Walking into freedom
This morning, she walks out of the door for the last time. Over the last two years, she worked diligently to set herself up for success. What does successful re-entry look like? The next few days, weeks, and months will hold a lot of “firsts”: How can we create a welcoming community for residents navigating […]
Why community is important
Families and social support networks play a critical role in a returning citizen’s transition from incarceration to the community, and research on family-inclusive re-entry models has been promising. While families can provide for immediate needs such as housing, they can also create connections to employment and community services. What if a strong family support system […]
What’s a Release Card?
Rounding out our January series from Prison Policy Initiative, what’s a Release Card? When a person leaves a correctional facility, they often receive their funds, which include wages earned while incarcerated, support from family members, or money they possessed when arrested, on a pre-paid debit card. While pre-paid debit cards are common, it might be […]
Seeing the change in all of us
Alisha is one of our newest Ruth Snyder Home residents. The week she arrived, we went to Camino’s thrift store to get some clothes and then on to the food bank for pickup. At the food bank, the distribution workers were efficient and well organized, but the small parking lot was a hot mess. Getting […]
The power of film in sharing the incarceration journey
Last week, Changed Choices partnered with Matthews United Methodist Church in hosting a showing of The Sentence. This documentary gives a behind the scenes view of the impact of mandatory minimum sentencing on women and families. Our audience engaged with powerful questions, and eager to hear more. Being Free, by Roadtrip Nation, follows three system-impacted […]
Our Fall Newsletter
What does it take to reduce recidivism?
Recidivism is often used to measure the success of intervention programs. The RAND Corporation recently published, Providing Another Chance: Resetting Recidivism Risk in Criminal Background Checks, which proposes the novel reset principle can guide more accurate recidivism risk prediction for criminal background checks. Employers, landlords, and volunteer organizations routinely conduct criminal background checks to identify […]
2022 at a Glance…so far
Walking alongside
Last night, we had the opportunity to gather virtually and share during our Rally ‘Round event. With the support of our sponsors, Fashion & Compassion, Siela Boutique, ColsonKeane, Vera Bradley and Haines Financial Services, we shared a behind the scenes look at the journey of women impacted by incarceration. So often, we go off our […]