Posted 9/1/2014 by Mark Miclette
For the past three months, my office, The Office of Returning Citizens Affairs, has been planning a free bus trip to three facilities in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. It has been challenging for me to handle my emotions surrounding this journey. ... Read more
Posted 8/16/2014 by Mark Miclette
I’ve been home for less than three years and I’m blessed and grateful to say I have had a wide range of experiences during that time. There’s a popular saying these days, “Work hard, play hard.” I’ve been living that life. I’m one year away from g... Read more
Posted 8/16/2014 by Mark Miclette
(When That Offender is Your Family Member) My younger brother was released from prison last week. Since he was 13 years old he had been in and out of prison for minor violations until he committed a crime that was serious enough to land him in priso... Read more
Posted 8/4/2014 by Mark Miclette
The District of Columbia has enacted new legislation that requires employers to remove the question from job applications that asks about criminal background. This new legislation is known as Ban The Box. There has been a great push for this legis... Read more
Posted 8/3/2014 by Mark Miclette
Activists Lashonia Etheridge-Bey, Eddie B. Ellis Jr., Patrina Williams and Lamonte Carey tell their individual stories of incarceration, discovery and reentry in a sitdown discussion with Nancy M. Ware, Director of CSOSA. See the video here. ... Read more
Posted 8/2/2014 by Mark Miclette
Not many people are open to publicly sharing facts about their criminal past, what it was like to be incarcerated, and how they transformed their lives. Maybe it’s because people can’t cope with the shame and guilt. An unwillingness to speak out m... Read more
Posted 7/22/2014 by Mark Miclette
Yesterday I had a long conversation with a gentleman who served 17 years in prison. He has been home for nine months, and he is working as a street sweeper. I didn’t tell him, but I was so proud of him because he made the decision to become a product... Read more
Posted 7/22/2014 by Mark Miclette
I was speaking recently with a former inmate who expressed to me that up until recently he had trouble being around people. I had a moment of gratitude because for me being around people came easily when I was released. Maybe it’s because I have alwa... Read more
