Reentry Reframed

From a quite normal childhood, being involved in numerous school activities and doing well in the classroom, Marcus Pitts' life slowly faded into one of despair, and a life he despised. He created a persona that drew others in, finding himself to be a “people pleaser.” Continuing into the lifestyle of popular activities, such as becoming a member of a fraternity and partying, his drinking pro...

Growing up in small-town Kansas, Misty endured a traumatic childhood. Being surrounded by the drug-induced chaos of her parents, she struggled to feel supported. With the effects of her childhood lingering into adulthood, she found herself repeating the cycle of domestic violence and addiction which spiraled even further out of control following the loss of her father. One day, she came to a reali...

Growing up, John Cantrell’s life was filled with limitless opportunities for the future. As a teenager, Cantrell quickly learned he was never ready for the party to stop like it did for others. This fast-paced lifestyle caught up with him in college as he constantly searched for ways to fill a void within himself. By the age of 22, Cantrell was facing a 60-month sentence in federal prison for dist...

Jennifer Wolfe started her life off living the “American Dream.” Following a traumatic event, her reality was completely altered at the age of 7. Unable to process the drastic change in a healthy way, Jennifer began to act out as a child. Becoming enveloped in a lifestyle fueled with rage, she spent her adolescent years in juvenile detention. At the age of 21, Jennifer was released and began her a...

Born in a small town in Illinois to teenage parents, Kasey Kern describes her life as tumultuous and filled with chaos. Kasey’s outlook and attitude is nothing short of beautiful grace as the love she has for her family radiates throughout her story. She describes how generational trauma altered not just her life but reflects on her family tree of decades of untreated mental health concerns, subst...

Born in Los Angeles, Luis Leyva’s life had a rocky start. At the age of 15, Luis was initiated into his neighborhood gang following a traumatic experience that stewed up a hatred for the opposing neighborhoods. Through this lifestyle, he became involved in the juvenile justice system which continued throughout his adult life. Ultimately, becoming a father and finding love led him towards his story...

Pointing out one memento from a friend, she said, “He calls me CAPY: Catholic Alcoholic Patricia from Yonkers.” As Trish walked me around her apartment, her excitement was palpable! As she explained, this is the first time she has lived on her own this century. At nearly 70-years-old, Trish’s life has been full of twists and turns, highs and lows, to be where she is at today. Deep in her addiction...

As we reflect on our 12th episode posting, we are so incredibly grateful for your support! As we near 1,000 downloads, we wanted to jump on and share some updates with you all! This episode has some behind the scenes and the “why” behind what we do. In this episode, there is a hidden gem contained within you will need to hear for yourself on how we plan to celebrate. We have some great ideas and g...

Melissa Goldsmith has 26 years of experience working in the criminal justice field, with 23 being with U.S. Probation in the District of Kansas.  She is the Assistant Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer and oversees the program initiatives.  Recognizing the importance of reentry services, she assisted in developing the Pretrial Orientation Program, Bureau of Prisons Program, and the Moral Reconati...

Nick Casarona, a talented athlete with a bright future ahead, graduated high school with his “ticket out” of Topeka. After accepting a scholarship in Florida to compete on a diving team, Nick eagerly awaited his opportunity to shine and make others proud. Unfortunately, a devastating twist of fate ended his dreams of being a collegiate athlete. From there, Nick pivoted in an entirely different dir...

Social butterfly, Shawn, enjoyed the glamorized nightlife scene until it led to a path of addiction. Ultimately, Shawn was sentenced to federal prison for two separate convictions totaling the better part of a decade. Shawn, a transgender individual who identifies as a woman, shares her journey through the justice system. In this episode, she breaks down the levels of ‘status’ within jails, low an...

Starting at the tender age of 13, Jodi’s life tumbled down a broken road as her 20-year addiction to methamphetamine began. Learning the pain she was trying to numb by using drugs was actually amplifying her trauma, Jodi offers tremendous wisdom and guidance for others facing addiction. She describes wanting to be there for her children, and for other women, as being the driving force behind her y...

With 22 years of experience working inside a federal penitentiary, Thiessen shares a treasure trove of knowledge in this episode. After decades of working in the field of corrections, her passion for helping others has only grown. As she thinks outside of the box to create innovative programs at the prison, she exudes enthusiasm for finding impactful ways to prepare individuals for a new life on t...

By the age of 19, Emmanuel "Manny" Herron entered the federal prison system. Still a teenager, he faced a sentence of 180 months (15 years) in prison. Manny describes his life prior to prison being one of poverty, grief, and anger; a life where he felt lost.  Upon entering the federal system, Herron was dyslexic and had not learned to read. Finding his faith while incarcerated was the ca...

Dr. Donald Denney, Vice President of General Services for Mirror, Inc., joins Melissa Goodman on this episode of Reentry Reframed. Dr. Denney holds a Ph. D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. During the first part of his career, Dr. Denney spent 17 years working as a Psychologist at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, KS. He then transitioned to Regional Dr...

John Zollicoffer, a U.S. Veteran and former police officer, lived a life of turmoil and crime stemming from his addiction to crack. His parents originally hoped the military would help them to escape the deep south, Jim Crow era. Although he had good role models, early trauma brought him to a life of “madness” in his own words.  John walks us through his story of being lost but never losing hope....

Social work is one of the most important career paths, especially in the world of reentry. As corrections and reentry services move forward, criminal justice and social work backgrounds have intersected and overlapped to better serve this population. To build rapport with individuals and guide them through one of the most important transitions in life is something Kendra Howard has found to be inc...

By the age of 17, Gordon Smith struggled with substance use disorder and undiagnosed mental health concerns. Stemming from his addiction, the decisions he made led him to serve nearly a decade in prison. Taking us through his journey of recovery and reentry, he is now pursuing his dreams and helping reduce recidivism from the other side of the bars. Smith describes how key mentors, counseling, and...

The process of reentering society after incarceration is shrouded in mystery. In this episode, Melissa Goodman, Vice President of Correctional Services, provides insight on how a federal halfway house (Residential Reentry Center) operates. Goodman describes the services provided while also bringing attention to the importance of our community coming together to support justice-involved individuals...