April 11, 2013. Tristatehomepage.com
Its a story you hear all too often. A prisoner serves his punishment, then returns to real life with nothing. They have no job, no where to live. Often it leads to the person going back to a life of crime.
Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment is a group of nineteen churches. It picks an issue on which to focus on every year. This year its homelessness and job opportunities, specifically for ex-cons.
We spoke with one mother who’s afraid if the status quo isn’t changed, her son is destined to repeat the cycle of crime.
This assembly is an annual celebration of coming change. It’s a representation of the strength in numbers.
“We pulled in neighbors, we pulled in community members,” says Vice Chairwoman Linda Henzman. “We heard from people about homelessness, specifically homelessness in those people who have just been released from jail.”
Its Alice Burns’ greatest fear. She lives in public housing, and under current law, her son Darius can come back to Evansville when he’s released from a Florida prison. But he can’t return home.
“When they’re in jail they make plans to do the right things,” says Burns. “But when they get out there are no resources so they just revert to what they know.”
“It ends up when they have a record, it turns into a life sentence,” says volunteer Diane Fehrenbacher. “They can’t find a job, they can’t find a place to live”
Fehrenbacher and others are calling for reform; from tax incentives for businesses that hire ex-cons, to a chance at public housing for those with a criminal record.
Thursday’s assembly is the first step. Named the ‘Nehemiah Action’ after the biblical figure best known for ruling with justice and righteousness. It’s a show of support. Bringing with it a possibility of redemption, for those like Darius.
“We’re all sinners,” says Burns. “We’re all here because of God’s grace and mercy. I just think they deserve a second chance.”
Organizers just hope they can continue to get public leaders on board so Darius’s second chance, isn’t too late.
