A swell of support for young men who want to leave gang life behind now includes a city-led campaign to help them get jobs, according to a story in today's Courier News. The city is not only holding a job fair, it is "purchasing a van and acquiring free bus vouchers to help transport workers to and from job sites."
This idea set off in Plaintalker's mind a clang as loud as a steel door slamming shut, the very thing such an initiative is meant to avoid. Why such a response? First of all, the governing body for years now has spoken against the city supporting social service programs that might better be managed by private non-profits or by other governmental entities. The City Council has already gone through the lengthy process of relocating the substance abuse rehabilitation program known as Dudley House/Project Alert under the aegis of an agency specializing in such services. The Bilingual Day Care Center and the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) nutrition program are also targets of this thinking.
As for purchasing a van, how would it be financed? Would it not be a capital expense? What part of city government would provide a driver, insurance and maintenance and schedule its use? This just seems like one of those impulsive, emotional moves that engenders disregard of the fiscal process, kind of like the WBLS matter now under investigation.
In addition, didn't legislation just pass barring people with criminal records from serving on school boards? The target of that legislation, Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, has long advocated a half-way house to re-acclimate parolees to community life and responsibilities, but that idea has gained no traction despite the fact that hundreds of people leave prison each year to return to Plainfield.
The Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority has touted its policy of giving parolees jobs and also claims to be the fifth largest employer in the city. Coincidentally, Plaintalker was trying this week to find out who the other largest employers are when a search on the state web site turned up a program already in place to help employers who want to give jobs to parolees. The program notes that the Parole Board can serve as a silent partner in the process in that it provides checks on parolee behavior and performance, in addition to drug and alcohol tests. Employers can also receive tax credits and "free Federal bond insurance for each ex-offender they hire." Click here for full information.
As far as largest city employers, one can guess that two would be the school district and municipal government, both of which have rules that may bar parolees from jobs. Speakers at public meetings have indicated that the Recreation Division may be an exception. It might be helpful to determine what, if any, public employment is open to ex-offenders.
So before plunging into a city effort to find and facilitate employment for parolees, perhaps a step back and a look at the facts is in order. It does not have to be a long look as in a study, just a review of all the salient points of costs and implementation of such a program. One or more of the City Council committees should be at the table and certainly any existing program such as that offered by the state Parole Board should be publicized.
It will be interesting to see what Rasheed Abdul-Haqq has to say about all this as well. If anyone has redeemed himself in society, he has. And yet his service to the community, endorsed by those who voted for him to be on the school board, may soon end abruptly. It seems ironic in the light of the outpouring of love and hope for those who just took the first step away from criminality.
--Bernice
Nice idea, but not at taxpayer expense. There are a lot of people with out a criminal record who do not have jobs. Are we going to help them too? They made the mistake, this is the price you pay. Why is so much focus being paid to the criminal element in this city? What about the law abiding citizens? What are you doing for me besides raising my taxes?? 12K a year and still have to send my kids to private school!
ReplyDeleteIf England is the Nanny State then Plainfield truly is the Monmmy City. Can the mayor and her allies (no, not Jerry this time) please stop hugging and praying and get something real and lasting going here?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a primary election ploy to me. I wouldn't doubt the whole business with the Fave Five gang is part of the same effort. And all this from a mayor who wouldn't take any extradordinary aid this year because then we would have to sign a memorandum of understanding that limits her ability to spread the money around to buy off her sycophants.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute, Bernice. You mean Recreation, where adults have intimate and direct contact with often vulnerable children and teens, can use parolees in this job, and Jerry is waging a statewide campaign against a Board of Education member who sits at a table and makes policy? I think this question about Recreation needs to be resolved: not only are they serving too few kids, they're using ex-cons to do so?
ReplyDeleteI have never been more fascinated by the mentality that any law abiding citizen should feel the "need" to do anything for a criminal other than throw them in jail.
ReplyDeleteWhen faced with choices as a child and a young adult I didn't do the wrong one because I had respect for my parents, family, community and the law.....See where the liberals land on this one..it's always going to be "we didn't give them enough" that's why they are criminals...no one ever did anything for me and I'm not a criminal.
Want job opportunities...GO WORK AT MCDONALDS they are always hiring...work hard, get promoted and move up the chain of command that's how it works...EARN WHAT YOU WANT
Perhaps one of the reasons the recreation superintendent is able to rally so much support in his time of need is because he is able to arm twist vulnerable people who are in need of their jobs. The process needs to be looked at who signs off on hiring after background checks come back red flagged or are they just hired regardless because wynn wants them hired. Everyone knows how he gets away with much too much. The welfare of the children has never been a concern for him as evidence of what he has been putting the Queen City Baseball League through on an almost daily basis. In fact it's criminal. So maybe that's why the Mayor allows wynn to do whatever he wants because she relates to the thug-like mentality.
ReplyDeleteIf one is really interest then one can submit an OPRA requests for employees of the the recreation department both permanent and temporary and use that information to do a background check.
ReplyDelete