people in prison take basic education or high-school level courses.

The Impact of Incarceration on Families

The incarceration of a loved one has a major impact on family members of the incarcerated. That’s why organizations provide community resources for the families of incarcerated men and women, too. Nationally, a recent study titled Who Pays? The True Cost of Incarceration on Families found:

• The average debt incurred by a family paying for a loved one’s court-related fees and fines is more than $13,000.
• 83% of family members tasked with covering the fees and costs associated with arrest and prosecution were women.
• At least one study showed that people who have family ties during incarceration do better when released than those without such ties.

The Impact of Incarceration on Children

Children often display signs of emotional trauma, face hunger and foster care after the incarceration of a loved one. They are also more likely to end up in prison themselves, making community resources for the families of incarcerated people even more important. Some statistics about children of the incarcerated:

• 74% of children of prisoners will one day be prisoners themselves.
• 78% of inmates say they have had a relative in prison.
• 14% of American children (more than 10 million) have a parent who is incarcerated, in jail, on probation or parole.

Community Resources for Returning Citizens in New Mexico

Organizations in Albuquerque and throughout the state of New Mexico provide support for people who are currently incarcerated, people who are about to be released, and formerly incarcerated people. A few of these organizations include:

Wings for Life, International

Wings for Life, International is an organization that is transforming lives to break the cycle of incarceration. The Returning Citizens Coalition, sponsored by Wings for Life, brings together organizations and services to provide a wide range of support and resources to families before, during and after incarceration. Through support related to careers, parenting and legal resources, Wings for Life prepares formerly incarcerated men and women for a successful transition back into society.

Fathers Building Futures

Since so many men in prison are also parents, PB&J Family Services founded Fathers Building Futures, which offers job training and career services for dads returning from prison. The program currently employs 15 fathers working in auto detailing, mobile power washing, freight delivery, and woodworking. “We employ these fathers to help them with job development so they have a sustainable income for their families and so are they contributing to their community,” Krystyna Ciszek, Communication and Special Events Coordinator for PB&J Family Services, said.

SHARE New Mexico

SHARE New Mexico’s Returning Citizens Initiatives page is an amazing community resource that has the goal of reducing recidivism through collaboration between non-profits, the private and public sector in New Mexico. If you’re an organization that helps returning citizens and their families make a successful transition back into society, you can:

• Add an event to our Returning Citizens Calendar, or find an event to support returning citizens in New Mexico.
• Find interesting returning citizen and New Mexico incarceration statistics through our Library.
• Find non-profit resources through our Resources Directory. You can also add your organization to our Resources Directory so people can find you more easily!

“The reason I like SHARE New Mexico so much is it gives us one site for everybody to go to, ” said Edenfield Sweet, founder of Wings for Life, International. Wings for Life provided many of the New Mexico returning citizens statistics in this article, which are available through our library.

Do you know of any other organizations that help returning citizens in New Mexico? Tell us in the comments!