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Family ReEntry

The Gaps in Connecticut’s Second Chance Prison Reform: Jeff Grant on The Colin McEnroe Show, WNPR, Weds. Oct. 30, 2019

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The Gaps In Connecticut’s Second Chance Prison Reform

By • 20 hours ago

  • View Slideshow 1 of 4
    Brad K. / Creative Commons
  • “Larry” - Husband, father, and formerly incarcerated.

    View Slideshow 2 of 4
    “Larry” – Husband, father, and formerly incarcerated.
    Chion Wolf / Connecticut Public Radio
  • Jeffrey Grant - former lawyer, minister, co-founder prisonist.org, co-host of Criminal Justice Insider podcast on WNHH FM in New Haven, and formerly incarcerated.

    View Slideshow 3 of 4
    Jeffrey Grant – former lawyer, minister, co-founder prisonist.org, co-host of Criminal Justice Insider podcast on WNHH FM in New Haven, and formerly incarcerated.
    Chion Wolf / Connecticut Public Radio
  • Da’ee McKnight - Program Manager, Young Fathers ReEntry Project, for Family ReEntry, and formerly incarcerated.

    View Slideshow 4 of 4
    Da’ee McKnight – Program Manager, Young Fathers ReEntry Project, for Family ReEntry, and formerly incarcerated.
    Chion Wolf / Connecticut Public Radio

Connecticut’s “Second Chance Society” has reduced the number of people going into prison and better prepared offenders for a meaningful life when they get out. 

We’ve closed prisons, repealed the death penalty, and raised the age at which young people can be tried as adults. We’ve added reentry programs modeled loosely on the German prison system, where incarcerated men and women raise and cook their own food, wear their own clothes, and participate in longterm therapy.

Yet, too many men and women don’t benefit from the changes: discrimination, inconsistent funding, and ineligibility from programs make it harder for some to succeed after prison.

Today, we talk about the challenges that remain with those who know best – the formerly incarcerated.

GUESTS: 

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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show

Does Your Organization Need a Professional Speaker Who will Inspire Your Audience to Overcome Obstacles & Achieve Greater Things?

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Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div.

“The Minister to Hedge Funders”

EXPERT ON / TOPICS:

  • Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Prison
  • Finding Purpose and Happiness after Personal Tragedy
  • Criminal Justice Reform
  • Successful Alcohol and Substance Recovery (Jeff is clean & sober 16+ years)
  • Successfully Navigating Life with Mental Health Issues
  • Jeff’s Own Riches-to-Rags-to-Redemption story.

PHONE: 203-405-6249

EMAIL CONTACT: jgrant@prisonist.org

WEBSITE: prisonist.org

ADDRESS: Greenwich, CT & Nationwide

ABOUT JEFF GRANT:

Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div. is an ordained minister with over three decades of experience in crisis management, business, law, reentry, recovery (clean & sober 17+ years), and executive & religious leadership. Often referred to in the press as “The Minister to Hedge Funders,” he regularly uses his experience and background to guide people faithfully forward in their lives, relationships, careers and business opportunities, and to help them from making the kinds of decisions that previously resulted in loss, suffering and shame.

As an ordained minister, conversations and communications between Jeff and those he serves fall under clergy privilege laws. This is one reason that attorneys often allow and encourage their clients to maintain relationships with Jeff while in active prosecution or litigation situations.

After an addiction to prescription opioids and serving almost fourteen months in a Federal prison for a white-collar crime he committed when he was a lawyer, Jeff started his own reentry – earning a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, with a focus in Christian Social Ethics. After graduating from divinity school, Jeff was called to serve at an inner-city church in Bridgeport, CT as Associate Minister and Director of Prison Ministries. He, and his wife and partner-in-ministry Lynn Springer, then co-founded Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc. (Greenwich, CT), the world’s first ministry supporting the white collar justice/economy exiled community. Jeff also serves on the ministry team at St. Joseph Mission Church (Cliffside Park, NJ) and as Chaplain to the Woodbury Fire Department (Woodbury, CT).

From 2016 – 2019, Jeff served as the Executive Director of Family ReEntry, Inc. (Bridgeport, CT), a 100+ person criminal justice organization with offices and programs in eight Connecticut cities. Jeff is the first person in the United States formerly incarcerated for a white-collar crime to be appointed as Executive Director of a major criminal justice nonprofit. A former practicing attorney and general counsel to major real estate organizations and closely held companies, he studied law at and earned a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School.

Jeff has served on a number of criminal justice related Boards including: The Mayor’s Advisory Council on Reentry Affairs, Co-chair, (Bridgeport, CT) ; Family ReEntry, (Bridgeport & New Haven, CT); Community Partners in Action (formerly the Connecticut Prison Association, Hartford, CT); , and Healing Communities Network, (New York, NY). Jeff has also served on the Editorial Board of the book, The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration has Hijacked the American Dream, (Southport, CT), and on the Advisory Boards of Creative Projects Group, (Los Angeles, CA) and Reentry Survivors, (Bridgeport, CT).

Highlighted speaking venues include Main Stage Presenter at The Nantucket Project (Nantucket, MA), the Greenwich Leadership Forum (Greenwich, CT), the Corrections Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA) Correctional Ministry Summit (Wheaton College, IL & Philadelphia, PA), Salons at Stowe – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (Hartford, CT), Community Health Network of Connecticut Social Determinants of Health Summit (Wallingford, CT), The Mason Street Project (Greenwich, CT), Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (NY, NY), Yale Divinity School (New Haven, CT) and many houses of worship throughout the Northeast. Jeff is a Professional Member of the National Speakers Association.

Jeff and Lynn were the subjects of a twelve-page article in Greenwich Magazine (March 2018 issue). Jeff has also been the subject of or prominently mentioned in national and regional media including Vanity Fair (August 2019 issue), Forbes.com, Inc.com, The Huffington Post, Absolute Return/HedgeFund Intelligence, Business Insider, Institutional Investor, New York Magazine, Real Men Real Faith Magazine (cover story), Greenwich Magazine, Fairfield County Business Journal, Nonprofit Quarterly, Reentry Central, The Vision (the newspaper of the United Methodist Church NY Conference), Weston Magazine Group, Weston Forum, Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, New Haven Independent, Inner City News, Connecticut Post, Greenwich Sentinel, Greenwich Time, Greenwich Free Press, The Hour and many radio shows, televisions segments and podcasts including the Rich Roll Podcast (#440, May 2019).

Jeff is also the editor of the important and widely-read blog, prisonist.org, at which he authors, edits and curates content around national and international criminal justice advocacy/ministry themes, and is Co-host of the Criminal Justice Insider podcast airing live on the first and third Fridays from New Haven, CT. He also leads a weekly online confidential White Collar/Economy Exiled Support Group (the first in the country); with over 150 participants, it has held over 170 meetings.

DESIGNATIONS/AWARDS

Twice Selected as a Nantucket Project Scholar
JustLeadershipUSA Fifteen Inaugural National Leaders in Criminal Justice
Keepers of the Commons Fellow
Keepers of the Commons Senior Fellow
Elizabeth Bush Award for Volunteerism
Three Time Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Advocate of the Year Award
Four Time Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Professional of the Year
Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Award
Connecticut NAACP Award
Selected as a Collegeville Institute Writing Fellow

CAREER:

Professional Speaker 20+ years
Practicing Attorney 20 years
Minister/Prison Minister 10 years
Reentry & Recovery Professional – Clean & Sober 17+ years

DEGREES:

Juris Doctorate, New York Law School
Master of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary

ASSOCIATIONS:

National Speakers Association, Professional Member
NSA – Connecticut
New York Law School Alumni Association
Union Theological Seminary Alumni Association
National Justice Impact Bar Association
Correctional Chaplains & Ministries Association
Westport/ Weston Clergy Association

Link to Jeff’s full bio and links to articles, video, podcasts & radio here.

Link to Contact Us page here.

Does Your Organization Need a Professional Speaker Who will Inspire Your Audience to Overcome Obstacles & Achieve Greater Things?

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div.

“The Minister to Hedge Funders”

EXPERT ON / TOPICS:

  • Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Prison
  • Finding Purpose and Happiness after Personal Tragedy
  • Criminal Justice Reform
  • Successful Alcohol and Substance Recovery (Jeff is clean & sober 16+ years)
  • Successfully Navigating Life with Mental Health Issues
  • Jeff’s Own Riches-to-Rags-to-Redemption story.

PHONE: 203-405-6249
EMAIL CONTACT: jgrant@prisonist.org
WEBSITE: prisonist.org
ADDRESS: Greenwich, CT & Nationwide

ABOUT JEFF GRANT:

Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div. is an ordained minister with over three decades of experience in crisis management, business, law, reentry, recovery (clean & sober 17+ years), and executive & religious leadership. Often referred to in the press as “The Minister to Hedge Funders,” he regularly uses his experience and background to guide people faithfully forward in their lives, relationships, careers and business opportunities, and to help them from making the kinds of decisions that previously resulted in loss, suffering and shame.
As an ordained minister, conversations and communications between Jeff and those he serves fall under clergy privilege laws. This is one reason that attorneys often allow and encourage their clients to maintain relationships with Jeff while in active prosecution or litigation situations.
After an addiction to prescription opioids and serving almost fourteen months in a Federal prison for a white-collar crime he committed when he was a lawyer, Jeff started his own reentry – earning a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, with a focus in Christian Social Ethics. After graduating from divinity school, Jeff was called to serve at an inner-city church in Bridgeport, CT as Associate Minister and Director of Prison Ministries. He, and his wife and partner-in-ministry Lynn Springer, then co-founded Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc. (Greenwich, CT), the world’s first ministry supporting the white collar justice/economy exiled community. Jeff also serves on the ministry team at St. Joseph Mission Church (Cliffside Park, NJ) and as Chaplain to the Woodbury Fire Department (Woodbury, CT).
From 2016 – 2019, Jeff served as the Executive Director of Family ReEntry, Inc. (Bridgeport, CT), a 100+ person criminal justice organization with offices and programs in eight Connecticut cities. Jeff is the first person in the United States formerly incarcerated for a white-collar crime to be appointed as Executive Director of a major criminal justice nonprofit. A former practicing attorney and general counsel to major real estate organizations and closely held companies, he studied law at and earned a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School.
Jeff has served on a number of criminal justice related Boards including: The Mayor’s Advisory Council on Reentry Affairs, Co-chair, (Bridgeport, CT) ; Family ReEntry, (Bridgeport & New Haven, CT); Community Partners in Action (formerly the Connecticut Prison Association, Hartford, CT); , and Healing Communities Network, (New York, NY). Jeff has also served on the Editorial Board of the book, The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration has Hijacked the American Dream, (Southport, CT), and on the Advisory Boards of Creative Projects Group, (Los Angeles, CA) and Reentry Survivors, (Bridgeport, CT).
Highlighted speaking venues include Main Stage Presenter at The Nantucket Project (Nantucket, MA), the Greenwich Leadership Forum (Greenwich, CT), the Corrections Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA) Correctional Ministry Summit (Wheaton College, IL & Philadelphia, PA), Salons at Stowe – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (Hartford, CT), Community Health Network of Connecticut Social Determinants of Health Summit (Wallingford, CT), The Mason Street Project (Greenwich, CT), Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (NY, NY), Yale Divinity School (New Haven, CT) and many houses of worship throughout the Northeast. Jeff is a Professional Member of the National Speakers Association.
Jeff and Lynn were the subjects of a twelve-page article in Greenwich Magazine (March 2018 issue). Jeff has also been the subject of or prominently mentioned in national and regional media including Vanity Fair (August 2019 issue), Forbes.com, Inc.com, The Huffington Post, Absolute Return/HedgeFund Intelligence, Business Insider, Institutional Investor, New York Magazine, Real Men Real Faith Magazine (cover story), Greenwich Magazine, Fairfield County Business Journal, Nonprofit Quarterly, Reentry Central, The Vision (the newspaper of the United Methodist Church NY Conference), Weston Magazine Group, Weston Forum, Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, New Haven Independent, Inner City News, Connecticut Post, Greenwich Sentinel, Greenwich Time, Greenwich Free Press, The Hour and many radio shows, televisions segments and podcasts including the Rich Roll Podcast (#440, May 2019).
Jeff is also the editor of the important and widely-read blog, prisonist.org, at which he authors, edits and curates content around national and international criminal justice advocacy/ministry themes, and is Co-host of the Criminal Justice Insider podcast airing live on the first and third Fridays from New Haven, CT. He also leads a weekly online confidential White Collar/Economy Exiled Support Group (the first in the country); with over 150 participants, it has held over 170 meetings.

DESIGNATIONS/AWARDS

Twice Selected as a Nantucket Project Scholar
JustLeadershipUSA Fifteen Inaugural National Leaders in Criminal Justice
Keepers of the Commons Fellow
Keepers of the Commons Senior Fellow
Elizabeth Bush Award for Volunteerism
Three Time Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Advocate of the Year Award
Four Time Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Professional of the Year
Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Award
Connecticut NAACP Award
Selected as a Collegeville Institute Writing Fellow

CAREER:

Professional Speaker 20+ years
Practicing Attorney 20 years
Minister/Prison Minister 10 years
Reentry & Recovery Professional – Clean & Sober 17+ years

DEGREES:

Juris Doctorate, New York Law School
Master of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary

ASSOCIATIONS:

National Speakers Association, Professional Member
NSA – Connecticut
New York Law School Alumni Association
Union Theological Seminary Alumni Association
National Justice Impact Bar Association
Correctional Chaplains & Ministries Association
Westport/ Weston Clergy Association

Link to Jeff’s full bio and links to articles, video, podcasts & radio here.

Link to Contact Us page here.

Testimony: Before the CT State Appropriations Committee Relating to Medication Assisted Treatment in Prison, March 4, 2019

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H.B. No. 7148, AN ACT CONCERNING THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE THIRTIETH 2021, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR.

Good evening, Senator Formica, Senator Lavielle, Senator Osten, Representative Walker, and members of the Appropriations Committee. My name is Jeff Grant and I serve as Co-Founder and Minister of Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc. (Greenwich, CT), a nonprofit founded in 2012; our mission is to serve individuals and families with white collar and nonviolent incarceration issues.  From 2009 – 2019, I served on the Board of Directors and then as Executive Director of Family ReEntry, Inc. (Bridgeport, CT); founded in 1984, Family ReEntry’s mission is to develop, implement, and share innovative and cost-effective solutions to the unprecedented numbers of people involved in the criminal justice system.  I have also served on the Board of Directors of Community Partners in Action (Hartford, CT), on the Board of Advisors of ReEntry Survivors and the P.R.I.D.E. Program (Bridgeport, CT) and on the Editorial Board of the book, The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration has Hijacked the American Dream (Southport, CT).

I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the commitment that this administration has undertaken to follow and expand upon the bold steps that the prior administration took to reduce the numbers of people in prison through criminal justice reform and Second Chance Society legislation.  

I served almost fourteen months in a federal prison for a white-collar crime I committed in 2001 after an over ten (10+) year addiction to prescription opioids. I am now over sixteen (16+) years clean and sober. I kicked the habit in the State of Connecticut after committing my crimes, attended recovery meetings in this state until I went to prison and thereafter, attended court-mandated drug and alcohol counseling upon my return and have lived and remained sober in Connecticut for the over eleven (11+) years since my return from prison. Without support from my wife, the faith community, opportunities to serve this state’s criminal justice nonprofits when I came back from prison, and the larger Connecticut social services safety net, it is unlikely that I would be standing before you today as a tax-paying citizen, non-profit leader and advocate for enlightened criminal justice.

With more individuals addicted to, and incarcerated for crimes related to, opioid addiction, it is all the more urgent that we increase adopt legislation directly responsive thereto.  Please note:

  1. Research shows that forty-four (44%) percent of fatal overdoses in Connecticut occurred among individuals who had a history of having been detained by the Department of Correction [i]. It is easy to see that effective treatment in correctional facilities for alcohol and drug addiction, and specifically opioid use disorder, can have a dramatic effect on reducing these overdoses.
  2. Progressive treatment for opioid use disorder is good fiscal policy. Compare the cost of incarceration by inmate in CT (in 2015, $62,159 per year) against the cost of comprehensive Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) (as little as $4,000 per year) [ii].
  3. A 2006 national opinion survey likewise indicates that the general public also favors rehabilitative services for offenders, as opposed to a punishment-only approach by an almost 8 to 1 margin [iii].

As the number of people with addiction to opioids continues swell, it would behoove the legislature to focus on solutions for those in state custody. Everyone will be the beneficiary from these investments that will help restore healthy families, increase public safety, rebuild our communities and continue to reduce our prison population.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Respectfully submitted,

Rev. Jeff Grant, J.D., M.Div.

[i] Yale’s 2016 plan for Connecticut Opioid Response (CORE) states that  Retrieved from http://www.plan4children.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/COREInitiativeForPublicComment.pdf

[ii] See. “Confronting an Epidemic: The Case for Eliminating Barriers to Medication- Assisted Treatment of Heroin and Opioid Addiction,” The Legal Action Center, March 2015. and “The Price of Prisons 2015: State Spending Trends,” Table 1, The Vera Institute,  https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends-prison-spendingSource: One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections; PEW Center on the States; March 2009; page 22

[iii] Krisberg, B. & Marchionna, S. (2006). Attitudes of U.S. Voters Toward Prisoner Rehabilitation and Reentry Policies. Oakland, CA: National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

This written testimony was submitted by the author for the record.