Readers write
Ex-prisoners need a fair chance to start over
Formerly incarcerated individuals deserve more than a second chance; they deserve a fair one. As a graduate student in social work at the University of Georgia, and as the daughter of a man who was incarcerated and released in October 2022, I have seen firsthand how challenging reentry can be when the right support systems are missing.
Many returning citizens come home determined to rebuild their lives yet face barriers that make stability nearly impossible. Limited access to employment, housing, transportation and mental-health services often leaves people struggling to get on their feet. These obstacles don’t make our communities safer; they make reintegration harder.
Georgia needs stronger, more coordinated systems that guide individuals from the moment they are released. That includes expanding reentry programs, improving access to stable housing, offering job-training pathways and encouraging employers to hire returning citizens. These supports not only reduce recidivism but also strengthen families and communities across our state.
When my father came home, compassion and practical assistance were essential to his transition. Every returning citizen deserves the same chance to succeed. Supporting reintegration isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s how we build safer, healthier communities.
CHELSEA VIOLENES-HILL, POWDER SPRINGS
Print AJC has been ‘part of my life’
The AJC is not just any newspaper — it was part of my life. So sad it is going out of print.
I have lifelong connections to the AJC. Clark and Evan Howell, 19th century owners and editors of The Atlanta Constitution way back when, are ancestors of mine. I have a treasured original, signed illustration from cartoonist Eric Ericson I received after writing to him when I was 8 years old. I was a teen representative from my high school to the AJC and had two published articles. I met the famed Atlanta Constitution editor and publisher Ralph McGill on a field trip to the old building downtown.
My daddy was written about twice when he attempted to save people from burning cars. I’ve had letters to the editor published over the years and was featured in an interview with writer Gracie Bonds Staples. Archived papers were important research in writing my novels and provided information about my grandmother our family never knew, including that she ran a brothel in the city of Atlanta and was on trial for murder in the early 1900s.
I have memories of my mama and daddy reading the paper every day as I grew up, and then of my husband and me doing the same for over 50 years of marriage. Yes, this newspaper is not just any paper. It was part of my life and will be missed.
JANET HOGAN CHAPMAN, FLAGLER BEACH, FLORIDA
