Participating officials get a taste of what its like for individuals released from incarceration facing challenges toward recovering their lives
Life in someone else’s shoes is near impossible to experience, but various officials from around the community got a brief glimmer of what it is like for those who have experienced incarceration, and find roadblocks, social stigma and even getting in trouble for additional crimes for violating probation or parole.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Over the past year a program has been in place to try and ensure that individuals coming out of the Polk County Jail have all the help that can be provided to be successful in their future lives. Hundreds of people who have been released from custody have received several services each toward their personal efforts to reintegrate back into life locally.
WATCH: Lydia Goodson, Judges Murphy and Roper talk Re-Entry Program
Polk County’s Re-Entry Program headed up by Re-Entry Coordinator Lydia Goodson is responsible for these efforts, giving more than 400 inmates some 6,100+ services provided between them in various ways from connecting individuals with treatment services and education opportunities to personal help with anger management and life, recovery and parenting skills.
This past week on Tuesday, April 30, Goodson gathered local officials and residents together with participants in the program for a simulation of what life is like when there isn’t help with this program, and what the experience is like for at least 1,500 other individuals who passed through the Polk County Jail in the last year.
During an hour-long simulation, those invited to take part were given the same set of requirements that are placed on individuals placed on probation or parole upon their release after serving sentences. Those can vary based on the convictions of each person in front of the court, but for the purposes of this item can be boiled down to these areas:
- If you don’t have paperwork proving who you are, there’s a need to get identification. A social security card, birth certificate and driver’s license were the key items needed in the simulation. One can’t do anything without an ID: no jobs will hire you legally, no social services are offered, no checks can be cashed at the bank, and the list goes on and on. A key to re-entry is this particular piece of paper or plastic in hand.
- Employment is the second major factor, because of course everything costs. Whether it be restitution to the court in fines to transportation getting around, money is the key factor toward many finding success when released from time in custody, and getting a job is the one way to ensure that money is coming in regularly to pay for the variety or requirements faced by those re-integrating into life in any locality after incarceration.
- Good relations with the system matter just as much as anything. If paperwork is done on time, things come out clean on drug tests and the probation fees are paid, the likelihood of an individual facing trouble is much less than those who aren’t abiding by the orders they are supposed to follow. The variety of officials who have control over someone who is in the midst of re-entry can impact their overall success rate, so having everything in order and being courteous is just as important as having cash on hand. Especially since officials are usually involved in helping individuals access services meant to help.
Keep all of this in mind when continuing with the rest of this item, as well as this thought: what would you do in the same set of circumstances?
Starla’s experience
Participants in the Tuesday evening simulation event were each given a packet with some information about who they were, and what they had available to them once getting out of jail or prison.
A packet handed over revealed the name “Starla,” based on a real life participant in the Re-Entry Program with the Sheriff’s Office. “Starla” was just getting out of prison on a four-year stint for Sale of Marijuana, and was living with her parents.
She had a GED, and unlike many of her peers had documents she needed once back home. A birth certificate, state-issued ID and social security card can carry people a long way toward establishing regular patterns in life, but it isn’t everything.
Participants were given a list of things they had to accomplish in a week – simulated to 10 minutes of time for each week over a month – which included getting to probation, the career center, work, drug and alcohol counseling, drug testing, and finding work of some kind.
“Starla” didn’t do so well her first week out. She went to the Career Center and through random selection of cards on the table for the booth, got a resume class and was sent along the way. “Starla” can’t apply for a job without a drug test, can’t even donate plasma to make a little cash along the way. So first things first, a drug test.
Random chance put “Starla” behind automatically. She popped positive during her first week out of custody. Somewhere along the line, random chance happened again and “Starla” completed a under the table job and made $50.
Since “Starla” was going to get in trouble at the probation office anyhow, another bad decision was made. Take a chance and commit a crime, after all trouble is coming one way or another.
So “Starla” took a chance and got in trouble for sale of drugs once again, and was arrested.
From this point, “Starla” spent most of the time over the next three weeks. After Week 2 started, “Starla” plead her case before Judge Andrew Roper in hopes of getting out of jail. She even managed to convince the judge to lower her bond by $5 (in this game, $5 was equivalent to $500 by the way things were working on bond pricing. In the Real World, such a reduction would have made no difference.)
“Starla” was out on bond for a brief time, and after using the last opportunity to get a ride out of jail she decided it was time to visit the probation office.
Somehow “Starla” got a speeding ticket to the probation office, and by the time she arrived it was too late for her. With only $5 to her name, unable to pay probation fees or the speeding fine, she settled into jail for the next two weeks and remained there. No bond opportunity, no chance to try again at re-entry back into her life outside of jail.
By the time everything was said and done, “Starla” spent 25 out of 30 days behind bars. She had a lot of company from other participants roleplaying as others before the time was up.
What conclusion did “Starla” come to by the time the simulation was over?
It was easier to stay in jail and be fed something with a roof over your head than to try and make it on the outside.
Simulated suffering
This experience was shared by several others during the event, as many participants ended up in jail as well until there were no chairs left and officials crowded onto the stage or stood around waiting for the last week to end.
Rockmart City Manager Stacey Smith was one of those who agreed that “at one point I felt like it was easier to go back to jail.”
“It was very eye opening. I was not aware of all the difficulties and obstacles that people face when they are in the midst of re-entry and have no resources,” she said. “After experiencing that even for a few minutes, I feel much more empathetic of people re-entering society and there is clearly a need for the program.”
Polk County Superior Court Clerk Stacie Baines was one of those sitting in jail during some of the simulation event.
She was in the midst during one week when one of her needed IDs was stolen. Getting a new one without an ID of any kind was one of her toughest problems to solve.
She was glad to see other participants getting involved and noted “I thought it was a great presentation for the public to see.”
Superior Court Judge Mark Murphy, who spoke before the simulation portion of the event began, added some thoughts as well. He’s usually on the other side of the law in this context, the one handing down sentences and requirements for probation for offenders who will serve time.
“The Reentry Simulation was a very eye opening experience for me,” he sent by text. “As someone named “Tony” who returned from prison, I had so much to do, it took me two weeks to get somewhat on my feet. I passed my drug screen and finally got a full time job. I cashed my first paycheck – $320! I left the bank headed straight to court to pay my child support and restitution before I reported to probation. I was almost there and a deputy stopped me and saw my payday cash of $300 on me and said I’d been reported by Dollar General for stealing $300. It was definitely a case of mistaken identity but I went to jail and by then I was totally demoralized. I felt like the world was completely against me. It was easy to understand how just giving up and staying in jail was easier than fighting all the red tape to make enough money to pay fines and fees and basic living costs.”
Future Chief Magistrate Court Judge Christy Garner had a similar experience in the simulation as others in getting everything done within the weekly tasks. Garner currently serves as a Magistrate Judge in Polk County. She sees many of the offenders seeking to get out of jail for first appearances to determine bonds.
“I gained a lot of knowledge of the many obstacles faced by the participants trying to complete task and succeed,” she said. “It was a great experience and opportunity to see this program through a participants perspective. You can see how some could give up and stay in jail because it’s easier.”
Even local candidates for office were given a taste of what it is like. Coroner candidate Nathan Womack shared these thoughts after the event was over:
“The Re-entry Simulation was a very well-planned and orchestrated event beyond a mere presentation of facts and information. The simulation was very engaging and subjective to each participant, showing many challenges faced by those returning from incarceration,” he said. “The event itself was very fun to take part in but also yielded serious and important lessons for those of us who have never experienced incarceration or the effects thereof. I learned from my own experience the great challenges faced by those re-entering society—things I never would have even thought about, all the way from your first steps after Reentry to the difficulties of income, reporting, daily life, et cetera.”
The real experience that matters is actual participants. One of individuals who have already received help (and continues to get help) is Scott Sanders, who spoke to to officials at the simulation about his own experience.
WATCH: Scott Sanders talks about Re-Entry Program
Sanders said that he went in and out of custody for decades, and found it had become a way of life.
“Sometimes you get lost in the system,” he said after the simulation was over. “I’ve experienced this numerous times, and failed numerous times. Then succeeded and it lasted for a while, and end up back in jail.”
The program has provided him the chance to get out of the cycle. He even continues to participate despite being out of custody. He said the “jail has needed this for a long time.”
“It helps me to make the right decisions,” Sanders said.
Goodson said being able to offer services even after an individual leaves the Polk County Jail has been key toward helping keep repeat offenses from occurring. Sanders case isn’t the only one who gets the opportunity to take part in services. The program is still available to every inmate who takes part after they are released from custody.
“I’ll say Scott is the only one who takes me up on weekly sessions,” Goodson said. “But that is something we do offer.”
Sanders said during the session as well that he’s used the skills he’s gained from the Re-Entry Program to set small goals instead of big ones all at once, and to establish a better relationship with his family.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “On Saturday (May 4,) my son graduates from Berry with three degrees.”
The program gave him the chance to stay out of the Polk County Jail and be able to see the graduation for himself.
“I should have been in prison, I should have been,” Sanders said. “But God has put this in my life and opened doors for me.”
What’s the next step
There’s plenty that the Re-Entry Program wants to do to continue to help, but what they can accomplish before individuals are released is easier said than done.
For instance, the only portion of an ID that Goodson said is possible to get while still in custody is help gaining a birth certificate. That’s at least a step in the right direction, but still leaves an ID card or license as an issue, as well as a social security card. Two items you have to go in person to grab.
However there’s still a lot that can be accomplished with a long list of programs that can start the ball rolling for those in custody. GED programs are accessible for those serving sentences. A variety of programs for individual help including anger management, life skills, recovery skills, parenting skills, after incarceration care, and a program called SMART Goals to put individuals on a path for success after release.
Other ways the program helps is for those who are experiencing addiction and need to get into inpatient rehabilitation programs, and also providing recovery coaching and other resource connections.
There’s even overdose education, harm reduction and medication assisted treatment help for those who need it.
“It’s not just a job for me, it’s a passion,” she said.
She notes that services are offered to all those who are incarcerated, and the program works closely with local courts and government agencies to help in any way they can. However individuals in the Polk County Jail have to apply to be a part of the program, and thus not everyone will qualify for a variety of reasons.
Goodson points to two immediate needs for individuals to have a better success rate: housing and employment.
Both are critical needs toward success since individuals are expected to report to a specific place upon release, but also for being able to have a stable residence to go to instead of being forced into a position where jail might be the only option for a roof over their head and daily bread.
Employment too is a problem, since the societal stigma around individuals re-entering society is one of distrust. Having employers give people the second chance they need in order to properly reintegrate and pay off everything from the cost of drug testing to the gas they need to get to offices is a must. So is flexibility with ensuring that individuals are able to make appointments they need to make instead of forcing them to choose between a job or the taking a chance they might end up incarcerated again.
Those dual stigmas are in many cases one of the quiet reasons why people have such trouble with re-entry.
“We want individuals to “do better” in our community, but that has to start with each of us and understanding the beliefs we have about incarceration are wrong,” Goodson said. “Each and every one of the people I serve are someone’s son or daughter, someone’s mother or father, a nephew or niece or grandchild. We all deserve to feel as if we matter to someone, and being compassionate and caring it goes a long way.”
Goodson asks that those who believe they can help by offering opportunities for those who need help have options. They can reach out to help Goodson connect individuals in the jail with services or future employment by e-mailing lgoodson@polkga.org. Donations are also accepted on behalf of the Polk County Sheriffs Office for the program. Checks can be earmarked specifically for the Polk Re-Entry Program.
She also wanted to add this final note: “Dr Seuss says it best in the Lorax: ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.'”
