Selected students from the Criminal Justice department used the Welfare Reform Liaison Project, here in Greensboro, as a means to fulfill their internship requirement before graduating.The internship was created by Dr. James P. Mayes, a professor in the Criminal Justice department, and by Rev. Cleveland of Mt. Zion church. The Community Corrections Internship was designed to help reformed offenders find work and maneuver their way back into society after being released from prison as well as giving students the necessary internships they need to graduate. The coordinator of the program, Jerry Beasley, is also a reformed offender. Beasley spent some time homeless before Cleveland and Mayes presented the position as coordinator of the program to him.    “I was literally on the streets. I was sleeping on railroad tracks,” Beasley recalls.Beasley was a part of the reformed offenders program before he was a leader for the program. He was finishing up with his classes at the Welfare Liaison Project when the position became available. Being that he had some experience as a paralegal in D.C. before coming to Greensboro and also having experienced prison time himself, Beasley was the ideal candidate for the job.

Beasley said he was only convicted of minor crimes, such as being drunk in public and eating food in groceries stores without paying, but, even with that record, it was hard to find work. Community Corrections serves as a helping opportunity for offenders, like Beasley, that have committed such crimes and more. Prison was designed to serve as a means of punishment to criminals, but also reform them and give them rehabilitation. Most criminals however, find it hard to find work and be treated as equals in society after their release. Community Corrections helps the men find work and get government assistance when they cannot.

They even helped the released felons vote in the recent election, after being told they wouldn’t be able to because by law, it was not permissible.

“Chapter 13 is still in effect and it doesn’t say some rights will be restored, it says all rights will be restored to the offender once they’re released,” Beasley said.

The interns from the Criminal Justice department have gained hands-on experience by working with the offenders and seeing that their rights are restored. Some of them visit prisons and get to hear directly from the inmates about their treatment, struggles and concerns, while others traveled to the polls with the men to make sure they were able to vote on Election Day. Brittany Jackson, a senior criminal justice major, describes what has been one of the most interesting cases she has had a chance to work on, while participating in the internship.

“There is a man, who is a part of the program and he’s a Class G felon, who’s been trying to get food stamps and they won’t let him. His probation officer and everybody doesn’t want to allow him to get food stamps, they’re throwing everything at him when it’s documented that he can get food stamps.”

Jackson said that she would say to the people who do not believe Class G felons should be allowed assistance, “everybody makes mistakes and lessons can be learned from experiences, so everybody deserves a second chance.”

“We help people regain their citizen rights, as well as self confidence and self esteem,” Dr. Mayes said. 

• Latoya Haggins