Prison Fellowship:  “It’s Cheaper to Rehabilitate Prisoners than to Retry and Re-Incarcerate Them”

Thurs., July 16: Aimee Vance, Prison Fellowship Tennessee, Leads Discussion of Prisoner Rehab & Re-Entry

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 9, 2009—It is no secret that crime is a problem in Memphis.  While Memphis spends more money on corrections than on higher education, most ex-inmates are set up to fail upon release from prison.  The Tennessee Department of Correction reports that 95 percent of those behind bars will return to area neighborhoods.  Sixty-seven percent of that group will be re-arrested within three years and 50 percent will be re-incarcerated.

Local advocates for prison reform will be meeting on Thursday, July 16 to make the case that, while it takes money to administer programs aimed at rehabilitating inmates, it takes significantly more money in the long run to retry and re-incarcerate prisoners who returned to a life of crime.

WHO:

Aimee Vance, Tennessee Director of Prison Fellowship - the largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families - will lead the discussion on how city officials, churches and other organizations can work together to relax the tax burden on the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County and stop the cycle of crime.  Other participants include:

 

• A.C. Wharton, Shelby County Mayor
• Jim Kennedy, Economic Opportunities A Ministry of Memphis Leadership Foundation
• Rick Carr, Juvenile Intervention & Faith-based Follow-up Inc. 
• Stanley Lipford, Re-Entry Services & 3R Project, Shelby County
• Alma Harris, Chaplain of the Mark Luttrell Correctional Facility
• Derrick Atkins, Life Transformation Center
• Deacon Bill Davis, Director of Prison Ministry, Catholic Diocese of Memphis
• Pastors from Second Presbyterian Church, Liberty Church of God in Christ and Hope Presbyterian

WHERE:  

 

Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church
70 N. Bellevue Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38104

WHEN:  

 

Thursday, July 16
9:00 a.m.  CT
The meeting is open to the public.  Seating is limited. 
R.S.V.P. Aimee Vance or 615-989-1455

WHY:  

 

Prison Fellowship believes:

 

IF WE . .  .

 

• Unite as a community to help those who were committed not to revert back to a life of crime,
• Throw aside the stereotypes of ex-prisoners who "deserve what they get,"
• Set ex-prisoners up to succeed rather than fail,

 

WE CAN . .  . 

 

• Relax the tax burden on the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County and release funds to more positive projects,
• Stop the crimes committed against our friends and families, and
• Become known for our solutions instead of our problems.

MEDIA NOTE:  To schedule an interview with Aimee Vance, contact Amy Anderson (770) 813-0000 or (404) 545-1191 cell.  Media materials and additional information, including high-res, downloadable photos, are available at www.DeMossNews.com/PF. 

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