We are thrilled every time a new family walks into the doors of the Family Reconciliation Center’s guest house.
That’s because we know there are so many families that need our services. It’s true that in the first year of the COVID pandemic, the number of people in prisons and jails dropped by 15 percent and 25 percent, respectively. However, that drop was because of slowdowns in the legal system, not because mass incarceration was really changing. In fact, the number of people in prisons and jails is rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the nonprofit Prison Policy Initiative.
Also, fewer people are being released from prisons and jails—partly because of backlogs in the court system. And most disturbing, deaths in U.S. prisons increased by 46 percent in 2020 and in 2021 were still 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The Prison Policy Initiative reports that many of these deaths could have been prevented if authorities had made greater efforts to release more people from prison.
That’s why FRC’s services are needed more than ever. We frequently hear from our visitors about the threats received by their loved ones on the inside, the crushing effect of loneliness and isolation, and the danger of acquiring infectious diseases such as COVID.
Our families are delighted to stay at our guest house, and we are delighted to have them. Help us spread the word — we offer a safe, clean, friendly environment at no cost to families and friends visiting any of the prisons and jails in Nashville.