Life after Prison

Building a new life means more than just getting it right the second time. Building a new life means that you are tasked with picking up the pieces of the life you left behind and gaining the trust of the people who judged you and placed you behind bars. You have earned your way out of prison and thrust into a community that no longer trusts you, a community that both fears and resents you for the crimes you have committed against them. In their eyes you’re a blot on the earth, but only you know that you can change for the better and to change you will need the community’s help to regain what was lost: Your place as a man/woman in this country. What will you do after life behind bars?

Upon release, the young man is allowed to take everything with them from spare clothes to miscellaneous items. He is signed out in an office, given his belongings and he is given a check for any money he earned before being escorted to the front and released. This is generally done during the day where they can follow the bus schedule and receive transportation. At that point, they are back into the community. For some, they will be given the help they need to get a job and a roof over their heads. For others, they will have a difficult time adjusting to a life outside of prison.

For many former prisoners, if they have been in prison for ten years or longer they are not accustomed to new technology. They have forgotten how to drive, how to socialize appropriately, and navigate a new world. Things that we take for granted such as eating with silverware and plates can be a challenge for some people. For some, during their time in prison, these men have become accustomed to eating with plastic. Now, metal tastes foreign in their mouths, and it feels even stranger when they drink out of an actual glass.

Another issue is finding housing, without credit, references and a job, many find it impossible to find a home. Some of the lucky ones are able to move back home with family. Of particular importance are the issues for women returning to the community. They may have left behind children and are left without adequate supports to regain custody. Attempting to reconnect with children and family can be a daunting task for both men and women.

However, where others have struggled, there are men and women who have succeeded in turning their lives around. For example, with the help of agencies like the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Program former inmates receive help with housing and are given connection to community mental health resources if needed. Detroit Central City Community Mental Health in Detroit, Michigan helps probationers and parolees with housing, job training, job placement, mental health services, and substance abuse services. In addition, the agency is a collaborator with the Mental Health Court Program which provides intensive treatment to those who have had many encounters with the criminal justice system. Many of the participants have a mental illness and are in need of treatment as opposed to incarceration. These and many other programs seek to help those who have spent most of their adult lives in prison. Without these efforts many will fall through the cracks or go back to a life of crime.

Mariama McGhee is junior at Eastern Michigan University and a major contributer of the New Jim Crow Generation. As a youth advocate she has been the voice of young people on issues such as youth violence and policies that contribute to the prison pipeline. She is passionate about the needs of African-American males.

Community Builders: Breaking The Prison Pipeline

Programs like the Neighborhood Service Organization’s Youth Initiatives Project and Infancy to Innovation provide help to children and adults, especially those of color who come from troubled communities and low-income homes. Both programs provide assistance to youth and their families, while doing everything in their power to keep youth from going to jail at an early age. They have their similarities and differences, but the shared path each program takes is the path of helping the next generation.

Infant to Innovation is a program dedicated to helping youth starting from an early childhood to adulthood. Its program framework promotes a positive transition for all children through three critical periods of development: childhood, middle childhood, and early adulthood. Each transition requires children to have multiple support systems and helpful opportunities that will assist them later on through life. Located in the area of Lansing, Michigan, Infant to Innovation is dedicated to all children from different backgrounds and children living in severe poverty. With this framework, they will have already helped a large percentage of children from being caught on the wrong side of the law. These kids will be too busy improving their skills in school to be negatively influenced by problems in the community.

The NSO-Youth Initiatives Project (YIP) provides youth leadership and advocacy training focused on violence and substance abuse prevention for teenagers. The program is designed to encourage youth activism and peer-to-peer collaboration, while involving youth from diverse backgrounds. Located in Detroit, Michigan, YIP offers youth advocacy, peer mentoring, summer activities, leadership and prevention workshops, male and female-based programs, and gun safety presentations. YIP is also dedicated to turning their youth into community leaders and organizers. Recently, 230 youth received summer employment.

The two programs offer excellent strategies for giving youth an opportunity to better themselves and live productive lives. Both programs also help youth to be resilient to problems that contribute to the prison pipeline. Because of programs such as YIP and Infant to Innovation, children will grow up to be adults, who will pass on what they have learned to their children. Clearly, this is community building at its best.