Hey Y'all,
The article in the Dallas Morning News http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20110210-texas-house-budget-writers-urge-prisons-to-release-more-feeble-inmates.ece titled Texas House budget Writers urge prisons to release more feeble inmates is an interesting read. According to the article the proposal is to release elderly inmates with health problems on a medical parole to save the state money. A committee presented the statistics that inmates 55years old and older make up eight percent of the prison population ,but make up 31 percent of the medical cost. The article continued stating that the state is spending an average of ten thousand dollars a year for each critically ill inmate. Looking at the numbers presented in this article it would seem that the state would be saving a large sum of money with medical paroles. However it seems that the folks involved with this proposal have over looked some things. They have not considered that a 55 year old former inmate will have limited job skills ,problems readjusting to society in general thus making employment near impossible. Now we have an unemployed former inmate with severe health problems with no no way to support themselves or provide healthcare for them selves. The former inmate will have no other choice but to turn to the state for assistance. Then we have him on state assisted living and health care possibly even living in a state funded nursing home. I am at a loss as to how this saves money or helps the state budget in anyway.
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