In the State of Nevada there are 13,962 men and women currently incarcerated in our prison system. The Nevada Department of Corrections releases nearly 6,000 of these individuals each year. Many of them are released into our community with no money, without the support of family and lacking the skills to overcome the tremendous barriers that will they face as they reintegrate back into society. High rates of incarceration over the last several decades have resulted in a large population of formerly incarcerated individuals, not just in Nevada, but across the nation. Successful reintegration is not just a concern for those who return from prison, it is also a matter of public safety and economic necessity. The hard truth is that the majority of people who have served prison time return back to prison within three years of release.
Innovative Solution:
The focus of Hope for Prisoners is change from the inside out. All of their services are critical, but it is the character transformation that truly determines the future for their clients. It is not enough to teach someone how to drive a forklift and get them a job, because if they have not changed their character, they will not have what it takes to keep that job and continue to advance.
Hope For Prisoners in Las Vegas bridges the divide between incarcerated individuals and law enforcement officers and brings them together for life transformation. Men, women, and youth re-entering society partner with Hope for Prisoners to establish a long-term support relationship, enroll in job training classes, and find hope for reclaiming their dignity, families, and standing in their communities. When an incarcerated individual encounters Hope For Prisoners, they sign up for financial classes, professional training, and technology courses. The special partnership with law enforcement helps restore trust and build productive bonds where fear and animosity once were. Finally, a network of mentors and peer-to-peer accountability helps provide long-term guidance for HFP’s clients.
Impact:
Since 2009, Hope for Prisoners has worked with more than 2600 clients. These clients over the past 10 years reflect a recidivism rate of only 6%. This success is attributed not only to the services that they provide, but largely to their long-term mentoring program that each client participates in for the duration of the time they are enrolled in their program. More than 70 volunteer police officers give their time to the program, conducting training and offering mentorship to their clients who have recently come home from prison.
