Mr. Grant, escorted me through the halls
of the facility, at times, stopping to
speak to members of his team. As he
addressed them, my attention diverted
to the life sized posters bearing nuggets
of proverbial wisdom for living a
productive life. One that struck me as
particularly profound, read… “surely
our release is inevitable but our
continued freedom is up to us”.
Personal responsibility is ingrained in
the consciousness of each and every
resident (as the men are called)
through daily recitation.

The role of responsibility was also
played out In the therapeutic housing
units, where residents perform
scheduled cleaning tasks that involve
leadership opportunities within the
resident’s work structure, which is an
earned leadership hierarchy. In another class a group of residents
participated in a seminar addressing the blocks to effective
communication. I listened while they discussed their patterns
of interaction and how to begin the process of change by
recognizing the role of perception. I later asked Mr. Grant to
share his professional and personal insights about his
organization and his role as director.

D. Smith: Could you tell us about your organization, and
your role as Director?

Grant: Community Education Centers is an organization that
assists individuals near transition from prison back into the
community, by providing programming which build discipline
through structured activities and exposure to the community in
new ways. My role within the organization as Director of Work
Release and Educational Development, is to bring the community
and the residents together, through employment and education.
Upon arrival, the resident must remain on site attending groups
and seminars while they become acclimated to the active
program schedule. This is a necessary step in preparation for
interacting in the community.

D. Smith: What is a program day like and how does a
program day translate into relevancy, as it relates to
activities for daily living when they are back on the street?

Grant: Their life is structured. They are required to get up in the
morning, make their beds and before they leave the facility they
have to be checked out. They need to also take a look at what
it means to lead a structured life and to be accountable for their
decisions. What we do here at Logan Hall is try to help the
residents tie together their sense of responsibility to what
they need to do in order to secure their own freedom, in short
we try to give the residents back to themselves.

D. Smith: What kind of lapses do you see in your
interaction with the general community that serve as
hindrances to a successful reintegration ?

Grant: Number one is the stigma attached to an ex-offender.
The term in and of itself does a disservice because it is only
a part of what the individual has done. An unwillingness by the
community to receive them with open arms, in essence
creates the air of doing your time twice.

D. Smith: Knowing the key role of family members in the process of reentry and reintegration how does the program address family dynamics?

Grant: We look at the family, which is a mental health issue
on a grand scale. Many times, a resident doesn’t know what it
means to have a healthy relationship and being able to impart
this information at such a crucial time is important. There is also
a family and aftercare program through the Alumni Association
which helps to reinforce what has been learned.

Before leaving the facility I had an opportunity to speak with a
resident at Logan Hall who was leaving to go home in several
days. He shared how he was grateful to the staff at Logan Hall,
for the opportunity to work and have the privilege of looking
for a place to live within the legal and structural parameters
of the program.

I believe home is where the rubber meets the road in the
process of reintegration. Those returning home after
incarceration anticipate a return to daily activities that would
include accountability to parole officers, being responsible
mothers, fathers, employees and productive members of
society again. This can be stressful and frustrating to say
the least.

As a result, it is necessary to explore the inner workings of
organizations that serve as a bridge for those leaving prison
and re-acclimating back into civilian life. These organizations
are made up of people committed to addressing the intricate,
complex and varied needs of the residents who have passed
through their gates.

Darlene Smith

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