_____________________________

(L-R) James Rivers Cynthia Thompson and Rev. Kirk Houston Photo by Alvin Swilley 

Public Agencies, Churches
Seek To Halt Return To Jail

By Leonard E. Colvin

Cheif Writer

New Journal and Guide

     Cynthia Thompson, James Rivers, and Rev. Kirk Houston are three associates dedicated to remedying the increasing number of men and women seeking to stabilize their lives and reenter society after leaving jail.
       But there are personal, social and economic barriers which frustrate former inmates and the people who work to help them.
        As Acting Director of Norfolk’s Second Chances program, Cynthia Thompson has encountered thousands of young men and women, fresh from prison,  who are taking their first steps toward re-entering society.
         Thompson was the Assistant Director when the organization opened its doors nine years ago The agency has built a solid reputation on helping ex-convicts  acquire housing, life skills training, ideas on how to get and keep a job, stay away from drugs and the people who may have influenced them down the  path of destruction in the first place.
       Thompson, who was elevated to Acting Director last October, said that if Second Chances can’t provide a service for an ex-felon, when they come calling, she or a member of her staff will refer them to a public or non-profit agency or church which can.
       Harbor House is a 16-bed facility which the agency opened recently to provide housing for some of its clients. Thompson recalls a conversation one day with one of its residents which spurred her to action.
       “One of my clients and I were talking about why people go back to jail. He said that he could not read and was embarrassed,” said Thompson.  “He said that he would improve his chances of staying out of jail, getting a job, being a better person if he could read. He had been hiding the fact all of his life and he was in his late 30s.”    

     Thompson found out that three other  Harbor House residents were illiterate, too. So, for the past week, along with other things on her “to do” list,  she has been busily seeking to find someone to run a literacy program for these three men and others who need it.

Posted March 19, 2008

       She wants it to be a permanent service offered by Second Chances now. Illiteracy is one of the barriers keeping many ex-cons from gaining a foothold on a productive life, no matter how well they disguise it.
       Recently a Pew Center report said America is housing some 2.3 million men and women in its jails, the most of any nation in the world.
       The increase in incarcerations comes at time when  the nation’s rate of crime is relatively flat. Many of those in jail are there for non-violent offenses related to the nation’s out of control and highly profitable street drug trade.
       One of nine African American males from age 20-34 is in jail for drug-related offenses. 
       Two in five, according to the Pew report, will return to prison within two years after being released. Lack of job skills, unable to shake drug addictions, returning to environments and associates who led to their criminal behavior are  key  reasons for this trend.
        Second Chances is funded by the city of Norfolk for its residents.  It only handles former inmates who are non-violent.
      Thompson said that illiteracy is one barrier facing many of the thousands of people who will be coming out of the state and federal prisons this year. Among other barriers are the inability to access agencies like Second Chances because of felony convictions, inability to acquire proper identifications,  lack of housing, and  a strong  family support system account. All of these barriers account for the  high rate of recidivism (return to prison) and low rate of reintegration to society.
       “Eighty five percent of the people we deal with were either selling or using drugs,” said Thompson. “Before we address any of the other barriers, we must deal with the drugs issue. If not, then they will not be able to effectively navigate their way to a productive life. Without some help it is hard for them to adjust and not be tempted by crime and drugs.  It is likely they will navigate themselves  back to jail if they don’t get the assistance they need but cannot access .”

Click Here to Subscribe to the New Journal and Guide.