Prison to Entrepreneurship Model

Although Rhode Island’s incarceration rates per capita are half the national average, probation rates are much higher. That’s why the Prison Policy Initiative ranked Rhode Island the 10th state for mass punishment, making it the only northeast state on that list. For every 100,000 Rhode Island residents, 1,911 people are on probation - a similar rate to Louisiana which has the highest incarceration rate in the nation. Keeping up with the rules and demands of supervision is extremely limiting to those on probation, and those arrested on a probation violation charge can be incarcerated for up to 10 days while awaiting a hearing for their violation. Additionally, Rhode Island’s cash bail system discriminates against low-wealth individuals, requiring folks charged with a crime to post 10 percent of the total bail set by a judge to be released from jail following a misdemeanor charge. Furthermore, the majority of incarcerated individuals are Black, even though Black, non-Hispanic individuals make up only 5% of the state’s population. The second highest incarcerated ethnic group is Hispanic folks who make up 16% of Rhode Island’s population, and 27% are in prison.

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program in Texas has +3,300 graduates - over 500 of them have launched their own businesses. Recidivism rates for program graduates are consistently below 9% (compared to the Texas three-year average of 21.4% and the Rhode Island three-year recidivism rate is 50%).

100% of the program's graduates are employed within 90 days of release from prison and nearly 100% are still employed after 12 months (compared to nearly 50% national unemployment rate among ex-offenders). 

Marcus Bullock is a living example of such success. Marcus was only fifteen years old when he was sent to a juvenile detention center and isolated from family and friends. Today he is the founder of the Flikshop app, which helps incarcerated people connect to their loved ones. Hear about his mission to combine justice reform and entrepreneurship, and how one’s path is not defined by a single action. Learn more about his journey in the video below:

In the below video, Robert Omer, Executive Director and Stacey Putka, Program Director at Defy Ventures Colorado join us to discuss incarceration in Colorado, and the many impacts it has on our community and families. In this video, you’ll learn about their program to help formerly incarcerated population enter into the world of entrepreneurship. Joining Robert and Stacey are Entrepreneur in Training, Ronnie Madrid, and Tom Wyman, Advisory Board Member and Volunteer at Defy Colorado.