Every year, Texas prisons, jails, juvenile detention centers and immigrant detainee facilities release roughly 844,000 men and 227,000 women “back into society,” according to the Prison Policy Initiative (https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/02/28/releases-sex-state/).
That equates to somewhere close to one million souls who face significant barriers to reentry. These barriers include challenges securing stable employment, housing, public benefits and access to education, not to mention the denial of voting rights.
Programs exist specifically to help these formerly incarcerated individuals (FIC) adjust back to “life on the outside.” But are these programs effective, or do they merely provide an additional hurdle these individuals must clear?
Some say no
When asked to name Houston-area programs he recommended, Charlie Burton, who spent 17 years in prison, paused long before answering.
“It’s not a lot of them,” said Burton, who is believed to be the first formerly incarcerated person to retire from the state of Texas via his work in State Rep. Harold Dutton’s office.
Burton recommended the Community Re-Entry Network Program which is run by the Houston Health Dept.
He also said the state’s parole board offers helpful resources for returning citizens.
“Some of those programs actually work because they have case managers at the parole office where you go and report at. If you ask your parole officer to put you in touch with that person or get that number, they’ll work with you to try to get things done, and they’ll get out there and scout for you to find those programs,” Burton added.
Still, Burton believes help for the formerly incarcerated is hard to find.
Edward Russell Bey, a formerly incarcerated individual who now owns multiple businesses in Houston’s Fifth Ward, contends no helpful programs exist.
“After being incarcerated for 17 and a half years, those programs weren’t available for me,” shared Bey. “If you would’ve asked me about a program, I still couldn’t tell you about a program that I could send guys I know that’s been formerly incarcerated. But I do know places that hire ex-felons. But other than that, I couldn’t tell you.
Texas Legislative efforts
In 2021, the Texas Legislature mandated the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Reentry and Integration Division (RID) to improve programming for formerly incarcerated persons. This effort is said to employ “proven best practices” to reduce recidivism. RID’s reentry program, worked in conjunction with the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments, helps individuals obtain important documents (e.g., social security cards, certified birth certificates, state ID). It also helps returning citizens obtain sustainable employment.
Re-entry challenges
However, not all individuals who exit Texas prisons utilize or find the help they need through this program.
Per TDCJ’s 2022 Biennial Reentry and Reintegration Services Report, of the roughly 40,000 Texans released from state prisons every year, nearly half are rearrested within three years, and between 15-20% return to prison.
That 20% recidivism rate, which is one of the lowest in the U.S., doesn’t mean everything is all good with returning citizens. The nearly 50% re-arrest rate coupled with the fact that the formerly incarcerated are 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than members of the general population, are troubling realities.
And when you take into account that Texas, according to Prison Policy Initiative (www.prisonpolicy.org), has an incarceration rate of 751 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention and juvenile justice facilities), that’s an outsized problem compared to other states. Only 11 states have higher incarceration rates than Texas
And other countries.
The Lone Star State locks up a higher percentage of its people than any independent democratic country on earth.
Finding help
Burton and Bey had a leg up on most others regarding their transitions back to civilian life. Burton came in contact with Dutton while Burton was still in prison. The two stayed in touch, and that made all the difference in the world.
Upon his release from prison, Dutton advised Burton to utilize as many “ex-offender” programs as possible to find employment. But when Burton reported having no luck, Dutton had an idea.
“He called me in one Thursday and said, ‘This is what we’re gonna do. I’m going to hire you to help other ex-offenders like yourself, find employment,” recalled Burton, whose first assignment was to help coordinate a job fair where many of the business owners’ potential hires had served time.
“Over 250 people showed up. We got about 90 people jobs that day,” said Burton, whose time working with Dutton allowed him to retire with a pension. It also opened doors to other employment stops for Burton, including serving as a staff writer for Malico Record.
“Rep. Dutton made it possible for me to get finance. I got my first apartment. I bought me a brand new car. Things were going great. But still, I had to look for programs that could help me help others do what I did,” shared Burton.
For Bey, he had a core group of friends and family that assisted his re-entry.
A cousin who owned a mechanic shop afforded Bey the opportunity to do state inspections and earn a state inspection license. With the money he earned there, Bey began buying cars at auction, and selling on average between five and six per month.
When a building came available for purchase in Bey’s beloved Fifth Ward, one of his longtime friends lent a hand.
“Me and a friend of mine, Jay Prince, that’s who helped me purchase the building,” said Bey, of the property that he and his daughter used to open Fifth Level Restaurant and Café.
Bey also owns a utility company, Dale’s Underground Utility, named after his late son.
Advice for re-entry programs
Both Bey and Burton tried starting their own re-entry programs, Fifth Ward TLC and Positive X-Offenders, Inc., respectively. However, both struggled with the same hurdle: accessing funding.
Still, each has advice for existing re-entry programs that seek to make a difference.
Burton believes programs should specialize in their strengths and partner with other programs that have different strengths.
Burton also believes “every state representative in every district ought to have a program” that helps formerly incarcerated individuals find employment.
Bey wants these programs to employ people trusted by program users.
“They need some ambassadors to the community; a pipeline. Because you can’t sit in your office and expect people to show up,” said Bey. “You’ve got to have people who can get out there and say, ‘Hey man, these are the programs available for you.’”
Programs
Community Re-Entry Network Program (Houston Health Dept)
https://www.houstonhealth.org/services/community-re-entry
832-393-5467
JUMPSTART Prison Ministry
https://www.jumpstartvision.org
984-220-0486
Jsusa.info@jumpstartvision.org
Second Chance Business Coalition
https://secondchancebusinesscoalition.org
info@secondchancebusinesscoalition.org
Center for Recovery and Wellness Resources
4014 Market St.
Houston, TX 77020
832-373-3050
info@wellnessandrecovery.org
Center for Achieving a College Education (CACE)
Houston Community College, MC1229K
Houston, TX 77051
1990 Airport Blvd.
hcc.trioeoc@hccs.edu
713-718-8447
Pure Justice
4530 W 34th St suite J
Houston, TX 77092
713-370-7490
DN VIDEO: Learn what traits Burton and Bey say ex-offenders need to be successful at re-entry
