For years, the emphasis on a punitive model of criminal justice has done little to eliminate a revolving door to prison. New York State took an important step yesterday toward halting this door.

On Thursday, Governor Paterson's administration announced that $14 million in federal stimulus funds will be dedicated to programs that help ex-offenders and those nearing release from prison. The re-entry programs slated to receive this funding offer some of the life skills and preparation that a person coming out of prison should receive to successfully transition into society.

The announcement follows recent reforms to vestiges of the draconian Rockefeller drug laws. The reforms, enacted in the spring, include restoring judicial discretion in certain nonviolent cases and funding drug abuse treatment and re-integration services.

This matters greatly for black and Hispanic communities. Blacks and Latinos are disproportionately affected by incarceration rates in our state and throughout the country. Many ex-offenders are fathers and mothers. After they complete their sentences, they need support to become parents their children can rely on.

By helping ex-offenders get back on their feet – through drug abuse treatment and skills building programs – our state is putting them on a path to productivity instead of a corner with no options, where they can possibly get into the same type of trouble that landed them in prison to begin with.

This is a common sense approach. It is also more cost effective, according to most research, than housing an inmate in prison. Despite this, some critics hammered on the recent state reforms.

This resistance reflects a backwards mentality. In the 21st century, criminal justice reforms must grapple with persistent and fundamental issues – including substance abuse and racism in sentencing. Our state, for the benefit of public safety, is thankfully moving in this direction.