Would you protest the construction of a halfway house in your neighbourhood?

Question

I live in a community where a halfway house is in the approval process and I have been asked to join the protesters in a letter writing campaign. We're talking about federal inmates with minimum 6 year sentences that are being re-integrated into the community. I've read lots of arguments for opposing this, but can find very little supportinng the notion of allowing it. What are your thoughts on having a 32 bed facility in your neighbourhood?

Answer 1

You are right to be concerned. I work in a probation office and many of the people in halfway houses reoffend almost immediately. You need to find out what kind of security they will offer there, what type of offenders (violent, non-violent, sex offenders etc) will be housed there, what kinds of curfews, etc. On the other hand, I can say there is a huge need for GOOD facilities that actually help people. There is also research being done that shows that reintegration works better in residential neighborhoods where the offenders have less temptation. But you really need more information.

Answer 2

You need to get more information about facility and the types of inmates that will be housed there. It also depends on the type of neighborhood and you need to look at other issues such as noise and traffic.

I wouldn't want a facility full of sex offenders right next to my kid's school, but I might be less concerned it the facility was strictly for white collar criminals.

Answer 3

So you would rather they stay in prison for the full sentence and then thrown out into the world, at a street corner near you?