Florida youths deserve a second chance
Late last year, we had a chance to speak at a graduation ceremony at a juvenile detention facility in Ocala.
The two of us are successful professionals, but we both saw younger versions of ourselves in the audience. We made mistakes in our formative years and know that had it not been for a supportive family, our lives could have turned out differently.
That’s partly why we believe in the idea of extending a second chance to those who want to turn their life around and become productive members of society. But they’ll need some help or there’s a good chance they will again end up on the wrong side of the law.
Once they are released, the formerly incarcerated face more than 40,000 legal barriers that make it more difficult for them to find housing and steady work. It helps explain why three out of every four people who spend time in prison will find themselves back in the system for a new crime within five years.
Reducing the recidivism rate requires equipping the incarcerated with the tools they need to succeed upon being released. This includes educational training, but also things that you and I take for granted — a valid identification card, having the right clothes for a job interview, and knowing how to fill out a job application.
To ensure the young men housed at the youth detention facility in Ocala don’t become another statistic, our colleagues at the Grassroots Leadership Academy and the LIBRE Institute have developed a program specifically tailored for their needs. GLA is a group dedicated to educating and empowering individuals to advance a free and open society through rigorous classes and trainings.
Among the things GLA and the LIBRE Institute have discussed during the last few months with the young men at the academy include what it means to forgive others, and what true independence looks like.
Prior to the graduation ceremony, we had a chance to listen in on some of the conversations between students and instructors. We were impressed by the students’ honesty and boldness. A few of the students said that they “don’t want to change their hustle,” but rather “change their game.” In other words, channeling their energy for good upon being released.
Besides impressing upon these young men the importance of personal responsibility and character transformation, the classes also include lessons on resumebuilding, job-interview skills and even how to put a business plan together.
Prior to the graduation ceremony, we watched students work in groups to clear a swinging-rope challenge. Teamwork was absolutely necessary to avoid getting tangled up. It was gratifying to see them communicate with each other and develop a plan to clear the rope, skills they will certainly need as they tackle life’s tougher challenges.
When it was our turn, we told them how excited we were to see them develop their individual skills and talents to become agents for good in their communities. We told them how important they are and how making better choices and rejecting bad influences can open doors to opportunities that they cannot even begin to imagine.
One of the students who spoke during the graduation ceremony said: “This class has taught me that if you put in the hard work, you can do anything.” Another student said he was particularly appreciative of how the instructors “don’t judge us for what we have done, or why we’re here. They only want to see us succeed.”
There are thousands of other young men and women in Florida’s juvenile detention facilities who are just like the over 40 students we spoke to at the academy. We need every single one of these young adults to develop the skills they need to create value for themselves and for others. But the only way this is going to happen is if we begin investing in our incarcerated youth right now.