Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

 

April is Second Chance Month

and no I’m not talking about your ex



Pop Quiz!

Which country in the world has the highest number of incarcerated people?







If you guessed America, then you are right on the money, honey!








Nearly half of those are serving time for non-violent drug charges (many of those being marijuana - which is legal in many states now. Ironic, huh?)




Well, were you aware that there are around 44,000 legal barriers keeping people down once they re-enter society?

Was our society established this way on purpose? Hmm…


These barriers are things like the denial of civil rights, denial of food assistance and housing discrimination, denial of higher education funding, denial of the right to vote, and employment discrimination.

Drivers licenses and identification cards are often revoked or suspended while people serve their time. They are still expected to figure out how to pay for & get their i.d. back in order to (hopefully) find a job, and find and pay for housing. Then they have to pay court costs, pay restitution fees, probation, drug tests, community service, etc. all while being able to make it to their job.


It’s a vicious cycle that way too often leads to homelessness & recidivism.

re·cid·i·vism

/rəˈsidəˌvizəm/

noun

noun: recidivism

1. the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

-Oxford Dictionary












The Statistics & How Mass Incarceration Disproportionately Affects Communities of Color

“Today, people of color make up 37% of the U.S. population but 67% of the prison population. Overall, African Americans are more likely than white Americans to be arrested; once arrested, they are more likely to be convicted; and once convicted, they are more likely to face stiff sentences. Black men are six times as likely to be incarcerated as white men and Hispanic men are more than twice as likely to be incarcerated as non-Hispanic white men.” - Source

{There are many theories for these statistics; implicit bias, over-policing in communities of Color (ever since the “war on drugs” & “get tough” era), and dare I say racism & classism. . That’s a whole other sociology lesson for another day.}







Ways We Can Help

  • Watch this talk given by Michelle Alexander (civil rights lawyer & advocate) at The University of Chicago for a better understanding of why Mass Incarceration is often referred to as “The New Jim Crow.” Michelle Alexander has also written a book I highly recommend, titled The New Jim Crow.

  • Pushing our state leaders to establish “Ban the Box” in all 50 states.

Click here if you need help figuring out who your House representatives are, and go here to find contact information for your senators.



  • If you own your own business you can choose to be a Second Chance Employer.




  • Go here to send an email, call or tweet your state and local representative to encourage them to implement the First Step Act, which helps those trying to re-enter society by expanding in-prison programs, such as faith based programs and educational resources for a successful re-entry into their community. This website has made this process incredibly easy!







Helpful Links for Formerly Incarcerated Folks

1 in 3 Americans have been incarcerated in their lifetime, so chances are you know someone who has been or is currently incarcerated. Here are a few links to job training sites and helpful information for those seeking a job.

Prison Fellowship - such good stuff here!! They are doing so much good work in & out of prisons. Their vision: “TO SEE ALL AFFECTED BY CRIME RECONCILED TO GOD, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.”

Second Chance Jobs



The Ride Home Program. This program hires those who have previously been incarcerated and they give rides to people when they’re being released from prison. “We offer free and safe transportation to a pre-approved residential reentry center that provides ongoing housing, employment, and sobriety support. We also provide immediate counseling and services, including purchasing new clothing, toiletries, and other basic essentials, and maintain contact with released prisoners during their reentry process. We are actively involved in prisoners’ lives once they are released from custody, helping provide services and programs that assist the process of returning home and reentering communities.” - Source

Companies In the Business of Second Chances





Cornell University Job Training Tips (Lots of great info on this site!)

“We educate job seekers with criminal records about their legal rights to help them integrate into the workforce. Education includes relevant Ban the Box statutes, Human Rights laws, and federal laws―including Title VII and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We also train prospective employees about their background screening report and how it may impact employment. We provide training with an aim toward opening pathways to employment for the justice-involved.” - Source





Other Texas Resources

ACLU of Texas

P.O. Box 8306

Houston, TX 77288

(713) 942-8146

(713) 942-8966

acluinfo@aclutx.org

www.aclutx.org



Friends of Justice

2706 Meadow Hill Lane

Arlington, TX 76006

(817) 688-6765

www.friendsofjustice.wordpress.com





Texas Civil Rights Project

1317 Rio Grande

El Paso, TX 79902

(915) 532-3799

main.pcrp@gmail.com

www.texascivilrightsproject.org



Texas Criminal Justice Coalition

1714 Fortview Road, Suite 104

Austin, TX 78704

(512) 441-8123

www.texascjc.org


Texas Fair Defense Project

314 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Suite 108

Austin, Texas 78752

(512) 637-5220

http://www.fairdefense.org/

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

— MATTHEW 25:34-40

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