The Trials, Tribulations and Victories of Reentry – First Take

With this show JoJR is starting a series about the trials, tribulations and victories of one man’s reentry to society from prison.  Lee Moore will be talking with a brother he was separated from when Lee was adopted out at 1 year old.  Ralph Duane Hooker was recently released from prison in Oklahoma for some robberies he did.  JoJR will be following his reintegration back into society with follow up interviews in the coming months and years as well as the stories of others returning to society from prison.

Ralph’s story is just one of thousands that start every month in this country and his is starting out on a much smoother path than most.  He has the support of family and friends as well as a system in Oklahoma that affords a real opportunity to succeed. Over the course of time we hope to introduce other men and women that are going though the same transition that Ralph is but with differing levels of support and acceptance from the communities they are returning to.  As you get to know these men and women as people rather than ex-felons (a term that stigmatizes them for the rest of their lives) and the strength it takes to bear the day to day difficulties of society along with the discrimination they endure because of their past.

We will also be working with the Greater Kansas City Reentry Coalition to highlight the government agencies and private organizations that are working to help the reentry process.  We hope this series of shows will allow you the listener to understand the different programs in the states involved, what works, what doesn’t work and what needs to be changed.  We hope you will also get a sense of the barriers erected by government, business and society in general as well as the affect it has on recidivism.

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