For an hour Friday morning, Republican North Dakota Rep. Eric Murphy was “Chelsea” — a former prisoner trying to make ends meet on $320 a week. He had to use his resources wisely to put food on the table, pay rent, go to work and attend mandatory appointments like probation meetings or treatment services. Falling behind on his responsibilities could land him in jail. “My anxiety is going up because of all this,” he joked. Murphy and other lawmakers gathered for a reentry simulation hosted by the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, the North Dakota Monitor reports. The program is meant to mirror the obstacles people face after leaving prison and jail, said Liza Taylor, a probation and parole officer. “When I have someone come out of prison or incarceration, they are scared to death,” she told officials. The exercise comes as lawmakers are expected to vote on proposals addressing issues like jail and prison overcrowding, sentencing, housing scarcity and behavioral health. During his State of the State Address last week, Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced the creation of a new cabinet position, the commissioner of Recovery and Re-Entry.
During the program on Friday, each public official was given a packet assigning them a name and criminal history, as well as details on their employment and housing situation. Every packet also contained a chart giving them tasks to complete — like going to treatment or support groups, getting groceries or paying rent. Tasks were timed, and neglecting to complete certain responsibilities could send them to jail, the hospital or the homeless shelter. Some participants started off without stable housing or pay. Some were given packets without state IDs, Social Security cards or birth certificates, which were needed in order to get other basic resources. A random selection of officials were declared sex offenders, which came with extra responsibilities. Unable to work with the cards they were dealt, many lawmakers ended up behind bars at least once. The point wasto get participants to realize why people end up caught in cycles of recidivism, said Kayli Richards, public information officer for the Department of Corrections. “Your mind does kind of shift toward that mentality of, what do I need to do to survive?” she said.
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