|
|
| Second Chances For Unlikely Candidates |
| By ncmonline.com |
| Published: 01/19/2010 |
|
California's recidivism rate is second to none (60 percent for adult inmates). At the forefront of preventing recently released inmates from becoming just another statistic is San Francisco-based PHATT Chance Reentry Program, a place where last February, Thomas Christian underwent a process that he assures turned his life around. Christian, 45, had been incarcerated for drug-related crimes on more than one occasion. But in October 2008, after having been released from a Nevada State prison, he made his way back to his hometown of San Francisco in hopes of a fresh start. He soon found that the transition from captivity to free-living encompassed numerous ups and downs. "At first, you appreciate your liberties a lot more, but one of the main downsides to this transition is adjusting to not having a built-in structure instilled upon you in prison. I was being told what to do all the time," recounted Christian. According to a 2008 Report from the California Department of Corrections, throughout a three-year span, 60 percent of adult inmates in California re-engaged in criminal activity and were returned to prison. That same year, more than half of its inmate population arrived after violating their parole. Two years ago, Christian was among those re-incarcerated. Once in San Francisco, a parole officer recommended Christian to the Northern California Service League-a non-profit organization that works inside and outside jails and prisons -which then referred him to PHATT Chance Reentry Program. "It's been a constant blessing ever since," affirmed Christian who has been a client of the rehabilitation and housing center for more than a year. Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think