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“If only one percent of the 800,000 people in
the criminal justice system in Texas can be helped,
and can get out and get a $40,000 a year job and pay
taxes, the impact will be more than $320 million in
just one year.”
Austin American Statesman, March
1, 2004
George
George had a multitude of barriers when we met him pre-release.
He had a history of drug use, had no family support,
and no place to live upon release. He entered the Targeted
Project Re-Enterprise program three months before his
scheduled release.
Many offenders are released from prison or jail into
homelessness. Without intervention, these individuals
end up in local shelters without food, clothing, family
support, or resources to begin re-building their lives.
Often this leads to feelings of desperation and helplessness,
which in turn creates a motivation to commit crimes.
In Austin, 83% of ex-offenders released into homelessness
from the local Texas Department of Criminal Justice
facility were re-arrested within 90 days of release
(Travis County District Attorney’s Office, 2005).
This type of revolving door effect creates high crime
rates in the downtown area, and does nothing to address
the root causes of crime: homelessness, poverty, desperation,
substance abuse addiction, social isolation, and unemployment.
George stated he was ready to make a new life for himself
and the son he hasn’t seen in several years. CPI
staff worked with George on problem solving and relapse
prevention and created a solid release plan to help
him feel stable upon release. Transitional housing was
arranged for him, he was provided with clothing, hygiene
products, bus passes, and job placement assistance.
Approximately 75% of offenders released from prison
have a history of substance abuse (Austin/Travis County
Re-Entry Roundtable Concept Paper, 2005) but most of
these offenders are not provided treatment while incarcerated.
Drug addiction is one of the most severe and pervasive
underlying causes of crime—most offenders will
self-report being under the influence of drugs at the
time of the crime, selling drugs as a way to survive,
or committing crimes in order to obtain money to support
a drug habit.
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Rhonda
Rhonda had lived on the streets and made her living
as a drug dealer since she was 12 years old. When she
entered the Enterprising Girl Scouts Beyond Bars she
was 29 years old with a 12 year old daughter of her
own. For more than half her life, Rhonda had learned
that no one can be trusted, all problems are solved
through physical fighting; she did not believe that
she had the skills or education to hold down a legitimate
job. This led to a pattern of drug dealing and incarceration
in various local and state facilities, leaving her children
behind with family, and costing taxpayers millions of
dollars.
97% of offenders will return to their home communities
eventually, but few return to stable, supportive environments.
Successful reintegration is crucial to public safety,
connection to families and neighborhoods, and to decreasing
recidivism rates. Current estimates suggest that nearly
half of all offenders released from prison will be re-incarcerated
within three years of release (Langan and Levin, 2002).
Rhonda’s daughter, Keisha, is a member of Troop
1500: a special Girl Scout troop in Austin for girls
whose mothers are incarcerated in the Texas prison system.
The program’s goals include breaking the cycle
of crime and incarceration in families, aiming to prevent
girls like Keisha from following in their mother’s
footsteps.
Children with incarcerated parents are six to eight
times more likely to become incarcerated as adults than
their counterparts. The cycle of crime and incarceration
and families is severe and the effects on the family
and community are staggering. Trust is broken, families
are strapped for resources, and entire communities are
depressed and disenfranchised by the loss of income
and caregivers to incarceration.
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José
José came to the Travis State Jail on a felony
drug possession charge, but his history was much more
colorful. He has lived all over the country, and committed
crimes from petty theft to armed robbery in several
states. But, when we met José, we saw someone
who was intelligent, articulate, and had the potential
to be not only law-abiding, but a real contributor to
our community. Unlike some of our other clients, he
already had the education and skills to hold down a
job, but needed assistance finding an employer who would
look past his history and give him a second chance to
prove himself.
Currently, laws are in place that can make it very difficult
for ex-offenders to obtain employment. Most states allow
employers to deny jobs to anyone with a criminal history,
regardless of the severity of the crime, personal circumstances,
or how long ago the crime was committed. In addition,
Texas has a LIFETIME ban for felons from obtaining any
type of federally funded assistance (public housing,
financial assistance, food stamps).
José left the state jail without any family to
rely on for support and without any community supervision
(parole or probation). He relied on CPI to play the
support role that a family might normally play—providing
personal compassion balanced with accountability.
Research indicates that interpersonal interactions significantly
enhance motivation for success among re-entering offenders;
encouraging pro-social behaviors, solid plans for release,
and engagement in the process of change (Center for
Effective Public Policy, 2006). Ex-offenders who return
to the community without resources or intervention are
an enormous public safety risk and threat to the health
of our community. When reintegration is not successful,
new victims are created, children are left behind, taxpayers
are burdened by astronomical costs, and the public is
more fearful and anxious. Ex-offenders who are supported,
employed, and stable add to our community, support themselves
and their families, and impact others’ lives through
their stories.
What People are Saying
“I’ve lost almost everything, but I haven’t
lost the will to be a better man. I need help getting
started. I want my life back.” -- Damon, Crime
Prevention Institute client
“The Crime Prevention Institute made me feel
like I was worth something and gave me a chance at a
fresh start in life.” – Rachel, Crime
Prevention Institute client
“I had given up on living a normal life until
I got involved with the Crime Prevention Institute.
I’ve learned if you want to keep what you’ve
got, you have to earn it the honest way.” --
Cesar, Crime Prevention Institute client
"Despite their imprisonment, their mothers are
still important influences in these girls' lives. But
bonds have been broken, and the program works to rebuild
their relationships." -- Dr. Darlene Grant,
Troop 1500's evaluator from UT's School of Social Work.
"Heartwarming and heart-wrenching, the film
shines a light on an ignored segment of society and
considers how America can prevent the children of the
incarcerated from feeling punished themselves.”
-- "O", The Oprah Magazine, comments on the
Troop 1500 documentary.
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