This week we had the opportunity to interview Christie Luther of the R.I.S.E. Program, INC here in Oklahoma. The R.IS.E. Program is a 501c3 non-profit organization which teaches Oklahoma's incarcerated women the vocational skills of Cosmetology. (With no cost to the women, their families, state tax dollars, or Federal grants or loans).
The need for second chance employment is extreme. Mass incarceration affects more people than you may think. 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal record, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. On top of that, according to the National HIRE Network, “Nearly 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals are still unemployed a year after release.”