ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN LEAVING PRISON
What does it take to be reintroduced into society? A group of women from the Indiana Women’s Prison participated in a public policy class to talk about life after prison and what they would need to be successful. Looking toward the future and the implied promise from Article 1, Section 18 of the Indiana Constitution that, upon their release, they will be reintegrated into society as full citizens, these ladies developed a program that they took all the way to the 2017 Indiana General Assembly. By a unanimous vote, this program, called Constructing Our Future, was endorsed as a reentry program for women leaving prison.
WHO ARE WE?
Vision: Constructing our Future (COF) was created and continues to be led by previously incarcerated women. Our vision is that previously incarcerated women leaving prison who have a strong desire to restart their lives need to have a home base where they feel supported and welcomed back to the community and to have a path to permanent housing and sustainable employment.