Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 April 2005 — Page 4

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2005

DOC ► Continued from Page 1 “One focus is to be that conduit for information in the community,” said Emerson Allen, faith-based coordinator for the City of Indianapolis. “The faithbased community can be successful, because the individual understands that they must be changed from inside the heart and their minds.” Along with building relationships with reentry organizations, the DOC is undergoing various changes. Beginning with the

transformation process that was being utilized in the past - a model program that other DOC’s around the nation were asked to follow. “Folks I have to be honest with you, we have some work to do,” Donahue said. “We will no longer release offenders in prison attire. We are going to dust off the transitional program that was historically in this state. Which I must say was a good one... and was modeled by other

correctional institutions around the nation.” At the Miami Correctional Facility, Gov. Mitch Daniels, along with Donahue, launched a methamphetamine treatment unit - which is designed to provide immediate therapeutic treatment. The unit is currently operating 15 hours a day and is offering treatment to 204 inmates who are addicted or abusers. But the opening of the new center raises concerns of those

in the Westside community. Olgen Williams, executive director of Christamore House, said, “One thing that has me a little upset is this big push on methamphetamines - what about crack cocaine. The counties with methamphetamines are primarily Caucasians, what about Marion where there is crack? Why can’t we have a prison for just crack cocaine?” Donahue answered the questions by saying that abuse of

crack cocaine in the inner city is continuously being addressed. And the issue of methamphetamine is being addressed so aggressively because of the hardship that it has on the DOC system. “We have less than 23,000 offenders and 3,000 are directly attached to methamphetamine, 900 in the system today and chronic users,” Donahue said. “Were not going to turn our back on current substance abuse.

Meth is new for us, and that is why we are addressing the issue now.” While Donahue applauds the efforts of the neighborhoods and organizations dedicated to preparing ex-offenders for society he also welcomes the help. “The services in the neighborhoods are critical,” he said. “There has to be recognizable resources in the community that folks can go to. But we need to do a better job on the inside understanding what is on the outside so that we can make those connections.” In addition to the inmate to society transformation, and the incorporation of the methamphetamine unit, DOC will begin to reshuffle the use of DOC facilities. Inmates housed at a Kentucky facility are being transported back to Indiana institutions, and institutions underutilized will become occupied. Just two weeks ago, Donahue made the decision to close one juvenile facility. “Moving forward there will be other facilities that will be modified either because we don’t need them - they are not appropriate for the population,” Donahue said. Donahue is requesting seven new work release facilities be placed throughout Indiana. Since Indianapolis currently has two work release programs, the new services will be in communities such as Gary, Fort Wayne and Evansville. During the recent forum between the Westside Weed & Seed and the DOC held at the Christamore house, attendees questioned the issue of ex-of-fenders obtaining identification once released. Donahue said he has been in contact with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles hoping the two agencies can work together to provide identification to inmates before their release dates. The same program is being implemented in other cities around the Midwest and Donahue hopes to initiate the program soon. The Recorder published an article addressing the lockdown prison conditions at two facilities, though the DOC is unable to speak about pending litigation Donahue recognized the problem and told The Recorder he continues to visit each facility and speak with superintendents about prison conditions. “I have a philosophy administratively I manage by walking around. I visited every prison within the first 90 days of the business... and I won’t leave them alone,” Donahue said. “Inside of the institution is for staff to have a good place to work, a clean environment to work in and inmates deserve to be safe.” Donahue’s recent visit to Christamore House marked his second time since the beginning of his administration, and Haughville community leaders are confident that Donahue is about bettering correctional institutions. “What I like about the new DOC commissioner is that he is coming out into the community,” said Maxine Bryant, West Side Weed & Seed reintegration coordinator. “He has a business to get things done, it remains to be seen...” A live broadcast community forum will be held on WTLC-AM (1310) at Radio One Women’s Expo on April 24 beginning at 2:30. The community is invited to come and voice concerns about ex-offender reentry.

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