# I just spent 40 years in prison. \[What do states provide to prisoners after leaving prison?} **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2018, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511 "2018-08-30T09:56:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/41 "2018-08-30T21:16:21Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Convicted drug felons can not get food stamps or most other forms of what passes for “welfare” these days, so you are incorrect at least on that point. Forty three states were waiving the rule about no SNAP for drug felons as of a couple of years ago and that’s been the trend. > **[States ease access to welfare and food stamps for convicted drug felons](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/states-ease-access-welfare-food-stamps-convicted-drug-felons)** > > The changes come amid broader efforts in Washington and many states to reform drug policies and criminal justice approaches. And they reflect a growing consensus that helping people when they are released from prison can increase the chances that... You’re eligible for Supplemental Security Income under Social Security at 62 even if you’ve never worked. A felony conviction does not affect that except you can’t collect it while actually in prison. Federal, state and local govts have numerous other programs and subsidies (below cost housing etc) for low income people that are not necessarily affected by a felony conviction. Sometimes public housing is limited, like in federal housing if you’re on a sex offender registry or your drug crime was in or ‘near’ public housing. Local housing authorities might decline applications if the conviction was in the last 5 or 10 yrs, etc. Modern day Brooks’ would just have to shoot the bull about this with modern day Andy Dufresne’s at the chow hall, and research it in the library before it’s… Gone, Sealed off, brick-by-brick. We’ll have us a little book barbecue in the yard… ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/42 "2018-08-30T22:30:34Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Cant get welfare, cant get a job with a record, and probably too old, probably no support from family etc. after 40 years. > > What’s wrong with this picture? That’s why the “[ban the box](http://bantheboxcampaign.org/)” movement is critical part of justice reform. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/43 "2018-08-31T04:18:16Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > That’s why the “[ban the box](http://bantheboxcampaign.org/)” movement is critical part of justice reform. Yes, Canada has “pardons” which mean people with criminal convictions who have served their sentence and stayed clean afterwards for 5 years are eligible (except for a few cases like sex offenders) to have their record wiped. Once you receive a pardon, you can legally reply “no, I have no criminal conviction.” (In fact, most modern application forms say something like “do you have any criminal convictions for which you have not received a pardon”?) But then Canadian inmates generally can vote from in prison. Everyone is eligible to apply for parole at a certain point in their sentence (max 20 years). Just some people will never be granted parole. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/44 "2018-08-31T05:15:51Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Yeah, I admit that I didn’t look at the join date, and it wasn’t clear that the OP was a hypothetical. So I withdraw the note. > > Even so, if you are going to make references of this kind in GQ, it’s best to indicate the source. I’ve seen Shawshank Redemption, but haven’t memorized every line, and most other posters haven’t either. The fact that the OP mentions this happening in Maine made me think he was just referencing what happened to Brooks in Shawshank redemption. On second thought, reading my comment w/o understanding the Shawshank reference makes me seem like a bit of an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/45 "2018-08-31T05:17:25Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Convicted drug felons can not get food stamps or most other forms of what passes for “welfare” these days, so you are incorrect at least on that point. My cousin in Indiana got released from prison and he got food stamps. I think he may have gotten medicaid too (not sure about that). However he wasn’t in prison for drugs. He was in for violent crimes. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/46 "2018-08-31T09:59:33Z")
Supposedly in the late 70s in one of the southwestren states that had a law from the cowboy era that said something to the effect that if you were incarcerated longer than 18 months you got a new set of clothes a five dollar gold piece and a horse in “reasonable” conditions Wiseass read this in the prison library before he was released …didn’t get any of the above sued the state and won The cost of the gold and horse shocked enough people that the state had a special session to remove the statue ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/47 "2018-08-31T14:32:26Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Yes, Canada has “pardons” which mean people with criminal convictions who have served their sentence and stayed clean afterwards for 5 years are eligible (except for a few cases like sex offenders) to have their record wiped. Once you receive a pardon, you can legally reply “no, I have no criminal conviction.” (In fact, most modern application forms say something like “do you have any criminal convictions for which you have not received a pardon”?)… Just to clarify, only persons convicted of a single crime are eligible for a pardon and does not wipe out your criminal convictions records, they remain in the RCMP’s records but are not visible to municipal or provincial police services and will not show up on a normal police records check for employment. They will show up on a criminal records check for working with persons in the vulnerable sector, security clearance, etc… because these are run through the RCMP. Also, if you are ever convicted of any other criminal charges the pardon is rescinded the original conviction is reinstated. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/48 "2018-09-03T05:13:37Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > That’s why the “[ban the box](http://bantheboxcampaign.org/)” movement is critical part of justice reform. In your opinion. ESET prevented my checking your linked site as it detected a trojan. I am aware of the notion, though. It isn’t as bad as “[eliminating](https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/15/abolish-prisons-is-the-new-abolish-ice-219361)” jail entirely. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/49 "2018-09-03T14:26:16Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I presume you’d have the same eligibility for welfare as anyone who had not worked in 40 years. While you might qualify for other programs - like SNAP **but** [only if you work or volunteer](https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/05/the-people-who-are-left-behind-when-only-the-deserving-poor-get-help/528018/) - state-paid “Welfare” (TANF) would not be one of them in either Maine or New Hampshire. You need to either be pregnant or living with your minor child to qualify. After 40 years in jail it’s unlikely that the person in the OP would meet either requirement. ---
**Author:** ![Mumberthax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mumberthax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mumberthax)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/50 "2018-09-04T17:14:08Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > Yes, I believe \*\*Colibri \*\* and yourself have missed the reference. > **Wesley Clark** ’s post was alluding to Red (Morgan Freeman’s role) in Shawshank Redemption. Not trying to start anything here, but **Wesley Clark** should have mentioned that. Not everyone is going to get various literary references. Besides, I think the OP was looking for a serious answer, not a literary reference. There’s also the fact that such a catty answer has no place here, imo. ---
**Author:** ![Mumberthax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mumberthax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mumberthax)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/51 "2018-09-04T17:29:28Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > In your opinion. > > ESET prevented my checking your linked site as it detected a trojan. > > I am aware of the notion, though. It isn’t as bad as “[eliminating](https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/15/abolish-prisons-is-the-new-abolish-ice-219361)” jail entirely. Loaded just fine on my machine - I use Google Chrome for everything, and it checks out well. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/52 "2018-09-04T17:39:50Z")
> [@Mumberthax](#): > > There’s also the fact that such a catty answer has no place here, imo. And you’ve reached that conclusion in a week? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/53 "2018-09-05T00:16:50Z")
John Gotti’s brother Gene is getting out of federal prison this month. He did 29 years for drug convictions, he’s 71. His original sentence was 50 years. He is still married and has grandkids [Gene Gotti, brother of mob boss John, finishes 29-year prison term this month – New York Daily News](http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-metro-gene-gotti-paroled-20180828-story.html) ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/54 "2018-09-05T08:31:13Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > What a difference one comma makes! How was the sentence punctuated originally? ---
**Author:** ![Mumberthax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mumberthax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mumberthax)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/55 "2018-09-05T15:40:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > And you’ve reached that conclusion in a week? Didn’t see it until a few minutes before I posted that. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/56 "2018-09-05T16:09:12Z")
> [@Mumberthax](#): > > Didn’t see it until a few minutes before I posted that. Right. But after joining here on 08-25-2018, barely a week later you felt qualified to comment: > [@Mumberthax](#): > > There’s also the fact that such a catty answer has no place here, imo. Pick up on board culture quickly? ---
**Author:** ![szabrocki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@szabrocki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/szabrocki)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511/57 "2018-09-05T16:47:52Z")
> [@Newtosite](#): > > How was the sentence punctuated originally? With no comma. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-spent-40-years-in-prison-what-do-states-provide-to-prisoners-after-leaving-prison/820511.md?page=2)