Former inmate credits MAGCOR mentor for turning life around

Patrick Medina, who spent 20 years behind bars, now works as a mechanic for the city of Pearl and was recently recognized as employee of the month, MAGCOR said. He credits a Magnolia Correctional Industries, or MAGCOR, work-release program and the persistence of Karen King, MAGCOR’s director of work release, with changing his life.

Medina told MAGCOR he began experimenting with meth at 13 and spent years cycling in and out of jail on nonviolent drug charges. He said a third offense led to a mandatory eight-year sentence. He described himself as angry and hopeless before the MAGCOR intervention.

King visited Medina while he still had time left on his sentence and offered him a conventional job through MAGCOR that allowed privileges similar to those enjoyed by people not incarcerated, Medina said. He said he initially worked for the city of Flowood doing lawn care. He told MAGCOR that 75 percent of his earnings went into savings, 10 percent to a debit card for hygiene and ancillary items, and a small percentage covered housing costs.

Medina said the experience allowed him to learn mechanical skills and, after moving to his hometown of Pearl, to service heavy equipment, lawn mowers and chainsaws. The city of Pearl hired him full time after his sentence ended, and he said he left custody with $24,000 in savings. “Mrs. Karen really helped me a lot. She was a godsend,” Medina said. “She didn’t let me fail.”

MAGCOR describes itself as a Mississippi-based nonprofit that provides vocational training, job opportunities and reentry services inside correctional institutions. Martha Claire Bullen, MAGCOR’s chief reentry officer, said staff focus on treating people with dignity and offering long-term support. “We can give training all day long to somebody, but if we’re not supporting them as humans, they’re not going to go home and be successful,” Bullen said. MAGCOR’s programs include work release, workplace readiness, anger management, financial planning, industry-specific certification and reentry readiness, Bullen said. Garrett McInnis, MAGCOR’s chief executive officer, said employment reduces recidivism and fills job openings with motivated workers. “We know that employment is oftentimes the No. 1 factor that’s going to determine whether someone succeeds or not when they get out,” McInnis said.

A recent study showed a majority of Mississippi businesses indicated willingness to consider applicants with criminal records and reported positive results, MAGCOR said. Medina now mentors incarcerated people in MAGCOR programs and said he tries to pass on the same support he received so others can avoid returning to prison.

Source: Original Article