TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County Sheriff\u2019s Office is working to help people released from prison find opportunities for success, starting with a clothing drive for business and work attire held Monday. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor some individuals who make mistakes, all they need is for someone to invest in them and give them the tools to succeed,\u201d Executive Director of Community Affairs and Reentry Shonda Knight said. \u201cThose are the individuals we are really targeting with this reentry effort.\u201d <\/p>\n
People donated dozens of suits, ties, business and casualwear Monday at LCSO to help those returning to society prepare for jobs. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe more we can do to pour into individuals while they\u2019re in our detention facility, the better their opportunities are going to be once they come back out into our community,\u201d Knight said. \u201cThey\u2019ll be our neighbors, they\u2019ll be employees, they will be the people that we engage with, and the more we can set them up for success, the better off we are as a community.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, formerly incarcerated people were 24% less likely to go back to prison if they learned new skills and held a job while incarcerated. The data compared those who did not maintain employment, showing a recidivism rate of 52% during three years. <\/p>\n
More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n
People who secured jobs after being released from prison are \u201cmore likely to achieve stability and less likely to return to prison,\u201d according to that report.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have served the time that they were supposed to serve and they have done what the judicial system has asked of them,\u201d Knight said. \u201cNow that we know that they are returning to our community, we want to ensure that they are getting the support that they need to be able to be productive citizens.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ron Meyer was among the people dropping off donations at the \u201cClothing the Comeback\u201d event Monday. <\/p>\n
\u201cI know that they\u2019ll be coming out and need clothing in order to get a job, so I was glad that I had clothing that was in good condition that I was no longer needing,\u201d Meyer said. <\/p>\n
He donated several suits and ties Monday and said he was glad to be able to help those in need.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s real important for somebody who\u2019s coming back into society after having served some time to look the part,\u201d Meyer said. \u201cIf you feel good at how you look, I think that helps and goes a long way in establishing some confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
For those who missed Monday\u2019s drive, a bin is located inside the sheriff\u2019s office for people to drop off business and casual clothes. Knight said this is only the first step in creating a path to success for people reentering society after serving time in prison.<\/p>\n
Tune in to Eyewitness News at 5 and 6 for the full story. This story will also be updated this evening with full details.<\/p>\n
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