'Paul Whelan's life a year afterward his discharge from a Russian jail: Home and vehicles are no longer there'
Former U.S. Spy Paul Whelan Seeks Support for Wrongfully Detained Prisoners
Paul Whelan, a former U.S. spy who spent over half a decade in a Russian penal colony, is now working alongside Michigan Democratic Reps. Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens to pass a law aimed at providing medical, dental, and psychological care, compensation, and other support for former hostages who were wrongfully detained.
Whelan's experiences in the Russian penal colony, IK-17, have left a lasting impact. He keeps in touch with fellow inmates who were imprisoned with him, describing the current situation as poor. Upon his return to the United States, Whelan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, triggered by hotel rooms due to his violent arrest in 2018. He also lost his house, cars, employment, and health insurance.
The legislation being worked on by Johnson aims to address the issues raised in her experience working with Paul Whelan. The law would fund the medical, dental, and psychological care listed in the Levinson Act that was never funded.
Job Support for Former Prisoners
Former prisoners, including those wrongfully detained, can access job support through various federal programs. The On-The-Job Training (OJT) program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is designed to train and employ ex-offenders, treating them as regular employees while they develop job skills during training that can last from 4 weeks to 6 months. Employers get wage subsidies during training, aiming for permanent employment afterward.
Programs like Defy Ventures and the Georgetown Pivot Program offer entrepreneurship boot camps, business accelerators, and college-level business education with stipends to formerly incarcerated individuals, which can be valuable for those wanting to start businesses. The U.S. Department of Labor also provides grants aimed at people with criminal records to support housing, education, business expenses, and other costs.
Access to Medical, Dental, and Psychological Care
Eligibility for federally funded healthcare programs such as Medicaid varies based on immigration and citizenship status, which may affect some formerly detained individuals. Psychological and rehabilitation support is recognized as essential in reentry processes, with recommendations that parole and supervision systems integrate trauma experts, psychologists, formerly incarcerated advisors, and require due process protections.
Additional Support and Legal Protections
Parole boards and supervision conditions should provide fair treatment including access to legal counsel and minimize disruptions to reentry, which indirectly supports successful reintegration and access to community-based resources including healthcare and job programs. Organizations like Help For Felons provide comprehensive information about grants, loans, and other support services to help formerly incarcerated individuals manage various aspects of their lives, including healthcare and employment.
Whelan and Congresswoman Dingell are working together to understand and address the challenges faced by political prisoners upon their return home. They acknowledge the sense of camaraderie among the former detainees, likened to "the Island of Misfit Toys" from the Christmas movie "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Whelan is in contact with fellow former wrongful detainees, including Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, another Putin critic and US permanent resident who was also released as part of the sweeping exchange.
Adjusting to life back in Michigan was an initial challenge for Whelan. He plans to commemorate the one-year anniversary of his freedom by opening a special bottle of scotch and smoking a box of cigars. The facility, IK-17, has now closed and will instead house Ukrainian prisoners of war.
A new challenge has emerged for prisoners, especially foreigners, who are being told that if they want to get out, they have to go fight in Ukraine. This raises concerns about the safety and well-being of those who have already faced wrongful detention and are now being pressured into potentially dangerous situations. The ongoing efforts of Whelan and Congresswoman Dingell aim to ensure that former political prisoners receive the support they need to rebuild their lives and move forward.
[1] https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/ojt [2] https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/255966.pdf [3] https://www.helpforfelons.org/ [4] https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/lawfully-residing-in-the-us/
- The On-The-Job Training (OJT) program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) provides job support for formerly detained individuals, offering training and employment opportunities while subsidizing wages for employers during the training period, with the goal of achieving permanent employment afterwards.
- Organizations like Help For Felons offer comprehensive information about various support services for former prisoners, including grants, loans, counseling, and advice on negotiating healthcare and employment issues, all aimed at aiding in the successful reintegration of these individuals back into society.
