Beyond Barriers News

House Committee Will Hold Hearing on Federal Voting Rights
The House Committee on the Judiciary will meet today for a hearing on Democracy Restoration Act of 2009, legislation that would make formerly incarcerated people eligible to vote in federal elections.
Oregon offers online voter registration
Oregonians can register to vote online as Oregon becomes the fourth state in the nation to offer voters an electronic path to the polls. (Oregonian)
Oregon woman's struggles after prison show the nightmare that keeps on giving
This is a great piece by Steve Duin that epitomizes the challenges that formerly incarcerated people face upon release. If a woman with an MBA and a law degree can’t find a job . . . . how do you think it is for those without an education? (Oregonian)
February 2010 National Reentry Resource Center Newsletter
Reentry in the News - Articles from newspapers around the country covering reentry issues can be found on the National Reentry Resource Center website.
Smart Answers to Recidivism
Faced with soaring prison costs, states are finally focusing on policies that would help former prisoners stay out of jail after they are released. (New York Times Editorial)
Senate Committee Passes National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009
A national commission will evaluate the nation's justice system and offer recommendations for reform (The Sentencing Project)
Washington state felons should have voting rights, federal court rules
A federal appeals court on Tuesday, finding the state's criminal justice system "infected" with racial discrimination, tossed out Washington's law banning prison inmates from voting. (Seattle Times)
Options few for jobless with flawed work histories
How do recover from our past if the future is so bleak? The story of a single mother trying to support her child and care for her aging mother.
Old criminal records are life sentences in job market
Statistics show that joblessness among former prisoners after their first year out is around 75 percent -- three times the level among the same population before incarceration. Here is a story of one person's struggle to find work after a 25 year old conviction. (The Grio)
Barb's Story-Part III
Beyond Barriers Program Director Patty Katz conducts her third and final interview with Barb Harris and her experiences in her transition out of prison.