Moed bill to fight prison-to-homelessness pipeline passes out of the House

Today, House Bill 1087, authored by Rep. Justin Moed (D-Indianapolis) to combat the prison-to-homelessness pipeline, passed out of the House of Representatives. The bill allows for the Department of Correction to only transport released offenders to the county they resided in when they were convicted, unless DOC formulates a re-entry plan for that individual in the different county. This ends the DOC policy of bringing people to Indianapolis without a plan for where they will stay the night. 

“Without necessary support systems, offenders are at a higher risk of experiencing homelessness or recidivism,” Moed said. “Newly-released offenders often experience high rates of social isolation and a lack of job experience, all of which contribute to their reintroduction back in jail or on the streets. I want to stop this cycle from repeating itself over and over again.

“It is necessary for offenders to have a re-entry plan after they’ve been released back into society. I am committed to providing this vulnerable part of our population with the tools they need to remain out of prison and be well-integrated into society. I am grateful that representatives were able to recognize this need across party lines today in voting this piece of legislation out of the House.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.