National Reentry Week Aims To Help Reintegrate Former Inmates Into Society
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's National Reentry Week, a week dedicated to discussing how to help with the challenges faced by law-enforcement officials, the public and ex-offenders after that person has been released from prison.
U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger hosted a roundtable discussion Wednesday about how to help ex-offenders trying to reenter into society after prison.
"There is a contingency out there that thinks once you commit a crime and you've done your time, we can essentially wash our hands of you; and the reality is, we can't wash our hands of you," Memeger said. "National Reentry Week is just to educate the public as to the issues that persons coming home face. It's a complicated issue, but the reality is if we don't provide opportunities for those persons coming home to reintegrate into those communities, they are more likely than not going to recidivate."
Ex-offender Valerie Listman today helps others. She describes ex-offenders as people born into unfortunate circumstances that usually involve abuse or neglect.
"It's what sends a message that you're unimportant," she said, "and then you might crave to be accepted by anyone and you end up craving the streets or a life of crime."
She says what's most helpful is changing how we think.
"Don't ask what's wrong," she said. "but what happened?"
