Too often the media reports on formerly incarcerated persons who get out of prison and commit (sometimes horrendous) crimes. Even victims of murder can have their criminal histories published beside the circumstances of their deaths. Sometimes legislators hear the outraged cries from their constituents and hastily enact poorly thought-out laws that are costly and ineffective. The “tough on crime” laws that were passed several years ago were the result of such legislation.
But, for every ex-prisoner that fails, there are several hundred that do not. The media doesn’t often cover the many success stories of formerly incarcerated persons, because such successes don’t sell newspapers or increase the number of viewers.
That’s why Reentry Central was delighted to be informed by FedCURE about a remarkable man, Clark Porter, who went from serving 12 years in prison for robbing a post office to becoming a federal probation officer in the Eastern District of Missouri. Under the leadership of Chief Douglas Burris, this federal probation office has been called “the nation's premier and cutting edge U.S. Probation Office.” There is even a campaign underway to encourage President Obama to bestow the title of "The Nation's Model U.S. Probation Office” upon Burris and his staff.
Although Clark Porter found a unique job given his past history, there are thousands, perhaps millions, of similar success stories all across America.
Bill McClellan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a captivating article about the fascinating life and rehabilitation of P.O. Porter that is sure to provide a bit of hope to those with a criminal background who might feel they can never obtain a respectable employment position, or that they will forever be looked at askance by law enforcement.
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