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3381 North Bond Ave., Ste 101
Fresno, CA 93726
P: 559-229-7850
F: 559-225-9008
E-mail: info@jpw3.org |
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Mental health and emotional stability are extremely important issues when it comes to successful re-entries of inmates back into society. Did you know that approximately one in four people of the US population has or will have a mental illness or an emotional disturbance? Did you know that mental Illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes and heart disease? Were you aware that more than 10 million Americans have a serious mental illness currently, and that suicides are the 10th leading cause of death? What is even more shocking is that the national prison population is estimated to have 2/3 of the inmate population suffering from mental illness or a serious emotional disturbance. If an inmate is treated for mental illness while in prison and during RE-ENTRY, crime can be prevented in many cases, and recidivism can be reduced to be significantly lower than 68%, which it currently is. The GOOD NEWS is: Mental Illnesses are TREATABLE. Much more needs to be done in our state and federal prison systems, about treatment for mental illness instead of the current warehouse mentality of our justice system. It would be a huge step in the "prevention" of further crime.
As Douglas Burris, Chief of U.S. Federal Probation in the Eastern District of Missouri has stated publicly, "The story about Mark Whitacre's redemption and second chance is one of the most inspirational stories of our time." Mark Whitacre's story can be found here and here . Mark served almost nine years in federal prison for crimes that he committed while he was a whistleblower and FBI informant in one of the largest white-collar cases in U.S. history. Mark Whitacre was released from prison in the Christmas season of December, 2006 after almost nine years of incarceration. Like his model years during incarceration, Mark has set the standard on how one should lead his or her life after prison. His case of redemption has been nothing less than remarkable, and he has certainly made the most of his second chance. Mark has often stated that: "You do not wait until you are released to get your life in order. From day one, you take responsibility for your actions and begin to chart the course of your second chance." Mark and Ginger have assisted dozens of people prepare for prison, and also have assisted dozens of families prepare for the release of their loved ones. They continue this service of donating their time to serve others still today.
Mark stated, "What is very significant in my life is what I decided to do after those huge mistakes were made. I made a CLEAR decision when I entered prison in 1998, that the rest of my life is going to be solely based on one thing: "ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING", and that included while in prison too. Basically, I made a clear decision to get BETTER, not bitter".
A successful re-entry is possible for everyone if they make a clear decision that they need help (which is often mental illness counseling and/or medication, or drug abuse counseling), and if they have the goal to to get BETTER, not bitter. The only difference between those two words is the letter "i".
 Today, Mark Whitacre also urges society at large to give ex-offenders a 2nd chance, just like he has received. God provides us hope, forgiveness, and redemption, so it is very important that society forgives us too. When an inmate is released, he or she has a CLEAN SLATE to start over, an opportunity to start from SCRATCH. A brand new CANVAS for a new painting.
With this new canvas and clean slate that one has when he/she is released from prison, Mark Whitacre challenges all ex-offenders to do 3 things that are critical to their long-term success.
Think of these three things as a THREE LEGGED STOOL, with each leg required to keep one in full balance. Mark challenges all ex-offenders to do the following upon their release:
(I) Take Personal Responsibility: The first leg is what Mark Whitacre learned firsthand with his own case, and that is: "THE SYSTEM" is not against you. It is for you! So many people in prison think that THE SYSTEM is broken and against ex-offenders. Hope, direction, and stability often appear out of reach to men and women caught in the revolving door of criminal behavior. In reality, hope, redemption and stability are within REACH but it is your responsibility to seize the opportunities and accept your role in determining the outcome of YOUR future. THE SYSTEM is for you, not against you. The SYSTEM does work! And it will continue working if you, an ex-offender, will continue to do the right things in your life. An ex-offender cannot be successful if he/she views society as an "us and them" prism. We are all ONE, and we all need each other in order to be successful and lead productive lives in society. It truly takes a "Village".
(II) Positive Influence: The second leg of the 3-legged stool is to spend time with people whom are positive influencers. Don't find yourself in the negative culture again that helped lead to your mistakes in the first place. Spend your time wisely. Spend your time with people whom will have a positive influence in your life. Do that both at home, work and during your free-time. To take it one step further, find an accountability partner or a positive mentor in your life. This could be a family member, friend or church member who has a committed life and maintains solid core values to do what is right. Be transparent and allow them to speak into your life and keep you on the right track.
(III) Give Back: The third leg, to keep you in complete balance, is GIVING BACK ! Give back to your community. God created us to serve our families and our communities. You, as an ex-offender, have much to offer society with your experiences. Get involved, and go out there and talk to high schools, colleges, corporations, Churches, and especially to "At-Risk Youth", in order to help them NOT take the same paths that we did. Let them learn from us, and learn from our mistakes. There is nothing more rewarding than "GIVING BACK" to your community, the same community that is giving you a 2nd chance.
The bottom line is: A successful Re-Entry is completely up to you! | | |
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