A Prisoner’s Story: Coming Home
By Jeff Adachi, SF Public Defender, Oct 06, 2008
Four months ago, Jesse P. was paroled to San Francisco after completing a 12-year sentence. With only $200 in gate money, Jesse was not very hopeful about his future. A high school drop-out, Jesse had few marketable skills, no job prospects and no place to live. Jesse joined 1,500 parolees who reside in San Francisco. Like Jesse, most are homeless, jobless, uninsured, and will have difficulty finding employment or qualifying for social services due to their criminal records. According to a recent report on the challenges faced by prisoners returning to San Francisco, 50 percent are functionally illiterate, 27 percent need mental health services and 75 percent need substance abuse treatment.
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