"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime."
That old cliché probably sums up how most of us feel about criminal behavior. But what about the rest of the story? What happens when the ex-offender has served the time, and is ready to return to the community?
How big of an issue is this? According to the prestigious Pew Report, in 2008 for the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults in America were either in prison or jail. That's more than 2.3 million adults, the vast majority of whom will be released back into society sometime in the future.
In Illinois, the number of incarcerated adults is about 45,000. Each year, about 300 of these inmates will be released to live in McLean County.
No one knows how many ex-offenders currently reside in our county, but there are many. We interact daily with ex-offenders who are leading normal, productive lives without most of us being aware of it. Many others, particularly recent arrivals, are struggling to meet the basic necessities of life. Unfortunately, statistics show many of these won't make it.
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Nationwide and in Illinois, about 60 percent of those released return to prison within three years. Most will have only a few dollars when released, and are in immediate need of food, clothing, shelter and transportation.
Lucky ex-offenders have family or friends for support to help them get back on their feet, but many do not. And sometimes, those friends are not the kind of people the ex-offender needs to be around. Most ex-offenders have multiple issues that impair their employability, limiting them to low-paying jobs - and even those jobs are often off-limits to anyone with a felony conviction. Factor in today's shrinking economy and the task seems nearly impossible.
This is where Joy Care comes in.
Joy Care Center was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation in 1999 for the sole purpose of helping ex-offenders break the chains of recidivism and become productive members of society. Founded by the Rev. John Brown of the Joy Full Gospel Church, Joy Care is a faith-based agency dedicated to serving the needs of all ex-offenders regardless of religious orientation. That mission is carried out by Rev. Brown, a board of 11 members, and several dedicated volunteers.
We have a small but well-trained group of mentors who pair with ex-offenders for long-term counseling and support. Our budget is small, with funding coming from church and individual donations. Currently, we have no paid employees.
Last year, the board of Joy Care made a conscious decision to reach out to the community for support. We recognize that we cannot provide the level of services needed by ex-offenders by going it alone and that a strong base of community support is a necessity in securing grants from government and private foundations. Additionally, we have learned that Bloomington-Normal and the surrounding area have many caring individuals and organizations willing to help.
This past October, PATH joined hands with Joy Care to convene a Prisoner Re-entry Summit attended by more than 90 people throughout the area, including state and private agencies who serve ex-offender needs.
On Feb. 2, volunteers from that group met to form committees to work on such issues as housing, jobs and job training, education, substance abuse, mental and physical health, revenue and administration. We are currently in talks with a local church about securing new office space with minimal funds and lots of sweat equity.
In short, we are reaching out, the community is responding, but we need lots more help. We continue to seek more partnerships, more board members, and more resources.
So, what shall we do with ex-offenders who have "done the crime" and "done the time?" Considering it costs the taxpayers of Illinois about $30,000 a year to house an inmate, breaking the chains of recidivism is cost-effective. For me, there is an even better reason. At a restaurant recently, a server approached and quietly confided that she was an ex-offender.
"I want to thank you," she said. "Sometimes its just nice to know somebody cares about us."
Persons seeking more information about Joy Care can call Dozier at (309) 532-4575. For assistance from Joy Care, call PATH at (309) 827-4005 and leave a number where you can be contacted by a Joy Care representative.
Ron Dozier is a retired circuit judge and has been board member of Joy Care Center since 2001, currently serving as president.
