Your incarcerated loved one is getting out of prison. This is what you've been waiting for. This is why you've run for second chances, signed petitions, and shared your family's story.
So how do you prepare for your loved one's reentry?
For many returning citizens, punishment does not end when they leave prison. Finding work becomes a daunting task and often an insurmountable barrier. Yet according to criminologists, work can be the critical difference between restoration and recidivism.
They came from all walks of life to run for second chances. Athletes, families, and community members joined together in Denver to run the Second Chances 5K as part of Second Chance Month.
For many people who have spent time in prison, the most difficult barrier to overcome after release is the reentry into employment. In many instances, employers stop reading an application as soon as they see that someone has a criminal record.
"I was first introduced to the juvenile justice system when I was 14 years old."
In an opinion piece for The Hill, Craig DeRoche, senior vice president of advocacy and public policy at Prison Fellowship®, stated three specific ways President Trump could succeed in his promises to not just remove threats to law and order but to also bring "healing and hope" to those Americans hurt by crime.
A single question on a job application can disrupt a returning citizen's future: Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
The Book of Philemon is too often overlooked when reading through the New Testament. At a mere 25 verses long, the short letter by the Apostle Paul to a wealthy leader of the Church in Colossae is easy to flip past when searching for Hebrews, James, or Revelation. Those who do take the time to read the epistle, however, will be treated to a valuable lesson about Christian love, forgiveness, and the importance of restoration.
"I try to do everything right and be on time ... And you think everything's going to go great, and then the next thing you know, boom."
Did you know that in Arkansas it is against the law to mispronounce “Arkansas,” or that in New Jersey it is illegal for a man to knit during fishing season?
In a back room at Denver Women's Correctional Facility (DWCF), five jet-black robes slip over prison uniforms.
"I was the guy who needed a project like this," says Dennis Avila.