Simone Price on the importance of providing financial assistance to formerly incarcerated people after reentry

“When Carmen Ortega left prison in 2018, she knew that she needed a major life change. For more than five years, Ortega struggled with addiction and cycled in and out of incarceration, unable to secure a steady job or housing that would help keep her afloat.

“‘In between me coming out, coming in, coming out — I was, for four years straight, homeless. Every time I came out of the jail, I didn’t have nowhere to go,’ Ortega, 52, told The 19th. ‘That is the biggest problem that we have when we come out of prison or jail. Because you don’t have that support, you go back to what you know.’ …

Guaranteed income recipients are able to … make decisions that set them up for better long-term financial health.

“[Ortega] was one of more than 10,000 people who received three monthly payments of up to $2,750 each that aimed to help formerly incarcerated people across 28 cities during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ortega put that money toward putting a roof over her head and setting up a financial cushion, so that she would never have to be homeless again. It was the first step to building a better life and reestablishing trust with her children. …

“‘In 2020 a lot of things became very difficult, not only access to basic services and getting people IDs and helping people to find transitional housing, but even just being able to give people temporary work assignments, like we just weren’t able to do it,’ said Simone Price [Leading with Conviction™ 2023], director of organizing for the Center for Employment Opportunities. ‘So, we got together with several other organizations and found private funding to launch the Returning Citizen Stimulus.’

“Even before the pandemic, parents leaving prison faced a combination of weakened connections with family and friends, and limited access to housing and employment. These factors not only increase their chances for reincarceration but also hinder their ability to provide a stable environment for themselves and their families. …

“Data gathering on the outcomes of guaranteed income programs more broadly is ongoing, but one large study previously covered by The 19th says that guaranteed income recipients are able to go back to school, start businesses and make decisions that set them up for better long-term financial health. That particular study found that guaranteed income enabled parents to improve the quality and quantity of time they spent with their children. Parents also had money to spend on resources and services to improve their child’s health and well-being.”

Read the full story at 19thNews.org.