Hope 2 Hire Blog / April 9, 2018

Fighting Recidivism

Do the crime, do the time.

As inmates live out their sentence, their time should be spent rehabilitating their behavior and giving them a new perspective on their actions. When you know better, you do better, right? Well what if the situation of a person’s past, which led to mistakes, does not change. They are bound to repeat their discretions.
Studies show recidivism occurring at high rates within the United States.

This study by the U.S. Sentencing Commission found that 49% of released prisoners in 2005, re-offended within an average of 2 years following their release. The number is staggering, but where do we go from here? We change how we think about prisons and sentencing.

“Give a man a fish and he can eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime.” It is time we teach these men, and women to fish, because society needs their touch.

Hope 2 Hire is looking to reduce recidivism for Memphis and Shelby County through vocational training provided by Tennessee College of Applied Technology. Tennessee has been showing record advance in reducing recidivism by focusing on the whole person when it comes to rehabilitation. Hope 2 Hire has partnered with the Shelby County Division of Corrections to aid in this whole person mantra.

We look to help aid inmates in life after prison. Skills they learn in prison can and will translate to employments and a better quality of life. This is done, in the hope, that their home situation can be improved and their needs can be met, without illegal means. Our partners, Workforce Investment Network and HopeWorks, Inc. ensures that these inmates can be matched to potential employers in their attempt to restructure their life and goals for the better.

Our program is selective in that the inmates involved have about 6-months left on their prison sentence, are in good behavioral standing, and on the road to release. We accept applicants that are ready to give maximum effort to creating a better life for them, their family, and the community of Memphis. We believe in second chances and these men and women deserve the opportunity to enrich our community.
Our students are ready, willing, trained, and skillful in the ways of your company.

We fight recidivism and we will not allow it to define our community, our city. This is the time and Memphis is the place, we grit, we grind, we fight for a better Memphis.