Prisoner Re-entry: Watch the town hall replay

This week, New Jersey 101.5 presented a special in-studio "town hall" event on prisoner re-entry -- and the challenges former inmates face rejoining society. Anchor Eric Scott led the in-studio discussion, as we heard from former prisoners, advocacy groups and law enforcement.

"Our Town Hall broadcasts help create a better understanding among New Jersey residents while seeking to identify real and practical solutions to some of our state’s most difficult issues," Scott said. "More than half of those being released from prison in New Jersey today will be rearrested within three years. Almost a third will be sent back to prison. This program will explore ways to break the cycle of recidivism and confront the challenges of returning former inmates to society.”

The program’s on-air expert panel featured four guests: former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, whose work with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation is well-known throughout the state; Haywood Gandy, who was released from prison in 2018 after serving 20 years on armed robbery and other charges and is now the Director of Re-Entry for The H.U.B.B. (Help Us Become Better) Arts & Trauma Center in Newark; Daniel Lombardo, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley; and Jessica O’Neill, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Camden.

Video of the program was simulcast on Facebook Live, giving audience members the chance to ask questions of our experts in real-time, through the Facebook chat.