People in prison are inextricably connected to our communities. More than 20,000 men and women are released from prison every year. Who are they? Our brothers, sons, mothers and daughters. Our friends and children. We are all impacted by prisons. The "get tough on crime" culture creates overstuffed prisons with few options that support healthy reintegration. We challenge inmates to change but do not offer the tools to accomplish that goal.

Prisons are cultural institutions. There is shared language, common behaviors, beliefs, customs, codes, roles, ceremonies and rituals. There is the continual threat of violence, learned helplessness, the presence of passive and aggressive authority, and internalized rebellion. In prison, inmates develop strong relationships and learn skills to support survival. The longer the prison sentence, the more experienced the prisoner becomes and the less connected to the community he or she can be.

Before going to prison many of our clients faced addiction, homelessness, and poverty. These lifestyles forced individuals to develop ingenious survival skills. With the right tools (counseling for substance abuse, reintegration, mental health, health care, education, work skills, housing) people who have been in prison are able to create productive and responsible lives.

Everyone suffers from revolving cycle of crime and incarceration. Criminal behavior creates victims, people feel unsafe, families are shattered, and children grow up without love and guidance in the families of those who have been victims of and perpetrators of crime.

Prisons are expensive. We suffer the loss of men and women who could have been valuable members of our community to the trauma of crime, and we pay for institutions that offer no solutions.

Span offers an opportunity for those most affected to find constructive solutions. We assist people who have been in prison to become partners in growing safe and strong communities. Although finding work, housing, health care and education after release from prison is a challenge, learning to keep that job, stay in housing, and maintain physical, emotional, and mental health is much harder. Growing a new life requires diligence, focus and commitment. Working with prisoners and ex-offenders through the reintegration and rehabilitation process is fiscally sound, addresses the safety mission, and is the right thing to do.