Helping the Innocent Get Back On Their Feet

None by KCPW

People who are thrown in jail, even when they're innocent, have a hard time resuming normal lives after being released:

"Without assistance...boy, do they struggle! Boy, do they struggle in terms of getting their immediate needs met. And what could really happen is that could ultimately lead them into a life of crime because they become so desperate."

That's Democratic Representative David Litvack, who is sponsoring a bill that would help these people get back on their feet. Jensie Anderson, who is president of the Rocky Mountain Innocence Center, explains how this would happen:

"They come out and go to an employer and say ‘I have no work history. I've been in prison. No, really! I was innocent!' They face those struggles, and not only with employers, but with landlords. So, really giving them some assistance to find their way back into the world is vitally important."

Under the measure, a person would receive the average annual wage that a single worker in Utah would make for every year of imprisonment. Litvack says it may not be a lot of money, but it definitely would be useful. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Legislative Coverage, and 2007 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2009 KCPW