Doing Life, On the Installment Plan
A series on Rhode Island's Prison System
by Nancy Cook
WRNI (March 26-30, 2007)

This is how Rhode Island prisoners often refer to the Adult Correctional Institutions — they’re in and out of jail so often, they feel like they’re doing a life sentence in short segments. Fifty percent of all prisoners return to jail within three years. Thirty-three percent of them return within 12 months. Prisoners frequently refer to the ACI as the revolving door in their lives.

With this year’s state budget deficit and with prison costs ballooning, everyone from the Governor’s office to the General Assembly to the Providence Mayor are trying to devise alternatives to jail. More substance abuse treatment programs — for the estimated 70 percent of all inmates who suffer from drug and alcohol problems? What about the mentally ill? What about prevention programs, or changes in legislation, that would keep certain type of offenders such as probation violators or first-time drug offenders out of jail?

In this five-part series, WRNI’s Nancy Cook explores life both in and outside the prison and what happens when former inmates return home. She follows several former prisoners as they try to find jobs, deal with mental illnesses or stay away from drugs.

Stories and interviews from Morning Edition:

Finding a Job with a Criminal Record
For many former inmates, the hardest part of leaving prison is finding a job. They face the stigma of a criminal record, and many don't have a college degree or work experience. If they find jobs, they can rent apartments or buy cars. If not, they can easily fall back into crime.

(Right Click this link to download an MP3 to your computer)

Dealing with Mental Illness
In Rhode Island, 20 percent of the prison population is on psychiatric drugs. With the state prison population booming, prison officials and advocates say there has to be other ways to deal with chronically, mentally ill people. This is a problem nationwide as prisons such as the LA County Jail or Riker’s Island become known as de-facto mental health hospitals. WRNI’s Nancy Cook looks at the how the mentally ill fare in Rhode Island's Adult Correctional Institution:

(Right Click this link to download an MP3 to your computer)

(Right Click this link to download an MP3 to your computer)

Returning to Providence
Most of Rhode Island's inmates return to Providence, with little more than used clothes and a bus pass. They come to the city, looking for work or services. In this installment of our series, we hear from Providence families and community leaders about the city's inevitable connections to the prison.

(Right Click this link to download an MP3 to your computer)

Lessons from Connecticut
Controlling prison costs and reducing inmate populations is not just a goal in Rhode Island. One state that's had some success is neighboring Connecticut. It has lowered the number of people in its prisons by four percent in the past four years and headed off expected increases in spending. WRNI Morning Edition host Bob Seay talks to Connecticut Corrections Commissioner Theresa Lantz about their success, and speaks with series reporter Nancy Cook about efforts in Rhode Island.

(Right Click this link to download an MP3 to your computer)

WEB EXTRA:

Click here - for resources concerning Rhode Island's prison population

Respond to the series: Email reporter Nancy Cook at ncook@wrni.org, or call her at 401-351-6230.

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