The 3 C's of Intervention: Career, Care, & Community
JUMPSTART began behind bars. Two of our founders were still serving time when they noticed a huge problem—men they knew who had committed to Christ were leaving prison but then ending up incarcerated again within a year or two. Once they transitioned out, they realized this was the problem they wanted to solve.
Recidivism is the rate at which former prisoners end up back in prison. According to the US Department of Justice, 43 percent of released individuals were re-arrested within a year. Much of our success at JUMPSTART is due to our founders learning—and experiencing—the obstacles facing former prisoners.
While the factors certainly vary from person to person, the major contributors boil down to 3 C’s: Career, Care, and Community.
Career
Broadly speaking, people re-entering society after prison automatically have fewer career options than others. Despite paying their debt to society, their record follows them, and many employers can be cagey about hiring former prisoners.
Add to this the fact that many prisoners have been out of the workforce so long, they may not have the necessary skills, including people skills, to integrate successfully into an organization. Or perhaps they lack the necessary resources to be a great employee, such as consistent transportation to-and-from their job. A few late arrivals or no-showing over transportation problems can lead to a pink slip.
Also, even if someone is fortunate to find work and consistent transportation, bad work habits and workplace conflict could easily lead to termination—making it even more difficult for them to be employable. So, it’s no wonder when people turn back to the same behaviors that landed them in prison before.
Care
Employment is one factor, but it’s never the whole story. Many former prisoners lack a continuum of care when they are integrated back into society. That’s why JUMPSTART has focused on having a holistic model of care for our residents that covers all the levels of care necessary for long-term success:
Mental health care
Educational care
Emotional care
Financial care
Physical care
Housing care
Spiritual care
Medical care
Speaking from experience, when someone comes out of prison, they don’t have much to work with as resources go. And even if they come out of prison with faith in Christ, they can still end up under a bridge if they aren’t having their other needs met.
If we are to reduce the rate of recidivism, then caring for the whole person is essential. When someone lacks any one of these pieces of the care continuum, their chances of recidivism are automatically higher. The more care that’s missing, the more likely they will end up back behind bars.
Community
You can find community anywhere, including in prison. The question is whether it’s a community that truly cares for you and wants what is best for you—or whether it’s a toxic community that will revert you to the same unhealthy habits and actions.
At JUMPSTART, we recognize that possibly the greatest factor for recidivism is the community factor. Our focus is on building a Christian community that holds people accountable, encourages them, and heals together.
Many people walk out of prison and find themselves back in dysfunctional communities, so no wonder they don’t have the emotional support and care they need to succeed. Some have no community whatsoever. They’ve burned every bridge and found no one willing to help them on the hard days.
Every day in our transitional program, we start the day by gathering as a community to encourage one another and pray together. And we invite members of the greater community to join us. The community I had around me when I first got out made a huge difference in my own life, and I’ve continued to watch it make a difference for so many people in our program. You can experience our community for yourself by signing up to join one of our monthly tours.
Once again, there are many factors contributing to the national recidivism rate. But with more direction with career, higher levels of care, and a positive community, we’ve proven you can slash recidivism in a repeatable way. The question you have to answer is where you see yourself playing a role in reducing recidivism—career, care, or community?
Dr. Cary Sanders
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