Research shows that although 90% of those incarcerated are eventually released, most people will have little to no access to rehabilitative and reentry services.
People with arrest records often return to their communities without the resources and support needed to successfully reintegrate into society. Additionally, in the United States, those with behavioral health conditions are 10 times more likely to end up imprisoned than in the care of a mental health services provider.
The result?
Ongoing cycles of re-arrest and an unprecedented number of people in jails and prisons who are not receiving the care they need to address addiction and mental health conditions.
Today, Harriet chats with Marq Mitchell and Miko Atkinson to learn more about Chainless Change and how they're offering resources to returning citizens.
Marq Mitchell was incarcerated for 7 years as a juvenile and an adult. After his release, he began working with his Ft. Lauderdale community to support returning citizens coming home after spending time in prison where he connected people with job opportunities and apartments to rent. He realized more avenues of support were needed so in 2019, he founded "Chainless Change" aided by a grant from ACLU of Florida. The nonprofit offers resources to help those with a history of addiction, mental health conditions or trauma recover from contact with the criminal
legal system.
Miko Atkinson: Two years in federal prison changed my life forever. Taken away from my family and sent to Texas, I endured one of the most challenging chapters of my life. However, it was not the end of my story; it was a turning point.
After regaining my freedom, I discovered my true purpose and built a new family with my loving wife and our three amazing children. The second chance I received through Chainless Change provided me with the tools and opportunities to transform my life. It ignited a spark within me, empowering me to reclaim my power and live with purpose. Today, I am living proof that redemption and resilience can lead to a brighter future.
To learn more about Chainless Change, visist
https://ccifl.org/This podcast is proudly sponsored by the Innocence Project of Florida. Visit
www.floridainnocence.org for more information.
What is Pursuing Justice?
What if you or someone you loved were arrested, convicted and incarcerated for a crime --a crime for which you or that person was innocent?
What if the lawyer you hired was incompetent and you were out of funds and out of options?
What if years and decades had gone by and you or your loved one were still behind bars?
Where would you find help?
Wrongful conviction in the United States occurs more often than you might think. In 2022, the National Registry of Exonerations recorded 417 people who were proven innocent.
They have tracked cases of innocence since 1989. Since 1973, 200 people were taken off Death Row and freed from prison.
The total number of men and women exonerated since 1989 is 3,460. That is just the tip of the iceberg as it is estimated that 4%-6% of the 2 million people doing time are innocent.
The desperate help these people need is coming from innocence organizations in most every state in addition to groups like Conviction Integrity Units around the nation. They work pro bono for each client.
This podcast will explore causes of wrongful conviction in addition to many other topics related to our criminal justice system. We will continue to interview exonerees, share memoirs they have published, speak to Professors of Law who are also authors of books about false confessions and junk science. We will interview directors of Innocence Projects around the nation in addition to organizations like "Puppies Behind Bars".
Host Harriet Hendel served on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project of Florida from 2013~2019, having been active with IPF since 2009. The project is the sponsor of the podcast.
Harriet has been teaching classes on topics related to our justice system since 2012 in Florida and New Jersey. Her goal is to shine a light on the miscarriage of justice going on all over our nation with the hope that one day wrongful conviction will be eliminated for good.