Angry is the word I can best describe this narrative that we knew would be coming but this team and so many others are prepared with real data. We’ll break down the DOC report line by line b/c the fact is “the math ain’t mathing”. Our org has been doing this work for yrs We’ve maintained a 0% recidivism rate and our re-entry isn’t done inside 4 walls. We’re dealing with real life. Working in pretrial support has posed some challenges but re-entry- they have come home ready to work, advocate, heal and get involved.

While we’re working to prepare for thousands of people to be released in the coming months, our legislators are starting their fear campaign. The facts are that 95% of ppl come home from DOC. This is nothing new. All of a sudden, DOC is incapable of “rehabilitation” and they’re going to put the blame on the ppl they supposedly successfully served over the past few decades? I need answers Mr. Clarke. There are all these false claims of “dangerous” and “violent” ppl being released.

I’ll post this every year until the time free is more than the time taken away.

9 years ago today, VA Dept of Corrections released a man who had given well over half his life to the system. He went in as a child and grew into a man. Denied parole 17 times for nature of the crime. He was set up for failure but persevered. He was a hard-headed, fearless child who looked up to grown men who were in the streets. There aren't any excuses for doing wrong; he wears his wrongs and lives with them every day.