by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 3, 2013
The Governor’s Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform invited organizations from across the state to present recommendations for improving ex-offender outcomes at the Department of Corrections Headquarters in Forsyth, Georgia, Tuesday, November 26.
Eric Cochling, VP of Policy Advancement for Georgia Center for Opportunity, testified before the council with proposals generated from GCO’s Prisoner Reentry Working Group on ways to improve employment opportunities for Georgia’s ex-offenders.
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- Georgia Center for Opportunity’s Eric Cochling testifying before the Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Council.
He outlined the following five recommendations for the state to consider implementing:
- Lift driver’s license suspensions for drug offenders who have not committed a driving-related crime.
- Ensure offender’s identification is secured prior to release so they will be ready to apply for a job upon leaving prison.
- Incentivize employers to hire ex-offenders through offering tax credits or deductions, a bonding program, and protection from liability.
- Increase ex-offenders’ chances of being hired by postponing questions about criminal convictions until after an interview has been conducted, with the state setting the example by implementing this recommendation for public employment first.
- Lift professional licensing restrictions to allow ex-offenders to work in occupations that were previously off-limits to them because of a felony conviction that is unrelated to the professional license being sought.
Testifying before the Governor’s Council proved to be a critical first step in presenting GCO’s working group findings to state leaders, as the council consists of legislative, judicial, and executive appointees, as well as representatives from various sectors of criminal justice at the state and local level.
Established by the Governor in 2011 to protect public safety and hold offenders accountable while controlling state costs, the council has proposed significant reforms for adult sentencing and corrections and juvenile justice. Due to the success of the council’s recommendations and landmark legislation being passed during the 2012 and 2013 legislative sessions, Governor Deal commissioned the council to focus on improving prisoner reentry in the state next year, too.
For the upcoming 2014 legislative session, the council is working diligently to compile the best recommendations for the state to implement to reduce recidivism. However, due to the scope of this assignment, bills outlining the council’s recommendations may be introduced over the next couple of sessions.
Eric’s presentation received a positive response from council members leading them to ask several follow-up questions about other states that have enacted similar reforms. GCO is grateful for the opportunity to present and hopes that the council seriously considers our recommendations.
The recommendations for increasing employment opportunities for ex-offenders represent a sample of the reforms being proposed by GCO’s working group. Future recommendations will likely include ways to reduce debt and increase savings for prisoners, establish reentry courts, and implement specialized transitional centers across the state, among others.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 3, 2013
A word from our CEO, Randy Hicks, about year-end giving
Georgia Center for Opportunity’s mission is to remove barriers to social and economic opportunity. Consider making a year-end gift to help GCO continue to fight for solutions to childhood poverty, family breakdown, failing schools, welfare dependency and unemployment. We value your partnership in this important work.
At GCO, we are committed to do what is necessary to improve the lives of individuals and families. In Georgia, only three out of ten poor children make it to the middle class by middle age. And even for those children, the threats of family breakdown, poor quality schools, and fewer jobs mean that today’s children are just as likely to move down the income scale as they are up. You can read more about the challenges and costs to society here.
According to social scientists Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins, American children can do three things that will almost eliminate the threat of falling into poverty:
- Graduate from high school
- Get a full time job
- Be married and at least 21-years-old before having children
Ninety-eight percent of those who did those three things are not in poverty today.
We have a three-step process for developing solutions and making them a reality. First, GCO brings experts together to dive into some of today’s biggest challenges and recommend both policy and community-based solutions. Second, GCO educates the public and advocates at all levels of policymaking. And third, GCO helps effective nonprofits get even better and build additional capacity to affect change. Read more about our approach here.
Currently, we have several initiatives underway in Prisoner Reentry, Breakthrough Communities, and College and Career Pathways that you can read about here, as well as on other posts on our blog. In 2014, GCO will launch panels on stronger families, community-based healthcare solutions, and other exciting work.
Will you invest in our work at this time?
The success we have had – and the success we will have – is tied to your investment in our work. A significant portion of our budget – and therefore our impact – is determined by gifts that are received during December. A gift of any size – $25, $100, $250, $1,000 – will make a difference. As always, please know that we are thankful for you and your generosity.
You may make a secure donation online here.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Nov 25, 2013
Did you miss our Taste Shop Give event on Thursday, November 7th? If so, you passed up an opportunity to experience some fantastic music, enjoy an incredible meal, bid on some amazing live auction items, and meet some awesome people who are dedicated to our mission at Georgia Center for Opportunity.
GCO’s third annual Taste Shop Give event was held at The Ballroom at Twelve, Atlantic Station. Former White House chef Walter Scheib prepared a formal State dinner in the same fashion as he has prepared countless banquets for heads of State during his tenure under presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The dinner included field greens with balsamic dressing and baked goat cheese; stuffed pecan crusted chicken breast filled with smoked mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes; parmesan risotto; French beans with a roasted yellow pepper sauce; and vanilla ice cream with warm banana caramel compote.
This mouthwatering meal was served up by our Breakthrough Ambassadors, high school students from Norcross High School. They did such a great job serving you would never have known they weren’t professionals.
Taste Shop Give 2013 featured uplifting musical entertainment from three inspirational solo artists, Mary Millben, Shay Watson and Peter Lee Johnson. Mary has been a featured vocal soloist at The White House and the Kennedy Center, and for events hosting presidents, George W. Bush and Barak Obama, and many others. She sang a gorgeous version of “Georgia on My Mind”, among other songs, for our Taste Shop Give guests. Shay Watson has carved out a place for himself in the global music community as a songwriter, artist and producer. He sang a few of his original pieces and together Mary and Shay sang a duet of “Oh Happy Day” which was quite moving. Peter Lee Johnson is a young violin genius who played a variety of popular cover songs during the evening. You can see below that even some of the Breakthrough Ambassadors joined in on the entertainment.
After the dinner, entertainment, and good conversation, the evening was wrapped up with a live auction. There were several great items auctioned off including an electric violin signed by Peter Lee Johnson, a home entertainment system, an Italian getaway, a premier cruise excursion, and an exclusive set of Pickard Whitehouse tableware – all donations are used to support our mission to remove barriers to opportunity and ultimately help more Georgians achieve a better life.
If you missed our event this year, please join us next year. If you were able to attend, we sincerely thank you for your support!!!
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Nov 5, 2013
Inmates of any faith are encouraged to apply to the first “Faith and Character-Based” prison in Georgia, at Walker State Prison, located in the northwest corner of the state. The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is seeking to positively affect inmate behavior and reduce recidivism through this newly established program, which focuses on accountability, responsibility, integrity, and faith.
Inmates at Walker State Prison performing
An important part of GCO’s research within its Prisoner Reentry Initiative involves visiting correctional facilities throughout the state to view firsthand what programs and services GDC offers to prepare offenders to transition back into society. This varies greatly by the quality of education, training, and treatment they receive during their incarceration. Some facilities are better than others, and this prison impressed us as having great potential for success.
Changed Expectations: A Prison of Hope
Pulling up to Walker State Prison, it appeared that the prison was just like any other from the outside: razor-wire fence, guard tower, patrol car, lock-down facilities, and an overall feeling of intimidation. However, inside the prison, the atmosphere was quite different from what I expected. We were greeted by respectful inmates with head nods and hand-shakes, who appeared somewhat happy to see visitors. From observing a group of men in a classroom taking guitar lessons to seeing a large mural in the cafeteria depicting a scene from the Garden of Eden, an air of hope seemed to permeate the otherwise grim state facility.
What the GDC started in recent years with a dozen or so faith and character-based dorms throughout the state has evolved into this new two-year initiative being tested in Georgia. The success of these initial dorms paved the way for expanding the program into a prison-wide capacity at Walker in August 2011. This idea was first tested by Lawtey Correctional Institution in Starke, Florida, whose faith and character-based program has shown to positively affect inmate behavior and reduce recidivism since 2003.
Once inmates complete the two-year program, they will either transition into society (via parole, probation, or maxing-out) or transfer to another prison to finish their sentence. Participation in the faith-based component of the program is optional to inmates, but it can be readily accessed through taking various elective classes that are offered. Further, volunteers from the community come into the prison to mentor and help inmates grow in their respective faiths.
Culture of Reform = Unlocked Lockers
At the core of the program is the idea that inmates should be men of character. This is not a policy that is forced from the top-down; rather, it is a goal that each inmate internalizes personally.The pilot group of men adopted articles that govern the way they interact with each other and painted them on the cafeteria wall to be on display for all to see. They even decided to keep all of the lockers in their living quarters unlocked as a reminder to be men of integrity. This powerful symbol – exemplified in the unlocked locker – shows the extent to which the inmates strive to create a culture of reform that is distinct from other prisons.
The staff and inmates at Walker State Prison are cultivating something that is indeed unique among Georgia prisons, as well as in the country at large.
The chaplain shared with us that sometimes men come into his office crying because they feel a sense of release from the oppression that marks the prisons from where they came.
It often takes time for inmates who recently transfer into Walker to adjust to the new prison culture. However, once this starts to happen, the shell around their heart begins to crack, and for the first time in years an inmate may be seen with a smile on his face, finding a ray of hope during this dark time in his life.
Educational Focus
During our visit, I had the opportunity to attend one of the elective classes offered at the prison, taught by volunteer Bruce King. He provides valuable assessments to measure inmates’ vocational competencies and gifts, where they discover the type of jobs for which they are a good fit. They also learn how to reframe their story in a positive light and explain to employers why they are the best candidates for a particular job. This seminar gives inmates priceless tools to overcome formidable barriers to employment (such as getting hired with a criminal record), as well as the confidence to know what they are naturally good at doing.
Much more than seminars are offered. In fact, the entire prison has an educational focus. The inmates spend their day taking both general education and elective classes. The general education classes have proven to be very successful in enabling inmates to acquire a GED certification. Elective classes are more faith-focused, allowing inmates to choose classes based on their respective faiths. Currently Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Jehovah’s Witness, and Wiccan faiths are represented.
The electives are facilitated entirely by inmates and volunteers, as the state does not provide funding or staff to run the faith and character-based program. Two electives at the prison, Greek and Hebrew classes, are taught by seminary-trained inmates from Phillips State Prison (this prison offers courses from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary). This model of inmate-facilitation provides a great opportunity for inmates to assume leadership roles, to grow in confidence, to hone their professional skills, and to positively impact their fellow inmates.
Beautiful Trash and Second Chances
The counselor at the prison introduced us to several inmates throughout our tour, and one of these men supervised the art program. We had the privilege of seeing pictures of some of the masterpieces this group produced. The majority of their paintings depicted scenes from the Bible, such as Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and Daniel in the lion’s den. They paint the murals on bed sheets and donate them to churches, foster homes, vacation Bible schools, etc. The group also uses recycled cardboard to build creative works of art, including a toy castle, motorcycle, model plane, and a life-sized grandfather clock with coke insignia all over it (this piece looked so good that it’s now sitting in the Coca-Cola Museum).
The supervisor of this group of artists told us that the message they want to convey through their artwork is that God takes what the world deems as trash and turns it into something beautiful.
It is this same message of redemption that they hope to communicate with their lives.
On a larger scale, at Walker inmates are beginning to see what is possible as they develop a new way of thinking and believing, recovering what has been marred from years of destructive thought patterns. They are seeing their worth as human beings who have been given unique gifts and abilities, and recognizing fresh opportunities where they can serve other people.
For offenders who desire a second chance at life, Walker State Prison is a good place to begin this journey.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 22, 2013
You do not want to miss Taste Shop Give, Thursday, November 7th! If you were with us last year at the Atlanta History Center you will remember the great entertainment and awesome selection of auction items, as well as the featured favorite dishes of various U.S. Presidents, all prepared under the direction of renowned former White House chef Walter Scheib.
This year, Georgia Center for Opportunity’s third annual Taste Shop Give event will be held at The Ballroom at Twelve, Atlantic Station. The evening will include a live auction, allowing you the chance to bid on some fantastic items. Even better, Chef Scheib will be preparing a formal State dinner in the same fashion as he has prepared countless banquets for heads of State during his tenure under presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. You will also be presented with an inspiring story of his experience working at the White House when our great Nation was attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001. This is an exclusive perspective that few of us have the privilege to hear.
www.youtube.com/user/marymillben
Taste Shop Give 2013 will also feature uplifting musical entertainment from two inspirational solo artists, Mary Millben and Shay Watson. Mary has been a featured soloist at The White House and the Kennedy Center, and for events hosting presidents, George W. Bush and Barak Obama, and many others. She performed at the 43rd Super Bowl halftime show with Bruce Springsteen and made her New York theatre debut in the Ray Roderick musical ‘S Wonderful. Prior to entertainment, Millben served as a presidential appointee to President George W. Bush and was recently named a global ambassador for Education Africa.
Shay Watson (www.shaywatson.com) has carved out a place for himself in the global music community as a songwriter, artist and producer. He has written and recorded music with numerous U.S. artists in a variety of genres. He has also had chart success in Europe. Shay is actively involved in Mission of Mercy, a Christian relief mission that helps find sponsors for poverty stricken children in underprivileged areas of the world.
These two artists are not only talented musicians, but socially active contributors to society.
This year we have a generous donor who is willing to match up to $50,000 in donations collected the evening of Taste Shop Give. Donations will be used to support our Breakthrough Georgia initiative. Our mission is to remove barriers to opportunity and ultimately help more Georgians achieve a better life. We do this by focusing our research, advocacy and delivery support on pathways that lead to success and self-sufficiency.
You can become a part of our mission! Join us November 7th for and unforgettable evening. For more information and to register as a guest, please access our event website www.foropportunity.org/tasteshopgive.
