Recidivism Rates At-A-Glance:
We have work to do!
With a little research we've put together this map of recidivism percentages by county in the Central Indiana area in which UNITE INDY works. These numbers were compiled by the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) in 2021.
The percentages reflect the number of former inmates who have returned to State prisons within 36 months of their release in 2018.
Marion County, which is almost totally comprised of the City of Indianapolis, the state's largest and most densely populated city, has the highest percentage.
The good news is that, as we prepare more inmates with jobs upon release, things are going to change. A number of research studies, one by Manhattan Institute on Public Research has found that recidivism can fall to an average of 5.6% when a reentrant gets employment shortly after release. Other studies support heartening results such as these.See IDOC's full 2020 Recidivism Report here. |
|
Shelby County On Board to Help Reentrants
Shelby County is fast-walking an effort to assist reentrants with the training, mentoring and job search assistance that UNITE INDY is making available in the nine-county Central Indiana area.
Last week, Melissa Gharst, (pictured) program services director of the Shelby County Courts, met with UNITE INDY staffers to start coordination of the process between the Shelby County Jail, Community Corrections, and Probation. Props go out to Donna Christian, executive director of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Josh Martin, executive director of Shelby County Community Corrections for all their efforts to give reentrants the help they need as they rejoin their families and their neighborhoods as working members of the community.
|
|
Employment 'Best Practices' Discussed in Boone County
UNITE INDY joined a group of Boone County employers and correction officers to discuss best practices on how to support and engage justice involved people with employment opportunities. Ian Cox of Park 100 Foods talked about his company's experience with hiring reentrants and the effort to transport former inmates by vans from Indianapolis to Park 100's Tipton facility. Shawna Allen of Coregistics, an ex-offender herself, told her own compelling story of how work after release gave her a new life, responsibility, and self-respect. We are made to work. UNITE INDY is here to help those with a criminal record have a chance at a good job and a new life. See Shawna's story here. |
|
...AND THE OSCAR GOES TO JACK
Watching a movie about yourself can be pretty interesting. In the new video series, UNITE INDY partners, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) and Jobs for Life, are creating thoughtful videos teaching skills designed to hit home with a population of folks to whom hard times are not a stranger. Since the 90's, Jobs for Life has been taught around the world, and UNITE INDY is poised to introduce the course to inmates incarcerated in county jails in Marion and the surrounding eight counties.
Working with Brad Garner, digital learning scholar in residence at IWU and co-host of the Digital2Learn Podcast, creators are updating the content and converting it from instructor manuals to video, which will include multiple instructors and animated content. Check out this case study video segment! |
|
Challenges: What We Know To Do
In the face of a war in the Baltic and a firefight in our streets, I find my immediate challenge is the broken computer on which I have produced my blog post.
I am powerless to fix either the computer or any of the bigger issues we face, but as one of my favorite pastors says, “When you don’t know what to do, keep doing what you do know to do.” I am one of those "pray about everything people," so I am praying for the Ukrainians, for those who are in fear on our city streets, and yes...that my computer guy can quickly fix the laptop on which I dropped a paper cutter in an amazingly klutzy move. Read Nancy's blog post here.
|
|
Could You Be An Inmate Correspondent?
In some Central Indiana jails and prisons, UNITE INDY is known for its army of caring correspondents. Word travels fast in an institution for the forgotten, where loneliness is a natural response to being separated from everyone you know. There are a lot of good souls who have made mistakes, and are simply hoping for someone to be a friend.
You can email, or write through the mail, but if you can encourage and share small joys, this might just be the good work you have been waiting for. We'll connect you and give all the help and direction you'll need. Many churches are starting teams of their own! For more information, email Sara, our Inmate Correspondent Team Leader, or check out this volunteer opportunity. |
|
Indy Reentry Navigator: Bringing
Power To The People
As a reentrant, coming out of long-term incarceration, the contacts you need to handle the myriad of issues you face are your keys to successful reentry.
UNITE INDY's Reentry Navigator is being developed to provide just that: Quick connections to the people one needs for successful reentry, from a parole officer, to a drug treatment center, someone to help get a needed driver's license, or assistance with housing, finances, or just about anything a reentrant will need. Coming soon on your phone. BAM!
|
|
Why Support UNITE INDY?
Our major focus is to assist the 12,000 inmates returning to Central Indiana after long-term jail sentences. UNITE INDY provides mentored job training inside the jail, and a website for those with a criminal record, SecondChanceIndy.com, filled with job openings offered by our Second Chance employer partners.
These jobs are powerful weapons with which to fight poverty in our neighborhoods.
How You Can Support Jobs for Justice- Involved Individuals
3. Become a Member - Your tax deductible gift will buy either 5 Student Workbooks for a class or 10 meals for students, their mentors, and instructors to gather around a table before each class, sharing food, transforming the moment into something more unique by creating a sense of community, which strengthens the relationship building process.
|
|
Support of Ministries and Charities:
Since 2017 UNITE INDY has provided a free web-based system at UNITEINDY.org that connects churches, ministries, and other charities to share their volunteer needs or needed items. UNITE INDY also provides the manpower necessary to assist smaller organizations—that have no one to upload needed items—the help they require to access this service. Through this portal, UNITE INDY has brought hundreds of volunteers and thousands of dollars worth of needed goods into the hands of those who assist the poor.
Serving the Servants:
UNITE INDY comes behind urban pastors and ministry leaders by addressing personal and professional needs with free services for those who work tirelessly in their neighborhoods to care for the needy and bereft.
Remember, almost 1 out of every 3 children in Indianapolis lives below the poverty level, yet even in the aftermath of the COVID shut down, as our economy comes back to life and employment is returning, all this good news stops at the lines surrounding many of our inner city neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods of Marion County unemployment is now 21%, and poverty remains the overwhelming divider of people.
Please donate to UNITE INDY now. There are a number of choices that are all secure and safe. By sending your fully tax deductible gift* now we can have a greater impact meeting needs in our community in 2021.
Many, many thanks!
*UNITE INDY, Inc. is approved under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) as a Public Charity, donors can deduct contributions they make under IRC Section 170.
|
|
Corporate Partners
A big Thank YOU to our Corporate Partners for their unwavering support which makes it possible for us to provide our services at no charge to job applicants and employers!
|
|
Did someone share this email with you? Sign up to subscribe to our newsletter!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
