Good, useable clothing is always in short supply for Ridge House clients. The majority of these individuals come to the Ridge directly from prison. Therefore, they do not have appropriate clothing for job search or employment. When you clean out your closets, please remember that professional adult clothing for men and women are needed. Please remember the Ridge House in your charitable giving.
All contributions are tax deductible.
The percentage of offenders being deprived of rehabilitation services, held in solitary confinement for extended periods of time, experiencing restrictive daily routines or being abused by other inmates or correctional staff is increasing. The effect of releasing this number of prisoners with psychiatric damage from prolonged incarceration can have a devastating impact upon American society. This includes the further devastation of inner city communities and destabilization of blue-collar and middle class districts unable to reabsorb returning prisoners who are less likely to get jobs, more likely to commit crimes and more likely to disrupt families. This is due in part to the increasing size of the prisoner population, use of restrictive and punishing institutional practices, reduction of access to education, vocational training and rehabilitation programs and the growing number of maximum security and super-max type institutions. Clients with PICS are at high risk for developing substance dependence, relapsing to substance abuse or active mental illness and returning to a life of aggression, violence and crime.