A project aimed at empowering persons affected by the justice system is set to be launched in Ghana.
The initiative, dubbed WINNERGY is an entreprise of Corey Jacobs who has a justice history in the United States.
Mr Jacobs served seventeen years in prison after his life sentence was truncated in a clemency President Obama granted to some 231 others including himself on December 20, 2016.
He has arrived in Accra to empower individuals affected by the justice system in the country to become productive in society after their exit from prison.
Mr Jacobs, even while in prison was developing empowerment programmes for colleagues.
The project, which means WINNING ENERGY is aimed at empowering individuals in prison to find themselves useful while serving their sentences and become productive when they join society again.
“It is the energy and the mindset to win in any circumstance for those who have every reason to give up but decided to persevere through adversity,” Corey explained.
In an interview with crimecheckghana.org, Mr Jacobs said his empowerment programme started while he was in prison.
He told the crime news portal that he introduced educational programmes for individuals affected by the justice system to turn a new leaf.
“I created programmes about self-development because there was no education in prison. I have always been the type of person who wouldn’t like to complain but try to find solutions so I came up with a programme called the ‘SQUARE UP’ now from criminality to legality is the best only option.’
“I also created twenty-five classes on self-development. I gathered the inmates, teaching ourselves and reading books on self-development. We were taking our future into our own hands,” Jacobs said.
Using himself as a testimony, Jacobs encouraged individuals affected by the justice system not to give up life as they have the potential to become successful.
His journey to prison
Corey Jacobs, a Mt. St. Michael Academy graduate was sentenced to life in federal prison on a non-violent drug charge – his first-ever felony conviction.
On a webpage, IamCoreyJacobs, visitors were asked to sign a petition asking President Obama to grant Mr. Jacobs clemency.
His supporters noted that since his incarceration, Jacobs has written an anti-bullying children’s book series and a book on domestic violence.
President Obama commuted the sentences of Corey Jacob, along with 231 others, including 78 who were granted presidential pardons.
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