NCJ Number
147009
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: 1,5-8
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article concerns the activities of a prison reform advocacy group, CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants).
Abstract
The basic premise of CURE is that the Nation must stop paying for big, new prisons, and start directing more money toward crime prevention, rehabilitative programs for those who must be in prison, and community-based programs for those who should not be incarcerated but still need correctional services. CURE was founded by Charlie and Pauline Sullivan; the organization has chapters in 27 States and a mailing list of 6,000. The Sullivans network with such groups as the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations that join with CURE volunteers to lobby on State and national levels. In addition, CURE has set up chapters not restricted by geography, but based on key national issues, e.g., Federal Bureau of Prisons, incarcerated veterans, families of people on death row. One of the group's problems is that the population for which they lobby (prisoners) does not elicit much sympathy; outsiders frequently do not see the wisdom of giving resources to those who must be in prison. But CURE volunteers emphasize the importance of rehabilitation, and continue their efforts to secure effective legislation and implementation of the legislation by prison systems.