2. SUPPORTING FAMILIES OF PRISONERS - multi-year funding for families of death row inmates.
When an individual is incarcerated, the consequences are not only limited to their personal life but also impact their family. One of the immediate consequences is the disruption of the family unit. With one family member absent, the dynamics within the household drastically change. Single parents may struggle to maintain their role as the sole provider and caregiver, leading to increased stress and financial burden. Children of incarcerated parents may face difficulties in adjusting to the absence of their parent, as they may not fully understand the reasons behind their parent's imprisonment. These children often experience feelings of shame, guilt, and abandonment, leading to emotional and behavioral problems.Financial implications are another major consequence faced by families of incarcerated individuals. With the loss of a breadwinner, families may struggle to meet their basic needs. The sudden absence of income can lead to poverty, homelessness, and a cycle of generational disadvantage. The lack of financial stability can also hinder access to education, healthcare, and overall quality of life for the family members left behind. Additionally, families often face judgment and discrimination from their community, leading to social isolation and exclusion. These negative social perceptions can affect the mental health of family members, leading to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Truth to Power Foundation recognizes the impact of incarceration on the families and provides them with adequate support and resources. Two organizations have been funded to provide counseling (including art therapy), financial support to keep children in school and in-kind assistance such as dry goods, consumables, school books and bags to ease the financial burden.
JUSTICE REFORM
preventing recidivism - access to livelihood opportunities - supporting families of prisoners
The phrase “mass incarceration” is now widely used to describe the current state of criminal justice in the United States. Over the past generation, this country’s rate of incarceration has more than quadrupled, rising every year since 1972. Not surprisingly, the number of people reentering the community from prison has soared. Nearly everyone who goes to prison or jail eventually comes home. High concentration of formerly incarcerated persons (FIPs) return to impoverished communities ill-equipped to provide the resources and services they and their families may need to smoothly transition into society. Among FIPs’ most important short- and long-term needs is securing a job. But legal and practical barriers often prevent FIPs from accessing employment to earn a living wage and move out of or avoid poverty.
1. PRISONS - PREVENTING RECIDIVISM
Truth to Power recognizes that it is time to build a new approach, one that validates those victimized by crime, transforms those responsible for crime, and encourages communities to play a role in creating a safe and just society. As nations struggle to address the social and economic consequences of mass incarceration, entrepreneurship has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional employment opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals all over the world. As more and more people return from prison, many lacking educational and vocational skills necessary to compete in today’s labor market, entrepreneurship may represent a means of capitalizing on an underutilized pool of human resources. Truth to Power prison support programs fund individuals in the U.S, Jamaica, and Guyana as well as an organization in Cameroon that focuses on sports days to strengthen fellowship in prison communities and provide technical assistance in cash crop agriculture, fish, poultry and pig farming to generate capital for when prisoners are released.