Second Chance Student Marcus Lilly in The Baltimore Sun: 'Formerly Incarcerated People Have the Knowledge That Maryland Needs'
January 8, 2024
Contact: Office of Advancement and External Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Marcus Lilly, a prospective May 2024 graduate from The University of Baltimore's Second Chance College Program, writes in The Baltimore Sun that many formerly incarcerated people in Maryland have life experiences that could help to resolve issues of conflict among those who are detained in juvenile centers or correctional institutions.
Lilly, who expects to graduate from UBalt with a degree in Human Services Administration, relays an experience he had as a mentor in a detention center. In the midst of witnessing a violent episode involving a juvenile, Lilly recalls, he relied on his perspective to help calm the situation and restore order. Regardless of that success, he says, officials are reluctant to view that as applicable expertise.
"Despite the positive benefits of involving successful formerly incarcerated people, like myself, in prison-based programming, policies often restrict those with criminal records from working within government institutions," he writes. "Consequently, few individuals and government organizations are willing to invest in or take a chance on returning citizens. As a result, our society misses opportunities to engage formerly incarcerated people in roles that could not only prevent violence and conflict within detention centers and correctional institutions but also mitigate the overflow of such violence into our school systems and communities upon individuals' release."
Lilly, who works as a program assistant for the Chris Wilson Foundation in addition to attending classes through Second Chance, describes his experiences in the justice system as directly relatable to these kinds of problems. He is "eager to give back to my community using the skills I've acquired and hoping to inspire others."
He notes: "I wouldn't be here without The University of Baltimore Second Chance Program, either, which gave me the education and skills to excel as a human service professional, or my own encounters within the justice system, which taught me how to positively influence the thinking and behavior of many incarcerated individuals."
Read Lilly's op-ed in The Baltimore Sun.
Learn more about The University of Baltimore's Second Chance College Program.