KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Going from a life behind bars back into "a life of freedom" presents newly released inmates with a host of challenges. But almost 95% of people behind bars will face that transition, according to the Tennessee Office of Reentry.
The Knoxville Area Urban League wants to help those in Knox County through its RISE Re-entry Program.
"The re-entry program here at the Knoxville Area Urban League is a workforce initiative here in the community," said Jackie Robinson, the expungement coordinator. "Individuals need assistance with clearing the records so they can purchase homes, they can buy cars, they can open up bank accounts — everyday things that we take for granted."
Robinson said she helps those who want a second chance at life. This includes people like Camilla Ray, who was a participant in the reentry program.
"I came home on June 7, 2014," said Ray. "I did 14 calendar years in the penitentiary. And when I came home, my mom encouraged me to come to the Urban League to talk to Miss Jackie to see about employment, and helped me to navigate back into the workforce and in the process of me getting my feet back on the ground."
Robinson said she met with Ray to see if they could get her rights back. She said while Ray was able to get housing, she was also a mother with children and grandchildren.
"She was wanting to do some things with her life. But her record kept her from being able to do that. So she made an appointment, she came in, she met with me, we pulled her record, and we reviewed the record. And I talked to her about things that we could look at removing for her. She was excited about it, she agreed that she wanted to go through the orientation. And she wanted to be a part of the clinic to see what the judge could do to help her," said Robinson.
Deniece Thomas, the Tennessee Labor and Workforce Development commissioner, said it's important to stabilize the workforce in Knox County by adding more people to it. He said the county's labor force participation rate fluctuates, and the department is working to keep it from changing too drastically.
"It's important to not just raise that awareness in one area of our state, so that no matter where they may go back and find community, there's jobs there," said Commissioner Thomas. "We do know in Knox County that we continue to see our labor force participation really up and down. So, we want to stabilize that more. And part of that is really getting into the areas and the zip codes where we know we're not seeing labor force participation, stabilize, and help those folks with programs and services to get them working."
In December 2022, the state unemployment rate was 3.5%. But for those who were formerly incarcerated, it was 27%. Thomas said the data shows why people who are re-entering society are vital to the workforce.
"The significance of reentry, to individuals that are coming back into community from incarceration, and the need to get those folks acclimated back into the workforce," said Thomas. "It's a critical shortage of workforce participants. And this is a population that seems to get left out. And we need to raise the awareness that they are critical if Tennessee is going to maintain this competitive edge."
The recidivism rate in the state, which is the rate at which people with felony convictions are re-incarcerated in three years, is 46%. Robinson said these re-entry efforts are vital to help those with charges move forward in their lives.
"People need housing. With a lot of your charges, you can't get housing. People need to be able to work with a lot of your charges, people, companies won't hire you to work," said Robinson.
Camilla says it wasn't quick or easy to get her full rights restored, but she's glad she did.
"It was a process. And there was times that I wanted to give up. But I remember Mrs. Joy Radice (the director of clinical programs, at the UT School of Law), she had called me and she was like, 'I want you to think about this.' I'm so glad that she did. Because I've thought about it. And this, it was worth it," she said.
She also said it's what she expected living in Tennessee, where neighbors help their neighbors.
"We're the Volunteer State and when someone is down, I believe that we were there to help them back up and I thank them because when I was down, they were there to help me up," she said.
Robinson says if you're a formerly incarcerated person in Knox County looking for a new chance, you can contact the Knoxville Area Urban League and ask for her. The Urban League's phone number is 865-524-5511.