April 22, 2021 Unheard Voices Webinar

Hosted by Inside Out Reentry Community, the Unheard Voices: Impacts of Incarceration on Children and Families webinar discusses the hidden impacts of incarceration and reentry on children, partners, and family members. These groups often face challenges finding support for their situation, as well as the effects of the societal stigma surrounding incarceration. This webinar includes a panel of service providers who will discuss programming and support groups for these families and children, as well as a panel of individuals who have been impacted by the incarceration of a loved one. This event discusses available opportunities and identifies gaps in support for these unheard voices. Read More

Unheard Voices: Impacts of Incarceration on Children and Families

Inside Out Reentry Community presents Unheard Voices, a virtual forum to discuss the hidden impacts of incarceration and reentry on children, partners, and family members. These groups often face challenges finding support for their situation, as well as the effects of the societal stigma surrounding incarceration. The event includes a panel of service providers who will discuss programming and support groups for these families and children, as well as a panel of individuals who have been impacted by the incarceration of a loved one. This event discusses available opportunities and identifies gaps in support for these unheard voices.

Register for the event at: bit.ly/IOVoices Read More

The reentry struggle: COVID makes path to productive life harder for ex-offenders

Rich Mathias knows firsthand the despair of being in prison — and the despair of being released.

“Being in prison, especially during a holiday, is one of the worst things you can go through,” he told me this week, with Thanksgiving just around the corner. Read More

October 22, 2020 Virtual Women in Reentry Forum

Hosted by Inside Out Reentry Community, the Women in Reentry Forum explores the gender-based inequalities and challenges women face both within the criminal justice system and when returning to the community. Read More

Formerly incarcerated women in Iowa share the challenges they faced during re-entry

Lisa Smith felt like “nothing was done” to prepare her for re-entry following the six years she served at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women. She also wasn’t prepared for the loneliness she would feel.

“I was surrounded by women all the time, and when I got out, not only did I not have this huge community of women around me that I had lived in a small space with for six years, I was not allowed to speak to any of them — not even on the phone — or it would have sent me back to prison,” Smith said. Read More

Virtual Forum! Women in Reentry October 22

Inside Out will be hosting a virtual forum with keynote speaker Michelle Daniel Jones, followed by a panel of formerly incarcerated women and reentry service providers, on Thursday October 22nd from 12 – 1:30 pm. The forum will focus on women in reentry, highlighting the gender based inequities that exist both in the criminal justice system and when returning to the community. Register now:

http://bit.ly/IOWomen

Thousands on parole still can’t vote and one hurdle may be inability to pay restitution

The last time Marlon Graham Sr. was allowed to vote, he cast his vote for Barack Obama while he was living in Minnesota.

But back in Des Moines where he’s lived most of his life, Graham is still waiting for his chance to make his voice heard on matters ranging from who should be president to who should sit on the local school board.

Graham, 42, is a father to 11 children, and some of them will soon turn 18 and be allowed to cast their first ballots. Read More