Talkback
What do you think can help break the cycle of incarceration? Share your response and your reactions to HARD ROAD HOME.
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I have been a fan of Independent Lens for a while. IL has never disappointed. Hard Road Home was no exception. This was one of the most compelling IL films I have seen so far. Thank you for portraying the individuals in this film with dignity, and just showing it like it is. As a poster stated earlier, a portrayal from the female perspective would make a good sequel.
i really enjoyed seeing this film.i just wish that alberto would of did the right thing which was his vision to one day sit in julio chair which i know he had it in him to do so .but that cylcle is hard to break, some have the will and desire to do so,and other rather lived that negative life style.its not a easy thing to overcome.it take years of honesty and loyalty,relapse prevention is the only way to beat the cylcle..if only alberto knew that his downfall was his doing no body else to blame.however im pulling for griffi to sit in alberto chair at exodus..
Im a OG and I got a few guys off the street now I need help after seeing the show this is what the kids need something to do help me if you can the youth need all the help we can give they are the future just seeing the film was like a eye opener the kids treat jail like a badge of honor.
Thank you for this very moving documentary. The Exodus staff and it's director should be applauded for their work on behalf of ex-inmates --- I will definitely make a contribution to this organization. I was moved to tears by Alberto's descent back into addiction and I send my prays to him and his family. The real issue that needs to be addressed by society is drug addiction because it is at the root of a substantial number of incarceration -- male and female.
I thoroughly enjoyed the program. I was really pulling for Alberto because he seemed as though he had his act together.I belioeve that we in America have become dull to what's going on in our prison system. If it's not my house why care? That's the attitude but how can you not be affected by what is going on. We need more programs that will help these men and women to integrate back into society. We cannot turn our backs on them.Also I would like to say thank you to the Exodus Team you have inspired me.
America has the largest prison population in the world. Four of ten people who get out go back to prison in six months. An example of this system is Alberto Lopez. He spent most of his 20's in prison. He alone knows best how to help convicts but falls prey to the system and ends up back in prison. The show HARD ROAD HOME has to tell Alberto's story. He can't tell his story. Something is wrong to the prison approach in America when we have people like Alberto Lopez.
was channel surfing after watching Oprah's Big Give, i found this be very touching, and very moving, i always wanted to be a social worker, and Julio you and your team all the love and support keep on doing great stuff.
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM I WISH THERE WAS A PROGRAM THIS SINCERE AND THIS STRONG FOR PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF PRISON IN ST. LOUIS MISSOURI.
PRISONS HAS GOTTEN TO BE NOTHING BUT A WALL STREET, MONEY MAKING INSTITUTION; BUILT ON THE BACKS OF PITIFUL INDIVIDULES CAUGHT UP IN A VISCIOUS CYCLE. PLEASE AIR THIS PROGRAM IN EARLIER HOURS. I SAW IT LATE AT NIGHT.
I don't care who you are or what your political background is--you WILL be touched by this film. Okay, so maybe you won't catch yourself sitting in a Lazyboy and gulping down sobs when one of the main ex-cons relapses back into his drug addiction. Maybe you won't see Griffik, a 21 year old thug, and think of someone you know or teach. Maybe you'll even watch it and scoff at a faith based program. Or maybe, just maybe you'll watch it and remind yourself why it's crucial that we support programs like Exodus and the independent filmmakers that bring their stories into our homes.
To the Exodus team:
Thank you so much for sharing your lives with us. I woke up this morning, the first day of my Spring break, with a heavy heart. In every person followed in that film, I saw the faces of my students whose paths are yet to be determined. Thank you for reminding us all why we CAN'T give up on anyone. The stakes are too high.
A couple of highly relevant issues went untouched in the film. 1) The woman who was the mother of the hard-luck guy's children - what role did she play in bringing him down? 2) How much tougher is it for an ex-con to find a decent job in New York with a million illegal aliens floating around the city willing to work for chump change? There's nothing independent or brave about steering well clear of this obviously critical issue.
I was channel surfing one night and came upon your show. It was very touching and emotional. I must say that I admire everything Julio and his team are doing for people who struggle in this world. My HEART goes out for Alberto Lopez and his family; I could see it in his eyes that he has had a lot of pain in his life too. I pray that he is doing ok and he stays strong. Julio is a wonderful man to do what he is doing not only for other people, but for himself as well.
I admire the leadership he instilled in Alberto Lopez's life and I hope that Alberto will always tell himself that everything will be ok and he is a GREAT PERSON . I really wish there were more agencies like EXODUS..I know people who struggle with addiction and it is very hard for them to keep the faith and thanks to Julio and his great team, there will always be hope for them. My best to Alberto Lopez.
Was moved to tears by your riveting production, last night. Grew up in the Bronx , went to John Jay College; have friends and family that have been incarcerated & have worked first hand with inmates & the formerly incarcerated in Louisiana ,( as an outside private contractor of maintenance services) and have witnessed first hand, many similiar stories as`were told.
Julio Medina & the Exodus org . made me want to ask for a job, or maybe offer my services!
Julio:
God Bless you bro! You are doing it.
Best Regards:
Mark A. Varca, J.D., CIO & Executive Director
FedCURE
P.O. Box 1567
Plantation, Florida 33318-5667
e-Mail: FedCURE@FedCURE.org
Web site: www.FedCURE.org
Bravo to the dedicated staff of EXODUS, to the men working to better themselves, and to the filmmaker and PBS for showing this important documentary. I have worked with and know men that have served time and have witnessed some of their struggles; I know it is almost impossible for them to have a sense of self worth much less survive while living with the prejudices of society. It is a wonder to me that any of them do, eventually, make it.
This film has given me the strength to finally look in to how I can serve my brothers and sisters who find themselves incarcerated. I am going to talk to my pastor for guidance and hope to start helping, as the staff of EXODUS does, soon. Thank you for your inspiration!
I was very moved by your documentary. I ran the streets of East Harlem as a teenager shooting drugs, committing crimes and getting incarcerated. At 20 I was lucky to find recovery through NA and have been clean for 22 years. I have deep respect for the work done by the people at Exodus. I believe the only true antidote for drug addiction is to help others. Total self centerdness is the root of our addiction and helping others counteracts this. I wish to help their efforts in any way possible.
Mr. Alston I watched your piece last night and it moved me in many ways. I would love to see a part II to your story focusing on the women of Exodu, how their story of being incarcerated/released and and the effect it has on their children. Also what keeps them on the straight and narrow. I feel for Alberto and his family and hope that the Exodus staff is still using him behind bars to educate and mentor men and women who have re-entered society. Even though he resorted to old habits, he still has a great mind and his 6 yrs at Exodus should not be put to waste.
yo, I didn't get a chancge 2 see the
hold thing but,like myself was locked
up and been home 4 like 2 years now
and i still have not found any work
yet. it's real hard because i don't
want 2 go back 2 da streets, and it's
callin!!! lookin 4 something in maintencse
freaky1cat@yahoo.com
Hi,
I saw your story on Exodus. This was exactly what I do at Span Boston.
It is so refreshing to share and enlighten the public through your vehicle of the difficulties men and women come across upon release.
I pray this educates our government funders of the re-entry problem across the country.
Exodus was a great detailed snapshot of the employment end, but the housing, substance abuse support, life skills, HIV education, transportation, are other just as important and equally seroius matters.
I am an ex-convict with 19.5 years behind the wall in both MA and RI prisons. I have cleaned my life up through the support of the organization I work at today. With this piece, I have earned an AS and a BS and enter law chool in the Fall.
Dont matter how old you are, you come out at all ages with common problems. I am 51.
I was born and raised in East Harlem. Spent a good part of my life on 110 st, 2nd and 3rd so your efforts are heartwarming.
I spent 40 years as a dealer/addict (heroin) and did 8 years in NY prisons.
While in prison I thought "decriminalization of drugs" would help break the cycle of crime and violence. This would eliminate the profit incentive in drugs whch account for more than half of the crime. It would smash the dream, of fast money, fast living, power and prestige of the street life, which is really the nightmare being sold to our children
For me I needed Jesus to break the generational curse of heroin in my life. At 62 I have been clean for 8 years. This includes heroin, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco. Now I sm part of a Christian Ministry in Atlanta helping men with similar problems.
Praise God for you guys and gals at Exodus. By staying clean and working within our social structures you are breaking the cycle of destruction that have been imposed on our community.
These men come out of prison and the only thing they can fall back on is what got them locked up in the first place. It doesnt need to be like that. You have to feed the mind and stay positive and always look ahead. Yeah its tough when people turn you away because you were and inmate. Thats just something you have to live with because you made that decision that got you locked up. Its hard but they need to hold their heads up and fight. Thats life. Look towards the armed forces. Thats positive structure that everyone could use no matter how you obtain it. Just dont give up, thats it.
How can one donate to Exodus?
Editors note:
You can find the Exodus Web site at:
http://www.etcny.org/
This was an amazing film! After watching so much crime drama, I thought these people and their stories were greater than anything that could ever be scripted. Great pacing and structure.
I just happened upon this show last night because there was nothing on and I am Speechless. This was a wonderfully real program and I just loved everybody in it. God Bless Julio and the whole Exodus staff for being so REAL!!!!!! I will continue to pray for Alberto and his family because I have been a wife of a drug-addict. I truly felt his wife's anger and pain. Stay Strong to Gerrick(?) and I pray he is still doing well. Julio, you are a very blessed man. Thank you for helping others. I wish I lived in there so I could work at Exodus with you. I would never leave. I don't feel it was for TV at all. I saw real genuine feelings of support for your staff. Thank you. You have truly touched my life.
Education and a change to the legal system is in order. Perhaps Exodus needs to form a functioning alliance with a non-profit working to make changes on a legislative plane and also non-profits working to make changes on those at most risk to go to prison in the first place... then use those resources throughout that network.
The documentary was phenomenal. I've done documentary work and that piece must have taken a lot of time individually with those people... those are the pieces I cringe to take on because I know the amount of time it takes to produce what the subject matter deserves. The camera work seemed very seasoned... great camera work.
Alberto made my heart break... i could see the struggle in his face during the film even before he relapsed. His tragedy sums up the difficulty involved in the endeavor. I saw that he got 12-life... that doesn't make sense but I don't know what his prior convictions were. Was his time in Exodus weighed in his sentencing? Is Exodus still in contact with him and possibly still using him? He can be making a difference on the inside too.
Much respect to the filmmaker and all the Exodus crew. You guys live the meaning of redemption and you are an embodiment of how Christians should look at life... knowing that redemption is open to everyone, although not without struggle, not without pain.
I'm not really sure how we can break the cycle of incarceration. Before seeing this film I always thought, how hard is it to be good and do the right thing? I never took into consideration that desperation to survive can lead to desperate and sometimes illegal acts.
I was really heartbroken to see Alberto fall back into old ways. He seemed like a true role model and inspiration to others that it is possible to break the cycle. Although Alberto's story did not have a happy ending, i'm sure that the time that he did spend at Exodus gave him the opportunity to impact others in a positive way. I wish his family the best and I hope the cycle of incarceration ends with him.
I would also like to give Julio Medina a hand for the work that he is doing. He seems to treat his clients and coworkers with the dignity and respect that they need and deserve to continue to do the right thing.
This was an awesome documentary. I was flipping through the stations and I was immediately drawn in. This story was so real, more real than anything I have ever heard told about the struggles about men and women being re-introduced to society after many years of in and out of prison and the battle to remain free.
This is particularly touching for me, because I have a brother in prison and my son’s father is as well. My heart ached deeply when we lost Alberto. I was pulling for him, I was deeply disturbed that freedom was too much for him to handle. I know a young man that spent about 15 years in prison; he got out and stayed out less than a full year. The stigmatism of prison followed him everywhere he went. He could have been a successful writer OR chef. He had many talents, but did not have belief in himself.
When the film was going off, I promised myself that I would log on to see if I could donate to Exodus. It will not be much, because I am a single mom that recently lost her job, but I do believe in sewing seed in good ground, in fact, the church I attend believes in supporting great causes. I plan to place Exodus on our prayer list, but I also would like to propose that it become one of our regular ministries that we support. Keep up the great work.
Many Blessings,
Alicia
Excellent, well put together, did I mention Excellent.....
AGAIN, Great programming, I can only wish that main stream programming would provide such engaging facts, life and film making. guess I'm just stuck with "The Biggest Loser".....YUCK! Thank you ALL for your wonderful work!
I just want to say that after watching the documentary last night I'm not only inspired but want to speak up. I live in a small town in TEXAS right outside of Houston, I come from a long blood line of convicts. I know how hard it is to break that cycle. Most of society views them as the outcasts that don't need a second chance, even after serving their debt to society. Not only does that effect the souls of those individuals, but also the children of those men & women.
I'm one of those children. I am the first in my family to graduate and attend college. I have a 6 year old little girl who is the light of my life. My father spent 10 years locked up, & older brother is currently serving his sixth year. No one wins when we as a nation forget about our men, women & families of the streets, it's not always where we come from but where we are going, & what we are doing every single day to get there. Julio, you're a genius! I'm so inspired by watching what you are doing with these young men! I would love to start something like EXODUS here in TEXAS! Keep up the good work my brother!
I watched "Hard Road Home" this evening and was touched by the stories I saw unfolding. I would like to know if there's a way to donate to Exodus to assist that program in it's work to reintegrate ex-offenders into life on the outside? I was so touched by the depiction of the work of staff members with men and women struggling to make a life for themselves and their families after release from prison. Thanks so much, Exodus staff, for the work you do!
This was a powerful documentary answer relates to human drama.
I believe there are two factors which play into developing solutions toward eliminating incarceration.
1 > Changing the person's mindset
2 > Employment opportunities
I have no doubt there is a lot which goes on in the mind of an individual who has been incarcerated. I am certain that doubt plays a large part in that persons thinking. I suspect they have been made to feel worthless and I would imagine they behave accordingly.
There can be no successes if there are no options and more opportunities. People have to be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. If people do not find a highway they can travel down than they have nowhere to go. Employment opportunities is the lifeblood of any society and when we face out people through automation then we limit those opportunities and create these undesirable conditions.
The problem of incarceration in America has detrimental impact on our communities and our nation. I wonder if people understand that most prisoners will be released and if there is no opportunity for them then they will stay locked into life style that they real cannot escape. The riches country in the world has the highest incarceration rate, which are disproportionally people of color. When we look at the ills of this great nation, I wonder if anyone realizes that this movement to prison industrial complex began at the end of the civil rights movement. Is it a coincidence or is it by design? The great dream of America is failing, until all Americans take responsibility to help ALL AMERICANS, nothing will change. Opportunity thru education is the key. We must listen to conscience.
Very impressive piece. The dialogue was incredibly crisp and the characters very unique and memmorable. The sound track was synchronized perfectly. Photogenic characters too. It was more an art piece I think than a documentary which is fine as it reaches out further than just a policy wonk attempt. The huge brick housing projects had a soviet era feel to them with dire economic implications.
I would pose the idea that its a mistake to racialize the true fact that there are an incredible number of black men in prison, in part due to the cocaine and drug laws, or better put the American government's war on its citizens- the war on drugs. Its really a war on our own people. It attacks everyone including whites. Personally I think its a mentality that oppresses all of us regardless of race and we should all band together to deal with this dysfunctional system.
Separate from property and violent crime issues, I think the war on drugs is really a stick the system uses to push everyone into the corporate line of being more productive workers. Not to say that drugs won't mess you up, but it also makes you a lousy worker and its really that they object too. Plus as the 1960's showed, it becomes a conversation opening tool to question the very power structure of our society. It solved this by co-opting people with more opportunity to work for the corporations and more income to buy products manufactured by them, but extremely oppressed them from picking alternative lifestyles or even questioning authority.
So to simply racialize the problem really ignores the bigger issue of why its so draconian. There are plenty of other people who want change too, but race can polarize things to where you lose support. Ultimatelly its a highly immoral thing to do to anybody(putting them into a cage surrounded by abused lunatics) and so incredibly wasteful and not something a truely free nation would do. Its utterly amazing at the lack of programs for helping these people in prison and after. Its wrong to ruin a person for simply being sentenced to prison for a deemed crime, but that is what the system is doing to people today to scare the rest of us to stay in line.
Can you please come to texas ,an i also need any information ,on prison reform programs here,i live here in dallas,an it seems like there is no help,or that i should jump thru rings of fire to get any feedback ,much less help....
What a wonderful documentary! One thing that I have realized watching my father go in and out the system is that it is extremely hard for him to find work even if he is skilled. It hurts that these men and women are told to go out start over with life, but how can they when life doesn't let them start over without sometime of mentoring program.
These programs should be implemented and mandatory in the system so that when they are released life may be a little bit easier for them. One less thing for them to think about on top of trying to stay clean or deal with what ever disorder or problems that they may be facing. I comment the owner of this organization and his team for there efforts. God will surely bless this ministry!!!
HARD ROAD HOME simply put was breathtaking to watch and experience. It was so real that it had me cheering on Griffik and raising my hand in prayer over Alberto. The vision of EXODUS's creator, Julian, is simply inspiring. The committment of his staff and just the way they do business would be the envy of any Fortune 500 company worth its salt. This is leardership and a real commitment to their community that is sincere, passionate, driven, strong, yet realisitic about its weaknesses and ever ready to meet their challenges head on without excuses.
Their staff meetings were wonderful to see - overall group reflections of success and failures and how they will get back on track tomorrow, ending on an uplifting note renewing their resolve to work again tomorrow. EXODUS operates from the heart with wisdom, love, truth, and a necessary toughness that does not cripple the intended's soul. There is no BS and you know exactly where you stand with leadership 24/7. I wish every school and community agency in the US could model EXODUS; it's a great model of how we could stop this monster, business cycle of incarceration, dead in its tracks.
I was just checking on channels and happen to catch the prrogram and wanted to saay I live in sc and I can say I take my hat off that this programed aired and I learned a lot to be able to help some of the mothers I know wondering what can they do to help there children and I am here to say that usually I try to find them info but in this case I can only pray that maybe one day they will have a program like yours to help these people in the south get out and get on their feet and realize that there is a better legal way to get ahead.Keep doing what you do.
May God Bless each of you.I look around and the south is just lost that's why crime just keeps happening there is nothing in Spartaanburg for Hope and Support.I will keep each of you in my prayers.
I realy liked the program. I do not have an answer to what can break the cycle. I want to help, especially since I saw the program. I admire what the people at Exodus do. Our society needs to realize that we are far from perfect and put out this image of people that are rich and successful. Most people struggle and they do not get the help that they need. Again, I admire the efforts and support from everyone at Exodus. I am thinking of starting a program like that at my home town. I see the struggle and problems that most people face, but I also see that there is no real solution to the problembs. Great program. Way to go PBS and Independence Lens.
Seeing this film and in particular Julio's leadership role in Exodus made me want to write him and thank him for the work he is doing and his professionalism.
Are there more Black men in college or in prison?
