Independence: the Path to Freedom and Reducing Recidivism

Multi-racial children facing an American flag and saying the Pledge of Allegiance, representing the independence and freedom that comes from reducing recidivism

America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, yet millions of our citizens lose their freedom due to incarceration. Reducing recidivism is a top priority for everyone who wholeheartedly embraces the American values of independence, hard work, and freedom. Join us in the fight to reduce recidivism.

 

Reducing Recidivism to Promote American Values

Our country was built on a foundation of shared values that helped us become the great nation we are today. However, American values are threatened by widespread hardships that trap many citizens in cycles of poverty, addiction, and repeated incarceration. 

We need your help reducing recidivism so the next generation of American children can grow up with role models who exhibit the values of hard work and independence, free from involvement in the criminal justice system.

Freedom

Freedom is our most deeply held value as Americans. Generations of U.S. citizens, including our Founding Fathers and military veterans, dedicated their lives to obtaining and preserving our freedom. Yet millions of families today are raising children who cannot fully experience American freedom because of generational incarceration. 

About 2.7 million children in the United States have a parent who is incarcerated. Even worse, children with incarcerated parents are 70% more likely to become incarcerated themselves. Reducing recidivism is crucial to break the generational cycle. How can a child who grows up with generations of repeatedly incarcerated family members believe their life is destined for freedom?

Hard Work

Hard work, the backbone of the Industrial Revolution and America’s rise to global leadership, is an American value currently threatened by generational cycles of incarceration and poverty. According to a study on the effects of mass incarceration on families, over half of parents in prison were the primary wage earners supporting their children.

Upon reentry, people with prison records face obstacles to employment. Even if a person is ready and willing to work hard, many employers refuse to hire formerly incarcerated individuals or only offer low-paying jobs. Too many families live on public aid simply because parents are either still incarcerated or cannot earn a living wage after prison. We need to reduce recidivism so kids can grow up with hard-working parents who earn enough to provide for their families.

Independence

Independence is synonymous with “American.” Our forefathers’ passion for independence started the American Revolution and won our freedom. Instead of relying on handouts and living under King George’s thumb, we fought for our freedom. Then, we kept it by learning how to live as an independent nation and establishing ways to provide for, govern, and protect our citizens. 

Today, millions of children are growing up without a healthy model for independence. They live in poverty while watching parents, older siblings, and other relatives with criminal justice system involvement struggle to become independent, law-abiding citizens after incarceration. We must reduce recidivism by helping adults become independent. 

Reduce Recidivism by Supporting Independence

Independence is the lifeblood of upstanding, hard-working American citizens. To fight against recidivism and give citizens their best shot at a law-abiding life, we must help them break out of the poverty, addiction, and patterns that keep sending them back to prison.

By providing in-prison and reentry support services, The Way Back empowers individuals to break the cycle. We help them escape crisis and poverty, secure good jobs and safe housing, stay in recovery, and become better partners and parents.

The Way Back organizational impact statistics for FY23; 283 clients served, 1,836 services provided, 94% of participants maintain successful post-incarceration lifestyles, 68% of participants increased self-sufficiency, 571 goals of self-sufficiency achieved
The Way Back organizational impact statistics for FY23; 283 clients served, 1,836 services provided, 94% of participants maintain successful post-incarceration lifestyles, 68% of participants increased self-sufficiency, 571 goals of self-sufficiency achieved

Join us in the fight to reduce recidivism. With your donation, you will help us empower more American citizens to lead the next generation out of crisis and into freedom, hard work, and independence.