Recidivism: the issues, and the high price we pay when reentry is unsuccessful.
Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the country and one of the lowest rates of recidivism (22%). Yet in 2021, Oklahomans paid 73.4 Million dollars to incarcerate individuals for technical/supervision violations alone.(CSG Justice Center). As of Apr 3, 2024, the average annual cost for an Inmate in Oklahoma is $45,961 a year or $3,830/month. While Policy makers are working diligently to overcome these costly challenges the system remains badly underfunded, supervisors are burdened with enormous caseloads, and there is a gap in reentry programs and services willing to take on this high needs population. When someone has a stable job and consistent housing, recidivism goes down and crime decreases. (OkPolicy Institues April 2023) Conversely, without supportive aftercare reintegration is often doomed to fail.
IMPACT OF HAND UP MINISTRIES: CURRENTLY WE ARE SERVING OVER 400 JUSTICE INVOLVED MEN, MARRIED COUPLES, AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN OUR AFTERCARE PROGRAMS. We have spent 27 years working to bridge the gap in services and reduce recidivism in Oklahoma. Very few programs exist in our nation like Hand Up Ministries Prison Aftercare Without Hand Up most of our clients would be homeless, unemployed, and at further risk of longterm dependence on society. The Hand Up Model of prison aftercare uses Christ-centered solutions and best practices to help former prisoners rebuild their lives. When someone is released from prison, the clock starts ticking. To reestablish their lives they need identification, housing, and employment, and to obtain public benefits. These are tremendous logistical, material, emotional, and social obstacles that not only continues to punish and disadvantage an individual who has been incarcerated, but the communities they re-enter. We are committed to supportive care of our program participants, our communities where we live and work, and the criminal justice system struggling to meet the high needs of the incarcerated pre and post release. We seek to work with community resource partners, employers, criminal justice system agencies, the faith and business community and other stakeholders to improve outcomes for everyone.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES & RESULTS
Current Research, Stats, and Hand Up Ministries 13-year Recidivism Study
Our Locations
And Projects
Hand Up has 3 campuses and a 4th one underway!
Hand Up Campus 1
SE Oklahoma City
Campus 1 houses the majority of our Men in our Aftercare program on SE 59th St.
Hand Up Campus 2
Oklahoma City
Men, Women, and families are located at our Oklahoma City Campus off of Shields Blvd.
Chandler Campus
Chandler, OK
Hand Up's campus in Chandler, OK houses many of our Veterans and SSI Disability residents.
Love Wewoka Campus
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
This is our newest campus still underdevelopment. We are excited to bring a large aquaponic greenhouse project to our ministry.
Future Multipurpose Facility
Coming Soon!
Due to enormous growth over the years, we are in the planning stages of building new offices and a multipurpose building near Hand Up Campus 1. The facility will be used for services, events, and more.
Tent Ministry
4 Sunday Services
Residents attend Weekly Connect Groups and services and HUM 1 campus. Currently we hold our 4 weekly services in a large tent. The multipurpose building will serve as a place to hold services and build community.