According to the Court Services and Offender Supervision
Agency: “Since 2010, the female jail
population has been the fastest growing correctional population, increasing by
an average annual rate of 3.4 percent.” There is a long list of disturbing
statistics regarding various characteristics of the female prison population: Nearly
6 in 10 women in state prisons have experienced physical or sexual abuse in the
past. 69 percent reported that the assault occurred before age 18. In 2004, 73%
of women in state prisons reported symptoms of mental illness. Women are far
more likely to have minor children living with them when arrested than male
prisoners. Considering all of these
factors, one begins to appreciate how difficult it is for these women to build
a healthy life for themselves upon re-entry. Still Point Managing Director Ben
Gray, when asked why so many people are reluctant to give incarcerated women a
second chance, recently commented, “Let’s be honest about the fact that many of
these women never had a first
chance.”
The ultimate goal of Still Point’s Persephone Project for
currently and formerly incarcerated women, is to prevent recidivism. As lofty a
goal as it might be, we believe that many of these women can recover and learn
to thrive with appropriate support services.
Former program participant Lein Scott spoke to me on the
phone recently about her life during and after incarceration, and how programs like
the Persephone Project can make a difference. Lein recalls her life on the streets when she
was chemically dependent and involved in prostitution. She is very clear about
what has helped her recovery. “Connection,” she said. “You have to seek
connection, or you end up alone.” But connection is not easy to come by in jail,
and perhaps even harder when emerging from incarceration.
Lein remarks, “There’s such a stigma with incarceration.
There’s a perception that you will never change.”
I asked Lein what theatre programs could do for women in
prison, and she responded by saying, “You have to always be aware that your
story can repeat itself, so you have to keep it in front of you.” She continued by analyzing how improvisation “breaks
it down, and can bring about an understanding. It puts a light on your story.”
Theatre demands many kinds of connections, but Lein’s
comments underscore the fact that connection with one’s own truth is paramount.
Many Persephone Project participants have affirmed that the program carved a
safe space in which the women could be truthful with themselves and each other.
Knowing that they would not be judged or attacked, they embarked on a process
of honest self-discovery. Having an
avenue for self-reflection, as well as for imagining a different path for
themselves in the future, is crucial if participants want to develop a real
road map to a better life. Lein affirms the value of having an outlet for
individual expression, and the hopefulness of the creative process, “When you
perform something, you bring it to life.”
Still Point Founder/Artistic Director Lisa Wagner-Carollo
recalls what Lein brought to the Persephone Project at Cook County when she
participated. “Lein offered a lot of leadership for the group. She was very
committed. She had a great attitude and was very enthusiastic.” Each four month
session of workshops that Still Point leads in detention centers ends in an
on-site performance. Lein had described herself to me as “kind of dramatic” – and
Lisa confirmed this when she recalled Lein’s talent, “She is a great actress!
She’s so good on stage.”
The leadership that Lein showed when she participated in our
program has continued now that she is released. Lein is working with the Dreamcatcher Foundation, which fights
to end human trafficking in Chicago. Their website states: “Our not-for-profit
organization works to prevent the sexual exploitation of at-risk youth and
helps current prostitutes find confidence and stability beyond the limitations
of their current lifestyle.” Lein acknowledges
the challenges involved in making connections with these young people, but the
Dreamcatcher Foundation has had success with person to person outreach on the
streets, and this is what Lein does. She knows that mentorship made a huge
difference in her own life, and now she works to pay that forward.
She also acknowledges the importance of a spiritual focus in
her own recovery, “It’s easy to lose initiative… you’ve got to get out of that
box, you can’t go back to doing the same things.” She spoke of the importance of
being humble, and understanding of other people’s circumstances.
After our conversation, I reflected more deeply on the
significance of Lein’s words: “You have to seek connection, or you end up
alone.” That is a profound truth of the human experience.
For more information on the Dreamcatcher Foundation, please
visit:
Statistics on women and incarceration:
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