DALLAS – TV’s Judge Greg Mathis along with Assistant United States Attorney Mattie Peterson Compton will be on–hand at The Potter’s House Sunday March 30, at 9 a.m. in support of Bishop T.D. Jakes’, Texas Offender Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) graduation ceremonies aimed to recognize offenders who’ve successfully completed the twelve month specialized program within T.O.R.I. The program works to effectively reintegrate ex-offenders into society.
An added bonus: after the graduates cross the stage, diplomas in hand, waiting on the other side will be a gift; a copy of Sarah Jakes’ new book, Lost & Found-Finding Hope in the Detours of Life – helping each graduate to know that all have a road less traveled, that they are valued and not alone in their journey.
Merely one year shy of its 10th anniversary, T.O.R.I.’s success rate continues to climb. T.O.R.I. focuses on key areas of rehabilitation that lead to more sustainable success: employment, housing, education, family reunification, health care and spiritual guidance. Since inception in 2004, T.O.R.I. has served over 10,000 formerly incarcerated individuals across the state of Texas. With one of the largest prison populations in the United States, Texas spends $60 a day to incarcerate an individual, though rehabilitation through T.O.R.I. only costs $4. With sale proceeds from The Potter’s House hit song “Born To Be Great” available on i-Tunes, the T.O.R.I. program is poised to continue to keep rehabilitation costs low.
“Because of T.O.R.I., our graduates have gone from pathology of bad choices and decisions to a positive outcome,” remarked Bishop T.D. Jakes. “I love that our T.O.R.I. program doesn’t just show ex-offenders how to reintegrate into society, it’s far more important to identify the propensities and choices that brought them to a negative end in the first place.”
Recent 2013 recidivism rate show that sixty-seven percent of former prisoners will be re-incarcerated within three years of their release—but The Potter’s House is working to decrease that number. The T.O.R.I. program’s recidivism rate is at a low eleven percent.
The five-city initiative has been successful in reducing the rate of relapse from substance and alcohol abuse by 50% and employing 63% of the clients enrolled in the program. The T.O.R.I. program has recruited over 200 professional volunteers including case managers, legal experts, certified educators, trained life-skills group facilitators, trained mentors, and licensed professional counselors.
