Why not fund a program to pay young black men from ever going to jail?

[EvaPeron]

When I heard about all the money we spent to house the terrorist prisoners in guantanamo bay, I thought it was absurd. Now, with the discussion of Black Lives Matter and Black inequality in the US and mostly Black crime in America, why don't we fund a program that pays/rewards black youth and young adults from staying crime free and away from prison and even reward them for going to college and getting a better education. I'm not a believer in more free things as I think this is how we got to where we are today, but what if, we reward those young men/women who stay out of jail and go to college. Maybe not even make it a race thing but just a step up for all of our youth. Wouldn't it take the burden off the prison system financially? Just thinking out loud and wondering what others thought.

I would also add that the reward is money after the fact not before. So they payment is for every year they attend school actively and pass and do not commit a crime of any nature, they would be given a lump sum for their future year.

 

[americanwoman]

Yes, $1,000 for spending 8 months in college, that someone somehow has to pay for, sounds much more alluring to a street kid than $5,000 a month selling drugs. Brilliant idea!

Much better to fund after school or mentorship programs at younger ages, which actually do keep kids off the streets and assists them to do more with their lives.

 

[joG]

Yes, $1,000 for spending 8 months in college, that someone somehow has to pay for, sounds much more alluring to a street kid than $5,000 a month selling drugs. Brilliant idea!

Much better to fund after school or mentorship programs at younger ages, which actually do keep kids off the streets and assists them to do more with their lives.

Kindergarten would probably help too.

 

[americanwoman]

Kindergarten would probably help too.

The sooner the better. My daughter goes to a community center for out of school and some of the kids there, well to put it nicely you know an incentive to go to school won't help them.

 

[BitterPill]

When I heard about all the money we spent to house the terrorist prisoners in guantanamo bay, I thought it was absurd. Now, with the discussion of Black Lives Matter and Black inequality in the US and mostly Black crime in America, why don't we fund a program that pays/rewards black youth and young adults from staying crime free and away from prison and even reward them for going to college and getting a better education. I'm not a believer in more free things as I think this is how we got to where we are today, but what if, we reward those young men/women who stay out of jail and go to college. Maybe not even make it a race thing but just a step up for all of our youth. Wouldn't it take the burden off the prison system financially? Just thinking out loud and wondering what others thought.

I would also add that the reward is money after the fact not before. So they payment is for every year they attend school actively and pass and do not commit a crime of any nature, they would be given a lump sum for their future year.

I think the idea is worth exploring, yet I am averse to creating a program specifically targeted by race.

 

[joG]

The sooner the better. My daughter goes to a community center for out of school and some of the kids there, well to put it nicely you know an incentive to go to school won't help them.

Pre - kindergarten it should be then. Many parents are not doing a very good job of socialising their kids, I take it.

 

[digsbe]

Reform prisons to become more like labor camps to instill discipline in the incarcerated and have their labor pay their stay. No one should ever ever be paid or given benefit based on race. It's no one's fault but the individual for committing a crime.

 

[Jack Fabulous]

When I heard about all the money we spent to house the terrorist prisoners in guantanamo bay, I thought it was absurd. Now, with the discussion of Black Lives Matter and Black inequality in the US and mostly Black crime in America, why don't we fund a program that pays/rewards black youth and young adults from staying crime free and away from prison and even reward them for going to college and getting a better education. I'm not a believer in more free things as I think this is how we got to where we are today, but what if, we reward those young men/women who stay out of jail and go to college. Maybe not even make it a race thing but just a step up for all of our youth. Wouldn't it take the burden off the prison system financially? Just thinking out loud and wondering what others thought.

I would also add that the reward is money after the fact not before. So they payment is for every year they attend school actively and pass and do not commit a crime of any nature, they would be given a lump sum for their future year.

Brilliant idea.

Let's lower the bar even further by rewarding the amazing accomplishment of... not becoming a criminal. Everyone can save their pay stubs and hang them on the wall next to their participation trophies. Hell, how about quarterly bonuses for staying out of detox, too?

 

[faithful_servant]

When I heard about all the money we spent to house the terrorist prisoners in guantanamo bay, I thought it was absurd. Now, with the discussion of Black Lives Matter and Black inequality in the US and mostly Black crime in America, why don't we fund a program that pays/rewards black youth and young adults from staying crime free and away from prison and even reward them for going to college and getting a better education. I'm not a believer in more free things as I think this is how we got to where we are today, but what if, we reward those young men/women who stay out of jail and go to college. Maybe not even make it a race thing but just a step up for all of our youth. Wouldn't it take the burden off the prison system financially? Just thinking out loud and wondering what others thought.

I would also add that the reward is money after the fact not before. So they payment is for every year they attend school actively and pass and do not commit a crime of any nature, they would be given a lump sum for their future year.

1. Because it's discriminatory.
2. Because people need to be involved in the Social Contract because they are part of a society, not because they are paid to do so.

 

[blaxshep]

When I heard about all the money we spent to house the terrorist prisoners in guantanamo bay, I thought it was absurd. Now, with the discussion of Black Lives Matter and Black inequality in the US and mostly Black crime in America, why don't we fund a program that pays/rewards black youth and young adults from staying crime free and away from prison and even reward them for going to college and getting a better education. I'm not a believer in more free things as I think this is how we got to where we are today, but what if, we reward those young men/women who stay out of jail and go to college. Maybe not even make it a race thing but just a step up for all of our youth. Wouldn't it take the burden off the prison system financially? Just thinking out loud and wondering what others thought.

I would also add that the reward is money after the fact not before. So they payment is for every year they attend school actively and pass and do not commit a crime of any nature, they would be given a lump sum for their future year.

We have to pay them not to be thugs?

 

[EvaPeron]

We have to pay them not to be thugs?

I don't want to. In a perfect world the answer would be no. But we are paying them to be thugs. Twenty, thirty, forty, fifty thousand a year plus to be incarcerated. It was said to cost us one million dollars per year for each GETMO detainee. That's ridiculous. Would giving these guys a reward for doing good cost us less and benefit us more? That's my question.

 

[EvaPeron]

1. Because it's discriminatory.
2. Because people need to be involved in the Social Contract because they are part of a society, not because they are paid to do so.

Sounds good in theory but it isn't discriminatory any more than all the other social programs based on race. And, we are paying whether we pay for them to go to jail or we pay for them to do good and go to school. Which benefits us more? That's my question.

 

[TobyOne]

We can call the payments "reparations".

 

[fmw]

"Why not fund a program to pay young black men from ever going to jail?"

Because it is racist and unequal. If you think inner city single mothers are poor parents, wait until you see how badly government handles the job. Ridiculous proposal. All we need is a better economy with more and better jobs. If you think government can do that, then spend my money there, not subsidizing citizens.