John Rutherford: “I thank my colleague and good friend from Pennsylvania for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Crisis…”

“I thank my colleague and good friend from Pennsylvania for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Act of 2020. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, as a former sheriff with over 40 years of experience in law enforcement, I understand the issues people face as they leave and transition from incarceration to a free society. Throughout my time in law enforcement, I saw many individuals--too many individuals--re-offend time and time again, often with the same offenses involving substance abuse and mental health issues. Part of the problem back then was, when a prisoner was released from State prison, literally all we gave them was a blue bag for their valuables and a bus ticket home. And we wondered why they failed and returned to a life of crime--not much for rehabilitation. So, when I became the sheriff of Jacksonville, I partnered with the Florida Secretary of Corrections and community groups to implement programs that provided continued treatment and services to individuals during and after they left prison because those exiting prison systems face numerous challenges as they go back to their communities, often with little or no support from friends or family. As my colleague just mentioned, the Bureau of Justice Statistics calculates that one in seven individuals in State and Federal prisons, and one in four individuals in jails, experience serious psychological distress.…”