From Prison to Jericho: A Baltimore adventure in Hope Did I ever imagine having a common experience with Charles Colson, Richard Nixon's White House aide who spent 7 months in a federal prison for a Watergate conviction ? The answer is a firm "no" -- until the reading of a recent Baltimore Examiner commentary by editorial page editor Marta Hummel. That commentary is the story of Colson and the "Prison Fellowship" nonprofit he established to provide a host of services to prison inmates -- including job training to prepare for new lives after release.

Why did Marta's interesting article cause a change of mind to see a connection between Colson and Wills? No, I have not served any time behind bars! But, two years ago, volunteer work as a trustee of a nonprofit social service agency opened my vision to the world of prisoner rehabilitation.

Episcopal Community Services of Maryland helps at-risk youth to move their lives beyond drug addiction and poverty to pre-school education and after-school academic enrichment. 2006 marked the year I received a call from 2 energetic professionals at ECSM: Jean Cushman ,Executive Director,and Sara Gallagher, staff associate who holds Towson University and University of Chicago degrees in urban policy. Their request: to help secure a 2-year, $ 650,000 Dept. of Labor grant to help released prisoners prepare for employment and keep a job. Hard work and teamwork began at that moment .

Training former prisoners to get jobs and leave the world of drugs -- before and, sometimes, during prison. Is that really possible ?

Yes ! --- ECSM received the grant , as several of us -- volunteers and staff -- prepared a proposal and "networked" the granting agency to enable "Jericho" to begin its work. That work is assistance to ex-prisoners with training to interview for jobs , receives substance abuse counseling , education, transportation and other ways to take control of a new life.

A 2-week training session is held, Monday through Friday , 8:30 Am to 3 PM . The ex-prisoners/ now students work with professional staff on all aspects of re-entering the workforce and address the question: "What job are your ready for ?" With the help of Jericho staff, students "graduate" to knock down the barriers to employment"

ECSM has partners to provides the first employment experience: American Works of Maryland and Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake to move training classes' graduates to find a job. Former prisoners are enrolled in Jericho for a full year, as the they look for both promotions and better paying jobs.

As an observer of Jericho's job training classes, I see the same hope that Chuck Colson must see in the work of " Prison Fellowship" These classes are powerful, as staff and volunteers encourage and train their ex-prisoner students to hustle for job interviews and do those interviews "just right". In east Baltimore's Collington Square area, the "walls of Jericho" are opening for those whose past lives had to change for the better. There is hope for cities like Baltimore that face daily challenges of crime and the drug culture.

Thanks to the commitment of Episcopal Community Services, the response Labor Department's employment division in a competitive proposal process , and Marta Hummel's thoughtful analysis in The Baltimore Examiner. You gave me the inspiration for this "good news" story of prisoner help in Baltimore .

Labels: Baltimore, Chuck Colson, prison

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