IN- $1.5M of stimulus proposed for prisoner education, jobs

4-15-2009 Indiana:

Indianapolis would spend more than $1.5 million in economic stimulus funds on prisoner education and re-entry services under a proposal unveiled Monday.

The proposal -- part of the city's plan for using $6.4 million earmarked for law enforcement activities -- calls for hiring 200 ex-convicts in temporary jobs at the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.

"We have 5,000 people coming into our community every year" after their release from the Indiana Department of Correction, said David Wu, policy director for Mayor Greg Ballard. "If you don't work to keep them from re-offending, they are going to clog the criminal justice system."

The proposal also calls for spending about $1.3 million to upgrade the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's automated fingerprinting system, which Wu said will become obsolete by this fall.

"They had to replace it one way or another," Wu said.

The spending plan was introduced at Monday's City-County Council meeting. The council is expected to vote on the plan May 2.

President Barack Obama announced last month that Indiana would receive more than $35 million for law enforcement activities. The money can be used to hire officers and pay for initiatives such as drug and gang task forces, crime prevention and domestic violence programs.

Wu said Indianapolis' goal was to spread the money around the justice system. Another part of the proposal includes spending $575,000 to build two new juvenile reception centers like one operating on the Northeastside.

(eAdvocate Post)

The centers are diversion programs that keep young offenders accused of minor crimes, such as truancy or shoplifting, out of the juvenile courts, where treatment programs and housing become more costly.

Other spending includes $580,000 on a nurse and substance abuse services for Community Corrections inmates; $103,000 on training for the Indianapolis Fire Department's Task Force One; and $319,000 to hire a contractor to manage grant requests and facilitate awards. ..News Source.. by Vic Ryckaert