Author: Becky Doemland

Turning Bad Decisions Into Better Outcomes

What happens when a young mother commits a nonviolent crime in Indiana? Oftentimes, she is sentenced to serve time in a women’s prison, leaving her children to the care of others. For the duration of her sentence, the mother-child bond is broken, and the responsibilities of parenting are paused. But sometimes, if she’s eligible, a judge can sentence a nonviolent female offender to an average of 6-18 months at Craine House…with her young children.

Craine House sign

Founded in 1978, Craine House is an innovative work-release and reentry facility located on North Michigan Road in Indianapolis. Serving only nonviolent female offenders, the nonprofit organization offers programs to match individuals’ rehabilitation needs while working to address generational cycles of abuse, poverty and crime. Women come to Craine House when they’re nearing the end of a sentence with the Department of Corrections, or they’re assigned to Craine House in lieu of prison.

A unique aspect of Craine House is that residents can serve their time in a home-like setting with their young children. It is one of only six facilities in the U.S. and the only one in the Midwest where women can continue to parent their children while serving their sentences. The agency can house up to 40 women and their children under the age of five.

This innovative combination of promoting self-sufficiency and strengthening the mother-child bond is having positive results. Craine House has a recidivism rate of only 20%, compared to the national recidivism rate of more than 60%.*

Craine House residents complete onsite educational and job-readiness programs, including financial classes, high school equivalency courses and a certified culinary training curriculum. Women are expected to find outside employment within two weeks of arrival, and each resident uses her earnings to contribute to the cost of her stay at Craine House. 

  • Suzy Pierce, Craine House Executive Director
  • Alicia Cooley, President, Modern Day Therapy

Executive Director Suzy Pierce has led the staff and residents for more than 17 years. “The women at Craine House have made some bad decisions in their past, but they are not bad people.” Many women suffer lasting effects of trauma and often have family members who have experienced the criminal justice system.

One of the most important programs at Craine House, and a key differentiator from other work-release facilities, is the onsite counseling provided by Modern Day Therapy. Through these programs, residents receive individual and group counseling to address past trauma and ongoing emotional issues that can impede successful reentry into the community.

“Many things occur in the lives of women that bring them into the prison system,” said Alicia Cooley, MSW, LSW, and President of Modern Day Therapy. “Modern Day Therapy’s partnership with Craine House allows us to create tailored client-centered services to treat critical issues. And because we’re working in the same place where the women reside, we’re able to see their progress in real time.”

Levi at Craine House

In addition to staff-led programs, residents enjoy the companionship of Levi, a trained service dog from ICAN (Indiana Canine Assistant Network) adopted by Craine House in 2019. While Levi is specially trained to recognize and respond to the signs of emotional distress, he’s also a willing playmate and happy distraction for residents.

In most circumstances, our community is better served—economically and socially—when eligible convicted women complete comprehensive reentry programs. Kelly M. Shaw of the Marion County Public Defender Agency said this in a 2019 blog post for the Indianapolis Bar Association. “Overall, Craine House is a great example of what attorneys and judges hope for in a sentence—a balance between punishment and rehabilitation that allows women who complete their sentence to become better members of our community.” *

Here’s how you can help:

  • Donate to support the programs and services of Craine House here.
  • Purchase and donate supplies from the Craine House Wish List. In addition to items on this list, the center is also in need of baby supplies.

* Why Craine House Should Always Be Considered For Sentencing https://www.indybar.org/?pg=CriminalJusticeNews&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=7914

Hope and Help on Indy’s Near Eastside

You don’t have to travel far from Monument Circle to find one of our city’s most active and vibrant community centers: Westminster Neighborhood Services. Located at the corner of New York and Keystone, Westminster has been providing support for children and families on the Near Eastside for over 38 years.

Without a doubt, neighbors within Westminster’s service area face a multitude of challenges: 36% of households live at or below poverty levels, with 21% surviving on an annual income of $10,000 or less. Additionally, this part of Indianapolis is a known food desert, making it especially difficult for families and seniors to access affordable and nutritious food.

Smack-dab in the middle of all this is Westminster Neighborhood Services, offering programs to some of our city’s most vulnerable residents. From after-school programs for kids to a thriving food pantry for families and seniors, Westminster serves as an oasis of hope and help for neighbors in need.

When it comes to nonprofit organizations like Westminster, which is admittedly smaller than other agencies in Indianapolis, size is a factor. “We may be small, but we’re making a big impact,” said Executive Director Chrissy Petersen. “Because we’re smaller, we have the ability to build relationships with our neighbors and go the extra mile to really help them tear down obstacles and make changes in their lives.”

She’s right about that: there’s certainly nothing small about Westminster’s outcomes. In 2019, the staff distributed more than 300,000 pounds of food from its food pantry to 7,300+ neighbors. Additionally, Westminster offers after-school and summer programs for 40-45 children, providing academic enrichment, field trips and daily meals.

The impact of these and several more programs is the driving force for Peterson and the agency’s staff and volunteers. “Lives are being changed through the work at Westminster. If we can help our families break down the obstacles of oppression and generational poverty, the kids in those families have a better chance of breaking the cycle.”

Here’s how you can help:

  • Get to know Westminster Neighborhood Services and spread the word to build awareness. Visit their website (www.westmin.org) and follow WNS on Twitter (@westmin) and Facebook (@WestminsterNeighborhoodServices).
  • Volunteer to pack and distribute food in the food pantry. Click here to submit volunteer application.
  • Donate to fund Westminster’s ongoing programs. Click here to donate.

Do you know a nonprofit organization that’s doing great things in our community? Let’s talk.