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Ashley Furst (Leading with Conviction™ 2024) writes, “Visiting a loved one in jail can be an emotional and often overwhelming experience—for both the visitor and the incarcerated individual. Something as simple as wearing street clothes instead of a jail uniform can change the tone of that visit. It brings a sense of normalcy, restores dignity, and reinforces the humanity of everyone involved. When people are treated with dignity, we create space for healing, connection, and true rehabilitation.
This type of program isn’t happening in any other jail in the country—and it’s a step toward making our justice system more humane and restorative.
“That’s why I’m incredibly proud to share a first-of-its-kind initiative in the United States—a new partnership between Goodwill of Colorado, Denver Sheriff Elias Diggins, and Councilwoman Shontel M. Lewis. Through this collaboration, Goodwill will provide street clothing for individuals in custody to change into during visits with friends and family. I am so excited to have been a part of getting this collaboration and program up and running.
“This type of program isn’t happening in any other jail in the country—and it’s a step toward making our justice system more humane and restorative. Sometimes, it’s the smallest details that make the biggest impact.”
The Denver Post reports: “When visiting hours start Friday morning at the Denver County Jail, [incarcertated individuals] will have their first-ever chance to shed their prison jumpsuits and wear normal clothes while talking with their loved ones.
“[Incarcerated people] will take turns entering the new Goodwill-filled closet in the visitation area and picking out a pair of shoes, pants and a shirt from the racks lined up against the wall. Then they’ll enter private changing areas, secure their uniform and other belongings in nearby lockers and head out to see their visitors. …
“[Sheriff] Diggins said he was inspired by Daughters, a Netflix documentary that showed four daughters reuniting with their fathers inside a Washington, D.C., jail. In that documentary, the fathers were allowed to wear everyday clothes.
“He said it made him think about visiting his dad in the Denver jail during his childhood.”
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