Spotlight on a WNPJ member group: JustDane

Submitted by volunteer on Sun, 01/16/2022 - 9:21pm

JustDane inspires hope & creates real change. Life’s circumstance or missteps can lead to incarceration or other life challenges that can be difficult to overcome.  It’s better for everyone in our community when we can ensure a person has the chance to put the pieces of their lives back together; creating a community where everyone has an opportunity to succeed.

 

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Note this upcoming event:

Wednesday Jan. 26th. Creating a Just Workplace: Not Just a Numbers Game will be held via Zoom from 6:00 to 7:30pm.  This is the link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcOquqjIrHtaakxlwmcDBfe80uJR-NTl5

JustDane kicks off the 2022 JustConversations series on Wednesday, January 26th! Join us as our guests discuss obstacles previously incarcerated folks face as they seek new employment, fair hiring practices that employers should be using, and concrete steps employers can take to not only create a diverse workforce but also foster a positive environment to support those employees on the job.

 

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JustDane accomplishes this through field-tested initiatives that have transformed lives for over 15 years:

  • Our 2 year recidivism rate ranges from 9-15% compared to the state average of 67%
  • Our Just Bakery students are job ready to pursue their careers.
  • Our workshops provide eye-opening experiences.
  • Our guests in recuperative care through the Healing House return to the community healed and renewed.
JustDane’s many programs inspire hope for individuals returning to the Dane County community after incarceration by breaking down the barriers that can prevent them from fully participating in our community and the lives of their families.
 
Just Dane also supports the families of those incarcerated through reading programs, family visit programs and mentoring programs. This helps bring wholeness and healing to individuals and their families.
 
High rates of incarceration in the United States create a significant cost to families and communities, as well as to taxpayers. More cost-effective approaches are available for non-violent offenders that results in more people living self-sufficient and independent lives. JustDane’s community-based solutions invest in residence, employment, support, transportation and education that reduce recidivism and reconnect returning prisoners with their families and neighborhoods.
 
Since 2006, the two-year recidivism rate (return to prison for either a new crime or a violation of supervision rules) for JustDane’s reentry services participants is between 5-14% as compared to the statewide recidivism rate of 67%. JustDane is the only Dane County provider of reentry services that track recidivism through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WI DOC).
 

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Another upcoming event:

Virtual Rentry Fair - January 25

JustDane (formerly Madison-area Urban Ministry)
Contact: Linda Ketcham
Address: 2115 S. Park St, Madison WI 53713
Phone: (608) 256-0906
JustDane helps transform individual lives and social systems to create a just and equitable community.