Suits 4 Success helps paroled jobseekers with first impressions
Camille Bonham from the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, hangs up donated suits during the fourth annual Suits 4 Success clothing drive at Kilwin's Ice Cream Parlor on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
The fourth annual Suits 4 Success was held Thursday at Kilwin’s Ice Cream Parlor, 107 E. Liberty St., in Ann Arbor. It was just one event held in conjunction with the larger effort in Washtenaw County to reduce recidivism — which can be a relapse into criminal behavior — in a place that once had the highest rate in the Michigan.
The Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, based out of Catholic Social Services, works to help men and women reentering society. Coordinator Mary King said the organization works to help those who have paid their debt to society looking to find work and housing, while providing everyday needs such as bus passes and money for food.
“We try to position parolees in as positive a light as we can,” she said.
Back into the world
King said the first thing parolees do is meet with their parole agent and WPRI officials through a video conference from prison. When the person is released, the parolee meets with their agent and WPRI representatives in person.
Among the usual needs are bus passes and clothing, and about 40 percent of people need housing. Finding a place to live is the first order of business, but soon after comes preparations for employment, which King said employment is the most important thing for a parolee.
“One of the things that reduces recidivism is having 40 to 70 percent of their time working on positive professional activities,” she said. “Employment is really positive, it really impacts people’s ability to stay clean and sober, get housing and get the things you and I would need for basic living.”
Camille Bonham, from the Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative, hangs up donated suits during the fourth annual Suits 4 Success clothing drive at at Kilwin's Ice Cream Parlor on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
The initiative works with parolees on interviewing skills, filling out employment applications and determining what jobs fit the skills the parolee has, King said.
Parolees often face an uphill battle trying to get a job, King said. Sometimes a person is disabled or elderly, but having a felony conviction — or multiple felony convictions — can put even the most promising parolee on the back foot right away.
“When an interviewer knows going in that a person has a felony background, they may have ideas in their head about how they’re going to act and look,” King said.
That’s where the Suits 4 Success program comes in.
Look good, feel good
In 2012, the Suits 4 Success program provided more than 400 suits, dresses, shirts, ties and shoes to parolees and people who were transitionally homeless, according to local attorney Steve Tramontin. The Suits 4 Success event is held in conjunction with the WPRI and many local defense attorneys get involved, Tramontin said.
Tramontin said the legal community recognized ta significant need for professional clothing among parolees, who usually have very emotional responses to getting nice suits and professional clothing for the first time.
“Everyone has old clothes or gently used clothes that they outgrew or don’t use any more,” he said, “and we decided to set up this group that collects donations of professional interview clothing in order to give people trying to reenter society the confidence and resources to gain employment.”
The Washtenaw County Bar Association and the Washtenaw County Public Defender’s Office are major participants in the program, Tramontin said.
After the clothes were donated on Thursday, they were taken to St. Vincent de Paul, at 1001 Broadway St., where the donated clothes will be housed with specialized space.
Tramontin said the program really pushes getting larger sizes for people coming out of prison, or monetary donations in order to help find clothes that will fit larger parolees.
King said prisoners often come out of prison bigger than when they went in, be it because of increased physical exercise or the exact opposite.
“The prison system is always challenged to feed people on very few dollars per day,” she said. “People gain a lot of weight and come out bigger than when they went in.”
Community stepping up
One of the most encouraging things about the Suits 4 Success program is the amount of community involvement it inspires, King said. It follows much of what she sees in Washtenaw County.
“We have partners and collaborators all over this county,” King said. “This county is a very generous county and cares very deeply about how to improve the outcomes for this population.”
Rose Ann Yurko, manager of the Ann Arbor branch of St. Vincent de Paul, said the organization is proud to be involved with the Suits 4 Success program.
“We’re happy because that’s what we’re here for,” she said.
King pointed to the Ann Arbor District Library as another important partner with the WPRI.
“The Ann Arbor District Library called me up and said, ‘We’re not sure we’re doing enough for the returning citizen population, what else can we do to help when people come out?’” King said. “Now, the library gives a presentation (to parolees) about all the free resources that they have.”
Tramontin said recidivism is something that affects the entire community. Many crimes are committed by people who have prior criminal records — people who return to crime because they don’t know how else to earn a living.
He said a simple suit can be the first step in turning someone’s life around.
“The main thing is just the confidence that you’re dressed appropriately, that you project that you have some resources and you’re making an effort to make a good first impression,” he said.
“That isn’t going to completely overcome gaps in a resume or criminal history … but for the most part, it’s just the confidence that comes with being well-dressed.”
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Kyle Feldscher
Mon, Jul 15, 2013 : 1:50 p.m.
I received an email from Steve Tramontin. He told me that an estimated $30,000 worth of clothing were donated during the drive on Thursday and thanked the community for their help.
Yeaok
Mon, Jul 15, 2013 : 6:26 a.m.
great program! But before I get to excited to everyone is working together, let's put the organizations together in thought and see what's really going on. This program started at the height of crimes being committed by women. Washtenaw county is a mom county that is public knowledge. With saying this more and more moms are losing ground in family courts due to a increasing dead beat mom population. Public defenders office and free legal aid work together to protect moms in family courts. But if a father asks for help its almost impossible. So then you go to foc that is all for the mothers even if a father has custody. The last place on this chain and dug in the trenches is CSS. Which brings me back to my opinion what interests would CSS have in this. If foc and the family courts are losing ground in the fight of a women county they gotta have some form of backing and thats CSS. FOC and family court have used CSS for numerous things now it's in a form to help women after being released to get back into society and help them get their children back from fathers that have established good homes for these children already. But the process believes in the mother not the father. So they use programs like this that look great to the community to bring back the weakening mother state. You don't have to agree with me the numbers tell all!
nunya
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 4 a.m.
Yay!! I see the suits I donated!!
Great Lakes Lady
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 8:30 p.m.
I wish I had known about this ..... I would've donated suits.
thehawk
Mon, Jul 15, 2013 : 2:41 a.m.
I'm sure you can still donate! Just click the blue link (Washtenaw Prisoner Reentry Initiative) above, and I'm sure they can tell you where to donate more suits. Or email kylefeldscher@annarbor.com .
Mike
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 7:29 p.m.
The Ann Arbor District Library called me up and said, 'We're not sure we're doing enough for the returning citizen population, what else can we do to help when people come out?'" King said. "Now, the library gives a presentation (to parolees) about all the free resources that they have." Whoa... The Ann Arbor library, operated by tax dollars, is giving a presentation to parolees about all the free resources that they have... Are these free resources only for parolees? Why are they not informing the public of all these free resources? Once again, our elected officials are tell the public we are second class citizens behind those that have "PAID THEIR DEBT". I do not object to information being shared with those that have been paroled, I do object when the government chooses to only include those few people. If the Ann Arbor library has financing to for presentations for parolees, they should also have financing for the rest of us.
Cash
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 9:08 p.m.
Solitude, a person who is free can access the internet at the library for free. And sorry but I see kids walking around with smart phones....who are much more internet savvy than adults. Thus, they are light years ahead of an older adult who comes out of confinement without knowing what a cell phone is, never used the internet. etc. I think most people know that is factual.
Cash
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 9:05 p.m.
The people ho want to lock every criminal up long term are the same people who want less government and less taxes. Go figure. Try rehabilitation. That SAVES money. Stephen Henderson had a great article about that this morning in the Freep. Worth reading.
Solitude
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 7:04 p.m.
@Cash, are you serious with this: "But you don't object to locking them up a LONG time with public funds, I'll bet." Has it escaped your notice that people who are locked up are there for reasons of their own choosing? Reasons that often include murder and other violent crimes against innocent people? How dare you equate those who choose crime with those who Mike is talking about? You think that just because someone isn't locked up that automatically means they can afford an internet connection, college and a gym membership? Your disgust doesn't pass the smell test.
Solitude
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 7 p.m.
@KMHall, why do you assume that underprivileged, law-abiding citizens are somehow more likely to be aware of free resources at the library? They are usually working too hard to sit and surf the Internet for information, if they even have an internet connection at home, and those who have lost their homes due to illness or job lose or whatever are usually too busy looking for work or trying to feed their kids to be at the library reading about all the free programs.
Cash
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.
Mike, Oh my. Movie theaters? Better libraries? Internet? You are sadly misinformed. INMATES DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET INMATES DO NOT HAVE MOVIE THEATERS A LIBRARY AT A STATE PRISON CONSISTS OF OUTDATED BOOKS WITH TORN PAGES. Stop watching movies. Unbelievable. that people still believe that stuff. No you do not know if I have been an inmate or not, nor do you NEED to know because that's not your business. I know some good folks currently incarcerated and some who are released and seeking jobs etc. I don't learn through movies and here say. Real life is a better teacher.
Mike
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 1:24 a.m.
@ CASH... Where have you been for the past 2o years? The prisons have better libraries, computers, exercise equipment, movie theaters. They have teachers that give a better education than what you get at many K through 12 schools. They have free college programs. Where are these people deprived of what is going on in our world? I agree that they can still use all the help available, I am only saying that We have many people that has never been in trouble that could use this help as well. Some people say that it is available to everyone, and it might be. But, if you have presentations for only parolees the general public is left out. I just wonder why people only think of those that have violated their rights at least once. Parolees are no better than you are, or me. I really do not know if you are a parolee or what.
KMHall
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:37 p.m.
Thank you, cash.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:28 p.m.
Many inmates come out after years, not knowing how to use a computer, not knowing how to use a real library, not knowing jobs are posted online, not knowing how to do an online job application, etc. They do not know news media is now online etc. They are not getting one privilege that you would want. They are learning the basic way of life, catching up on perhaps DECADES of being locked away., things that a small child in society would already know.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:17 p.m.
Wow. Just wow. You object to the library using public funds to let the released inmates know about resources available? But you don't object to locking them up a LONG time with public funds, I'll bet. FIgures.
Mike
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 9:58 p.m.
@KMHall Just going by the article... The Ann Arbor District Library called me up and said, 'We're not sure we're doing enough for the returning citizen population, what else can we do to help when people come out?'" King said. "Now, the library gives a presentation (to parolees) about all the free resources that they have." No where does it sat that these presentations are open to John Q. Public. All I said was, If they are open to parolees, they should also be open to the public. I am not against the parolees, I am only for equal privileges.
KMHall
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
Of course the resources are available to everyone. Those who have turned to crime may be missing a lot of information that the rest of us already have. Just ask the library and I'm sure they will tell anyone.
JRW
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 4:22 p.m.
Good program. How about a follow-up article on how many of these individuals actually get jobs where the suit is required for the employment? Which employers are hiring these individuals? It would be nice to see the completed program with success stories.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:15 p.m.
that's a great thought. However you will find many employers hiring felons will not make that public. There are too many people who think that they are criminals for life or that they haven't paid their debt etc. So many employers keep their kindness confidential.
KMHall
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 8:12 p.m.
One might interview in a suit even if it is not required on a daily basis. Making a good first impression is even more important for these applicants.
Mike
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 4:02 p.m.
This is a wonderful program I am sure, and I hope that it is successful in helping parolees. The issue that I have is that we have many, too many deprived people in our community that have tried to obey our laws and still have nothing to wear to job interviews. This program should be broadened to include those people that just can not afford clothing. Many of our young may turn to violence or crime because they are ashamed of their clothing appearance. I am sure that there is a way this can help people to stay on the legal side as well.
Solitude
Sun, Jul 14, 2013 : 6:55 p.m.
@Cash, this -- "The ones who go in once and never go back do not get recounted. Thus.....in time most prisoners are repeat offenders!" -- makes no sense at all. Zero. Regardless, whether someone is a repeat offender who's been in jail 50 times or a first-time felon, it wasn't my point.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:12 p.m.
Unbelievable. Uh, solitude OF COURSE prison has a lot of repeat offenders! THINK about it. The ones who go in once and never go back do not get recounted. Thus.....in time most prisoners are repeat offenders! Geesh. Now, all of our tax money poured into the prison industry......what is wrong with the system? That is the real question. The prison admins will never give you a straight answer. They are running a business. And PR is the name of the game. If you really want to know why there are repeat offenders and what's wrong with the prison system ask a released felon. Until then you get total BS. Like it or not, that's a fact.
Great Lakes Lady
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 8:32 p.m.
Anybody can go to the PTSO Thrift Shop on S. Industrial......Goodwill near by......St. Vincent de Paul on Broadway, etc......
Mike
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 7:16 p.m.
You know, it is hard being politically correct in here. You have done a fine job. I just wonder if what you were really trying to say is that the community should take care of the law abiding citizens before giving everything to those that turned the wrong way to begin with. "Paid their debt"?. Would it not be true that to say that those that did not have that "DEBT" to pay, should be honored before those that had the "DEBT" to begin with? I am sure that most of us, if not all of us would enjoy the fact that a prison system was not needed. The only way to even consider that possibility would be to take care of the young before they turn to a life that places them in jeopardy. Do not exempt the good people from this program, but encourage them to seek help with all resources available.
Solitude
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 4:44 p.m.
Thank you. I also take issue with the statement that parolees have "paid their debt" to society. They haven't; they've paid a portion of it. That's the definition of parole. They are let out of jail early, some for "good behavior," most others because of overcrowding. There are also a great many studies like this one (http://apainc.org/%28S%280gujoj55wwjic4uf3y12ita2%29X%281%29%29/default.aspx?act=Newsletter.aspx&category=Current+News&newsletterid=1728&menugroup=Home) that show that a large percentage of the prison population is made up of repeat offenders...people who've had chance after chance. It's not a very popular opinion, but I'm tired of seeing so much charity and effort being expended on those who would prey on society, often the weakest and most vulnerable of society, at the expense of those who obey the law, work hard and still can't get a break.
grovestresident
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 3:46 p.m.
Great Idea!!! Parolees need as much help as they can get. It is really hard to find a job with a felony on your record but what is worse when you do get a job after letting them know ahead of time that you are a felon and then they come back and tell you that you better be on your best behavior because you are a felon. They will hire you but then they can treat you horrible because they know that you need the job and how hard it is to find one.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10 p.m.
So true Grovestresident. Punished for honestly.
Fredric
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 3:43 p.m.
Steve, very proud of what you and the local attorney's are doing. This is a big help for these people. They have to appreciate this!
nickcarraweigh
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 3:10 p.m.
Parolees lined up on Liberty Street. But it's a great idea, except for the doing it out on the public street part
YpsiYapper
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 4:44 p.m.
Where do you propose we hide these people who already paid their debt to society?
thehawk
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 3:50 p.m.
They were gathering suit donations on Liberty Street. The parolees are fitted for suits in private, at another location.
Atticus F.
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 2:34 p.m.
God bless the people who run this program, and the people who are trying to get their lives together.
Cash
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 9:54 p.m.
Amen, Atticus. It renews faith in humanity (even lawyers LOL) and it reminds us of the hard road for many who just need a chance. They just need a chance......
David
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.
With the job market as tough as it is I couldn't imaging having to deal with prison time on a resume. Kudos to the people who help for sake of helping.
Basic Bob
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 9:07 p.m.
You'd be surprised. Some felons had accumulated valuable work experience before they did their crimes, and return to the real world ready to work their way back. The felony record makes it more difficult to find other work, so they tend to stay in one place, even if they are underpaid compared to their coworkers without a criminal record. Some employers are willing to take the risk.
Shawn Letwin
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 2:05 p.m.
Thanks for running the initial story about the event and the follow-up on it! Great story and a reminder that there are fellow citizens who need a second chance and how simple acts such as donating clothes, etc. is so important in helping others that want to do more with their lives than what they did with theirs yesterday. Donations aren't just for tax donations at the end of the year. Donating to this cause helps those help themselves and makes our society stronger. Kudos to the lawyers (and other legal industry people) that see the value in helping serve those on the backside of the justice system to make something of themselves today, to have a better tomorrow for themselves (and the community). Enjoy, take care and be well.
Sam S Smith
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 12:41 p.m.
Sounds like an excellent program! Thank you for letting us know about this! I'll be on the look out for clothes to donate!
Arieswoman
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : 10:13 a.m.
This is a good program no doubt. Most employers run a criminal record check and don't hire felons. You cannot even live where I live if you have a criminal record. Just the facts of life. I am not saying it is fair.