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“It is an illusion to think that a person can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.”

– Henri Nouwen

The idea of a business for returning citizens was conceived behind the bars of the State Correctional Institution at Graterford, one of Pennsylvania’s state prisions. PAR (People Advancing Reintegration) is a peer-to-peer program that was created to help prepare individuals for release back into their communities. The program was conceived and is run by a group of men serving life sentences who have chosen to make a positive impact by helping to prepare individuals for release and reintegration. Despite this preparation, we have witnessed the repeated revolving door phenomena, with released individuals returning to prison for committing a new crime or for a serious parole violation. One of the major issues identified for newly released citizens is employment. If there were a business developed for the purpose of hiring returning citizens, one of the major obstacles in reintegration could be eliminated.

PAR-Recycle Works believes that one of the best crime deterrents is a job. The participants go from costing society to contributing to society through productive output, self-sufficiency and paying taxes. PAR- Recycle Works puts individuals on a path to employment and self sufficiency, thus decreasing significantly the chance to reoffend, thereby reducing crime, strengthening families and keeping our communities safer.