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Maureen O'ConnellAugust 14, 2009

There are probably many things that separated former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick’s experiences of the criminal justice and corrections systems from that of the 2.2 million Americans currently incarcerated and the seven million more either awaiting sentencing or serving probation (that’s an astounding 1 in 31 citizens according to a new study by the Pew Center on the Study of the States).

But the Philadelphia Eagles may have offered this high-profile ex-offender the most definitive separator: a second chance. Yes, we can and should question the motives of all involved and the integrity of the deal which has the potential to earn Vick $7 million over the next three years. But given that the shocking number of Americans affected by incarceration is only exacerbated by equally shocking rates of recidivism—conservative estimates by the Bureau of Justice Statistics suggest that 2/3 of prisoners are rearrested within three years of their release—we might do well to lift up the prophetic potential in this situation.

Here’s Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer:

"I'm a believer that as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance. Michael has done that. I've done a tremendous amount of homework on this, and I've followed his progress. He has some great people in his corner, and he has proven that he's on the right track." Reid also admitted that his personal life influenced his strong feelings about Vick, referring to the arrests of his two sons, Britt and Garrett, on drug charges. "I've seen people that are close to me who have had second chances that have taken advantage of those," Reid said. "It's very important that people give them an opportunity to change, so we're doing that with Michael. The other side of that is we're getting one of the best football players in the league."

At least on the former point, Reid is right. Stable employment, formal and informal networks of support, and structures of accountability provide the best defensive line against re-incarceration. The U.S. Bishops say as much in their comprehensive 2000 statement on the prison industrial complex, Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration, where they call for parish mentoring programs “that begin to help offenders prior to their release and assist them in the difficult transition back to the community.” However, many of these supports are unavailable to most ex-offenders, particularly those in Philadelphia where 40,000 prisoners are released into the region each year and well more than half eventually return to prison. The public is just simply not willing to give them a second chance, despite the fact that reducing recividism rates by 10% would save the financially strapped City of Philadelphia $6.8 million a year in jail costs according to Philadelphia’s Consensus Group on Reentry & Reintegration of Adjudicated Offenders. That’s almost as much as Vick’s potential earnings with the Eagles.

Perhaps to answer questions as to the integrity of their commitment to second chances, and not simply a chance at a Super Bowl title, Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles could publicly partner with a variety organizations that are have been employing the city’s estimated 200,000 to 400,000 ex-offenders such as The Mural Arts Program or those who collaborate with the interfaith Philadelphia Leadership Foundation. Or maybe the organization itself could employ less high-profile folks in a variety of positions in the stadium or administrative offices. They’d get far more social capital yardage with that move than they will on the field with Vick.

Maureen O'Connell

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14 years 7 months ago
It is in our nature to give second chances. Had we not, where would St. Paul be? Hate the sin, love the sinner. It's fairly simple once you look at it.
14 years 7 months ago
Isn't there something strange about the fact that Vick goes to prison for because of running dog fights but that he himself can be put into the arena to break bones, crush faces, and cause brain injuries (often not showing up intill years later), and we call it rehab!
14 years 7 months ago
I struggle with this.  Second chances rarely happen for the incarcerated.  As a Philadelphian and an animal lover, I do feel a bit of NIMBYism regarding our new player, yet I think this extremely visible second chance offers great opportunity.
First, Philadelphia has a huge dog fighting subcultre which does not draw enough attention.  I predict Vick will become the face of anti-animal abuse in the City.
Secondly, as Maureen points out, for the most part, people are unwilling to give people a second chance once they return.  That is, until individuals are seen in a new light.  I recently attended a dinner party ahead of the most recent DA election in our city to talk about which candidates to support.  The featured speakers were from a prisoners' rights advocacy group.  It didn't dawn on me until I left that gathering that many of the people in attendance were former prisoners. 
As a victim (more than once) of violent crime, this was one of those epiphany moments.  I've always been anti-death penalty, but it forced me to look deeper at what we do with people prior to releasing them back into our communities. 
We are not doing enough.
Perhaps Vick, if he is successful in staying out of trouble (which, despite and because of the extra attention, will be difficult), can show that rehabilitation is possible.
I might even hire him as a dog sitter.

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