We all have the power to help improve public safety and reduce recidivism in Tennessee by lending a helping hand to those returning to our communities. As we celebrate Second Chance Month in April, consider how you can get involved and make a difference. We refer to children who have an incarcerated parent as the “forgotten, innocent victims of crime,” because 1 in 9 children in Tennessee have an incarcerated parent.Ĭaring for those is more than a matter of living out our faith, it’s about making our communities stronger and safer. Ephesians 2:10 reads “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The good news is that more and more policymakers, non-profits, businesses, and individuals are coming together to increase access to programs and opportunities that give honest second chances.Īnd this good work doesn’t stop with the incarcerated, we are also seeking their families. It’s not just programs like Men of Valor that are proven to reduce recidivism.īased on research performed by the Rand Corporation, the Vera Institute of Justice recently determined that “inmates who participated in correctional education programs wereĤ3% less likely to return to prison within three years of release than those who did not participate.” Statistics show 97%of them will be released one day, and approximately 46% will recidivate (end up back behind bars) within three years of release.īut for men who complete the 12-month aftercare program with Men of Valor – the recidivism rate drops to 15%. Over 50,000 inmates are presently incarcerated in Tennessee’s adult prisons and jails. Despite making some considerable progress, our current criminal justice system still resembles a revolving door. Research shows that ministering to the incarcerated can have a profound effect on reducing our state and our country’s recidivism rates, or defined by the rate at which an individual is re-arrested after being released. Sign up for Black Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee. It’s a powerful and foreign concept for them. Hardened men slowly allow themselves to be vulnerable and after weeks or months of faithfully ministering to these incarcerated men, a bond and trust is developed. They hear about a God who loves them despite all they may have done. Men ease into our meetings, starting to sit around the edge of the circle and just listen. Inmates require authenticity and boldness in communication, and when it’s sincere and heartfelt, it becomes contagious. They see right through you and know if you are holding back, unsure of yourself, and weak in your convictions. In my first days volunteering at Men of Valor, I also learned that you can’t con a con.

I’ve learned that there are too many men in prison dying for hope, forgiveness, and wanting to believe that someone out there still loves them. I’ve learned that one selfish crime or 5 seconds of anger affects countless people across several generations. I’ve learned to become a good listener and ask the right questions. Over the last 5 years in prison with Men of Valor, I have sat face to face with men convicted of some truly heinous crimes, but I've also witnessed baptisms, ministered to men on death row, and advocated or petitioned for stays of execution.

I was introduced to prison through Men of Valor, a prison ministry committed to helping the incarcerated – and formerly incarcerated - reconcile with their loved ones, society, and their Creator. My memories volunteering for Men of Valor Sign up for Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter: Read compelling stories for and with the Latino community in Tennessee. Little did I know, the Lord was preparing me and humbling my heart to serve men in prison alongside Men of Valor, CoreCivic, the Tennessee Department of Corrections and hundreds of other equally yoked partners and volunteers. While our newsroom told stories of victims and families impacted by incarceration, I was there reporting the breaking news on playoff wins and championship games. In fact, I had just spent 40 years in a newsroom as the sports anchor and later director for WSMV NewsChannel4 in Nashville. I had no experience in the corrections environment when I first started. This year marks five years since I first started volunteering full-time inside Tennessee’s prisons.

Men of valor