Crime

Faith-based groups need to do more to help ex-offenders with second chances

THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES — The faith-based community must speak with one voice in creating second chances for people released from prison.

Published

7 years ago

March 1, 2019

Oakland Post

By Ameera Steward

The faith-based community must speak with one voice in creating second chances for people released from prison, a group of panelists said during a discussion this month at the Church at Brook Hills.

Jessica Haney looks on as Kenneth Tyrone King speaks during the program. (Ameera Steward Photos, The Birmingham Times)

[/media-credit] Jessica Haney looks on as Kenneth Tyrone King speaks during the program.

The Prison Fellowship and Offender Alumni Association of Alabama hosted the event, “Unlocking Second Chances” and talked about the significance of second chances and the role played by faith-based institutions.

Panelists were Kenneth Tyrone King, public relations director, Offender Alumni Association; Pastor Keith Stanley, founder of WorkFaith Birmingham; and Jessica Haney, author and Celebrate Recovery Ministry leader and CrossFit coach which recently became involved with Unlocking Second Chances. The panel was moderated by Brent Leatherwood, director of strategic partnerships, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

It’s powerful when people speak with one voice, Haney said.

“It shows love, it shows unity…when the whole church, meaning the body of Christ all over, if they would do and be who they say they are, we wouldn’t be having the struggle to begin with,” she said. “If you really think about it, we’re powerful, we have the power to combat this whole issue [of formerly incarcerated people not getting second chances] if we would all get on the same page and do the things that we’re called to do.”

She added that [the church]has the means to make such a difference if we (would be unified, if . . . “quit being afraid to be uncomfortable, get out there, [and] get messy.”

“Full-time” Life Of Drugs

Haney told part of her story and said her mother worked a lot and her dad had an addiction and with no supervision she started making bad choices, doing drugs and got married twice before she turned 17 and “lived a full time life of drug addiction.”

[/media-credit] Jessica Hanley

She was incarcerated several times for drugs beginning at 17. “I was junkie. I lived like a junkie, talked like a junkie, acted like a junkie.” That was the way it would always be, she was told.. “That was what was fed to me my years of trying to get help, that I’m always going to have this disease, that I’m always going to struggle…’you’re always going to have to deal with this, you’re never going to get over it, you’re never going to find freedom from it’ and I used that for a crutch my whole life to say well nobody expects anything any different out of me.”

While she was in jail at Ottawa County she went through the Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAP) “and I was ready for real help and real change, and I met the Lord and people say ‘jail house religion,’ I don’t care what you call it, all I know is it was freedom for me. It was where my chains were broke, it was where I found what could truly sustain me because I had exhausted every other avenue possible. I tried everything else…and nothing worked until I found a true relationship with God.”

Early on in her recovery, Haney said she “messed up.” Her husband couldn’t reach her, so he called a neighbor, who happened to be the deacon of the church.

She said the deacon walked into her house, “looks at my mess, gets me up, makes me a pot of coffee and she talks to me.”

“She don’t talk to me about my mess, she don’t even mention the obvious chaos that’s visible to see. She tells me about her mess…and I thought this lady was perfect….I wanted to be her when I grew up. She was perfect in my eyes, but she let me know that ‘hey I’m not perfect either, I struggle in a different area. This is the area I struggle in,’” said Haney.

That one conversation changed her life and let her know, “I can do this too,” she said. Haney concluded by going back to a statement she felt needed to be reiterated, “we need to be real and we need to love people.”

“Love For One Another”

Stanley said it’s important for the church to speak with one voice.

He said Jesus taught about our love for one another “. . . we can display that love together for one another and those formerly incarcerated or those that are struggling with addictions …when we can come together as one voice . . . we display…the power of the gospel in a way that the world takes notice,” he said.

Pastor Keith Stanley, founder of WorkFaith Birmingham. (Ameera Steward Photos, The Birmingham Times)

[/media-credit] Pastor Keith Stanley, founder of WorkFaith Birmingham.

The church needs to set the example, Stanley said.

“I think the people who are not believers often look at us and wonder if that Christianity is real why there is so much division in different church buildings,” he said. “And so when we lead those church buildings together we show love for one another, we care for brothers and sisters who have come to faith and Christ.”

King said, “ministry is involving, it’s intentional, it’s Jesus…breaking down barriers of culture, breaking down barriers of sexism . . . We’ve got to be intentional and we all speak with one voice whether it’s in Sylacauga, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa or Montgomery.”

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.

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Asm. Jackson Bill Requiring Anti-Hate Speech Training for Calif. Public Officials Sent to “Suspense File”

The bill, authored by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), would add one hour of anti-hate speech instruction to the sexual harassment prevention training already required for state and local officials. The proposal applies to legislators, constitutional officers, city council members, county supervisors and school board trustees statewide and would take effect in 2028 if approved.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of the office of Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley).

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

After a hearing on May 6, the Assembly Appropriations Committee ordered Assembly Bill (AB) 1578 to the Suspense File, delaying action on legislation that would require California public officials to complete anti-hate speech training.

“It’s time for us to continue to work on and finally go on the offense when it comes to hate racism and xenophobia to make sure that all people are able to live in the state of California with the dignity and honor that they deserve,” said Jackson, who also chairs the Assembly Select Committee on Racism, Hate and Xenophobia.

On April 16, the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization voted 16-5 to advance the measure to Appropriations. Jackson has said the bill is part of a broader legislative package informed by findings from the Commission on the State of Hate and aimed at addressing hate in public spaces, workplaces and institutions.

In the California Legislature, a bill is placed on the “Suspense File” when it has a significant fiscal impact on the state budget — generally costing the state $150,000 or more from the General Fund or $50,000 or more from a special fund. Bills sent to suspense are held by the Assembly or Senate Appropriations Committee and reviewed later in a single batch hearing, where lawmakers decide which measures move forward, are amended, or quietly die without a vote.

Jackson said the training would focus on the real-world consequences of inflammatory rhetoric.

Supporters, including the Alameda County Office of Education, say the training would help elected officials better understand how language can perpetuate bias.

“In the current political climate, where discourse can often become polarized and inflammatory, it is more important than ever for elected officials to receive specialized anti-hate speech training,” wrote Lucy Carter, director of policy and governance for the Alameda County Office of Education, in a letter supporting the bill.

Opponents, including the California Family Council, argue the term “hate speech” is too subjective and could suppress political disagreement.

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Advocates Rally at State Capitol to Demand Heat Protections for Incarcerated People; More Funding for DV Survivors

On May 4, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) spoke at the Survivors Speak California Rally at the State Capitol to advocate for AB 2499, which focuses on heat and health protections in state prisons. The three-day event was organized by Californians for Safety and Justice, a project of the Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice network.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Crime Survivors Speak at the California State Capitol was a multi-day advocacy event held May 4–6 that called for increased support, services, and funding for crime victims. Organized by Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice (CSSJ), the gathering brought together more than 200 survivors and family members to advocate for legislative reforms. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

In July 2024, Adrienne Boulware, a 47-year-old mother and grandmother, died from complications related to extreme heat exhaustion while incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, according to her family.

Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) hopes his legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 2499 — also known as the “Adrienne Act” — will help prevent tragedies like Boulware’s death in California prisons.

“It is no secret that our state prisons have aging infrastructures that have inadequate ventilation systems,” Gipson said. “It should come as no shock that indoor temperatures in these facilities exceed 90 degrees, which means it gets really hot.”

On May 4, Gipson spoke at the Survivors Speak California Rally at the State Capitol to advocate for AB 2499, which focuses on heat and health protections in state prisons. The three-day event was organized by Californians for Safety and Justice, a project of the Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice network.

Boulware’s family attended the rally in support of the measure, which would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to establish a pilot program to address extreme heat by July 1, 2027, in at least three prisons across different climate zones.

Boulware’s daughter, Michela Nelson, said her mother frequently complained about heatwaves during the summer months. CDCR stated that Boulware’s death — she was also known as “Twin” — appeared to be related to pre-existing medical conditions rather than extreme heat.

“My mother was not just a mother of four and grandmother of 12. She was a mother to many inside and outside of the prison,” said Nelson, the eldest of Boulware’s children. “My mother didn’t die because she was sentenced to death. She died because she was left in conditions no human being should ever endure.”

AB 2499 would formally create the Climate Justice in Prisons Emergency Response Act. The legislation would require CDCR to develop a long-term plan to install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and shade structures in existing facilities.

The Survivors Speak California Rally coincided with other advocacy events at the Capitol supporting survivors of violent crime.

On May 5, Jazz LedBetter and other advocates rallied nearby to urge lawmakers to include $100 million in the state budget for domestic violence and sexual assault services.

Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) served as keynote speakers. Both lawmakers have publicly shared their own experiences as survivors of assault.

LedBetter, a survivor of human trafficking, is also an author, activist, and artist who uses her experiences to advocate for human trafficking prevention. She shares her story of survival, addiction, and recovery in her self-published book, “Harlot Heart: Tributes To Triumph.”

“Take a moment and think about someone finally reaching out for help, and there’s no one here to answer,” LedBetter said during her presentation on the east lawn of the Capitol.

Advocates said the funding is needed to help close a gap caused by a sharp decline in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.

“I am here because I am proof of what happens when someone gets support. Don’t let this funding (shortfall) be the reason someone doesn’t make it out,” LedBetter said. “The difference between survival and unfortunately common sad stories is whether or not someone is there (to help) when it matters the most.”