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Event Seeks to Assist Recently Released Offenders with Necessary Services to be Successful
Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Mike Hurst announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi will host a Re-entry Services Fair in Meridian under Project EJECT in order to provide vital services, information, and assistance to previously incarcerated individuals who are re-entering society.
The Re-entry Services Fair will be held on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Velma Young Community Center, 2400 16th Avenue, in Meridian.
“Re-entry is an integral part of Project EJECT and a vital component to reducing violent crime. Most prisoners today will one day be released back into our communities. We as a people must do all that we can to empower these individuals with the tools they need to be law-abiding and productive citizens. I want to personally thank these agencies, non-profits, and volunteers for coming together and helping folks get back on their feet. By working together, we are making our neighborhoods safe and secure for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
“Working together we can and are making a difference in the lives of our returning citizens,” said Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall. “Events such as these expose them to resources and job opportunities. I encourage formerly incarcerated persons to take advantage of this re-entry services fair. The fair is also available to the general public. Similar events have been successful. We hope we can say the same about Wednesday’s event. And, we would like to hold a resource fair in south Mississippi in the near future.”
The goal of the fair is to help previously incarcerated individuals overcome obstacles often faced by those who are trying to re-enter society. Participating agencies will set up booths at the Fair to provide resources in a variety of areas such as assistance with obtaining personal identification documents, housing information, educational assistance, legal information, and guidance for seeking and obtaining employment.
Agencies participating in the Re-entry Services Fair include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Department of Human Services, Mississippi Department of Corrections, U.S. Probation Office, Mississippi Community College Board, and the Governor’s Job Fair Network of Mississippi.
This event is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, reentry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
