New 'Dignity Drive' helps prisoners succeed in life after incarceration

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Inmates looking for new beginnings will be able to move forward with confidence, thanks to a “dignity drive” that provides them with the essentials they need to succeed.

On Tuesday, Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming kicked off this year's START Dignity Drive in Southampton, along with Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon — who has run the START program for years — Southampton Village Mayor Jesse Warren, Kerry Spooner, founder and president of the Sound Justice Initiative, and Serena Martin-Liguori, executive director of New Hour LI.

The Sheriff's Transition and Reentry Team, or START, provides support to individuals during and after incarceration with social re-entry.

Both New Hour and the Sound-Justice Initiative are nonprofit organizations that partner with the START program to provide incarcerated and post-incarcerated individuals with direct services to improve their success.

According to the National Institute of Justice, 75 percent of those released are rearrested. New York State spends more than $69,000 per year per inmate. However, inmates who participate in parole programs are 17 percent less likely to return to prison than those who do not, according to information provided by Toulon and Fleming.

Lowering the recidivism rate for ex-prisoners makes communities safer while reducing the tax burden on law enforcement agencies, officials added.

This year's drive aims to provide the START program with personal hygiene products such as soap, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, lotion, feminine hygiene products and new socks. Also, geared toward education efforts, flash drives, notebooks, and computer accessories will be collected.

The START Resource Center relies on community organizations to help those incarcerated with reentry, both educationally and materially, Toulon said.

“This year, we again aim to positively impact the lives of justice-involved individuals and equip the START program with personal care items and educational materials to help individuals find good-paying jobs and reclaim the American Dream, reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars,” Fleming said.

Fleming added that the Southampton Inn has committed to donating toiletries and other personal care products.

“We hope this will be the start of other businesses and community members joining this collective effort,” he said.

Toulon said the START Resource Center has become a nationwide model for reentry and rehabilitation. “Its success is due to the countless organizations and partners that help support our mission,” he said.

“By providing resources to those reentering the community, we not only improve the quality of life for these individuals, but we can also significantly reduce the number of people who reoffend,” Warren said.

He encouraged residents and businesses to join the movement by dropping off personal hygiene products at Southampton Village Hall. “Your donation can change someone's life and improve our village,” Warren said.

“Together, we are a model for the state, creating hope and healing for incarcerated women and men who will benefit from the resources we continue to offer and the immediate support we provide through Project Dignity. People who are stabilized are better able to be safe and productive members of the community,” said New Hour's Martin-Liguori.

“There is no doubt that the START Dignity Drive is urgently needed. In addition to addressing practical needs, the Dignity Drive recognizes the profound differences between men's and women's experiences that lead to court involvement in the first place and the formidable challenges women face after release,” Spooner added.

Donation boxes will be placed inside Fleming's regional office, located at 71 Hill Street, Suite F-1, in Southampton, as well as at Southampton Village Hall, located at 23 Main Street in Southampton. The collection will run until September 30, when donations will be delivered to the Sheriff's START program.