Politics Get in Way of Helping Parolees

Re “Costa Mesa Home for Women Is Shut Down” (Sept. 11):

The idiotic decision by the Costa Mesa City Council to close the House of Sarah further indicates the need for a rational and common-sense approach to after-care for offenders. This place of refuge and training for nonviolent offenders that has existed in the city for more than 20 years virtually without incident has been singled out for a “code violation.” If the city was doing its job properly, why did it take it 20 years to “discover” the violator in its midst? Politics as usual!

We, as citizens, want a reduction in crime. Currently, 125,000 parolees are being released onto the streets every year in California. Their lack of resources and assistance is a recipe for failure. They don’t need a handout, they need a hand up. Research has shown consistently the way to reduce recidivism is a network of good programs and support in the community where these offenders will be living.

There is no place to send them. We cannot and do not have a leper colony for ex-offenders. They will be our neighbors, like it or not. Our choice is: Do we assist them to become good neighbors, or do we turn our backs using the NIMBY approach and encourage them to be bad neighbors?

Forgiveness and redemption are an integral part of the American story. It’s time to incorporate all our neighbors, assist them to get jobs, become good citizens and learn from their peers in their environment what it takes to live a good and decent life.

Let’s stop wasting money on incarcerating people for extended periods of time and focus on creating treatment programs, retraining and opportunities for those who want to change their lives.

VALERIE JONES

Lake Forest