17+Nov+2008+SSDP

SSDP hit the ground running today. When we first met, Ms. Barr presented the letters that some of the SSDP students wrote to a number of state senators. The senate will soon go into a veto session regarding a medical cannabis bill, and letters were drafted to those senators who voted against the bill previously, encouraging them to rethink their position. Often, the youth are used as justification for blocking such bills with the argument that medical cannabis will increase marijuana use among youth. Evidence from other states that have legalized medical cannabis often points to just the opposite. In their letters, students addressed the fact that, as young people, they are often used as justification for voting against such legislation, when in fact they believe that passage of such laws would be of greater benefit to society. A letter was also drafted to our very own Senator Cullerton, thanking him for sponsoring the senate bill. Students signed all of the letters and took envelopes home to address. We then reviewed expectations for the paper re-writes and hit the road.

Our fieldwork today took us to the Cook County Boot Camp (CCBC), a correction facility which offers an alternative to Cook County Jail and state prisons. Boot Camp is an available 12 month alternative to prison for men ages 17 - 35 who have committed their first felony. In order to qualify, the felony cannot be violent or sexual in nature. As its name suggests, CCBC takes a military-style approach to discipline and structure in an attempt to "break down" the inmates so that they can then be built up. As part of their first four months, inmates are formed into platoons who then must work through a series of benchmarks, including but not limited to anger management, substance abuse and teamwork. There is also on-site job training and education, which culminates in the GED exam, for which CCBC is an official testing site. Unlike traditional corrections institutions, the focus of CCBC is rehabilitation and re-integration into the community. To that end, the program does not end after the men leave the boot camp. Following boot camp, there is an 8 month period of time when they are required to return for regular check-ins regarding their status after the program. This portion of the entire 12 months is dedicated job placement and employment skills, as well as inmate monitoring, which includes periodic drug testing. If an inmate fails a drug test, they are referred to a treatment program.

At CCBC, we were given a tour and students had an opportunity to see what it was like first-hand. They also had an opportunity to ask some questions about how drug policy affects the corrections system, and the work that CCBC is doing to give young first-time offenders a second chance. In the swirl of uniforms and military-style precision, our mismatched group, which at times struggled to hold its line together, cut a markedly contrasting figure.