Announcer:
This episode is sponsored by Connect to End COVID-19.
Aliah Wright:
From the National Association of Social Workers, I'm your host, Aliah Wright, and this is Social Work Talks.
In today's episode, we're going to discuss recidivism. New statistics from healthypeople.gov show that the US releases over 7 million people from jail, and more than 600,000 people from prisons annually. However, recidivism is common. Within three years of their release, two out of three people are rearrested and more than 50 percent are incarcerated again. The good news is that we know from that data that half of those who are incarcerated don't reoffend. Our guest today includes mental health therapist, Monique Bingham, with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, also known as ARC. Ms. Bingham has also recently been named winner of the NASW Emerging Social Work Leader award for her work with those who have been incarcerated. Congratulations on your win.
Monique Bingham:
Thank you so much.
Aliah Wright:
Just a little bit more about Ms. Bingham's background. A USC grad, Ms. Bingham works as a mental health therapist providing individual therapy and co-facilitating adult groups. She helps clients in prison change their behavior so they don't reoffend.
She has held the appointed position as co-chair and chair of Unchained Scholars, a student interest group at the USC Suzanne Devor Peck School of Social Work. The group of formerly incarcerated MSW, DSW, and PhD students works with allies to dismantle the barriers faced by people impacted by the criminal punishment system. Thank you so much for joining us.
Monique Bingham:
Thank you for having me.
Aliah Wright:
Let's begin, shall we? I'd like to chat with you about your background, Ms. Bingham. How did you begin this work and why?
Monique Bingham:
Okay. I previously worked as a nursing assistant after completing my undergraduate degree, and one of the directors, she took note of the fact that an elderly woman who only spoke Japanese followed me into her office. I began telling her my want, at the time, to pursue psychology. That was really what I was considering going into as a MFT and then proceeding on to becoming a psychologist from there.
But she was like, "Have you ever thought about social work?" And I'm thinking to myself, "No, actually I haven't." And I began doing a little bit more research about it, and then seeing if there was a possibility that I could pursue social work and then go on to still be a psychologist. And I found that that, in fact, can happen. So I got more intrigued.
Shortly after that, which I believe was a divine appointment, I received an email from USC sharing about their online program. And at the time I did not drive, so it was like, "Hey!" I just went for it.
I was also working as a research assistant at California State University Fullerton under Dr. Russ Espinoza, where I was helping him with his research, which is really looking at how people of color are profiled and automatically seen as culpable based solely on race. It was just really a pleasure working with him. I told him that I had only applied for one institution and he was like, "Good luck." But I couldn't afford, I really didn't have much money at all. So I just went with it and, very much on a prayer, ended up getting in, which, yeah, it was definitely risky. I just thank God that I was able to get into USC.
I really met a lot of people there that really spoke so much into my life and have led me here to where I am today, specifically Unchained Scholars Group. I would pop in, I never had my camera on, which my former professor and now friend, Suzy Hess, she would often say, "Oh, I just heard this little voice." "You're terrible!" Because I was so sheepish, so shy.
It's just been a pleasure, just being able to collaborate with her and continue our friendship and continue to just find spaces where we can continue to work together and still have a presence with Unchained Scholars, which is ultimately what brought me into my wanting to continue on in criminal justice as my field. Really looking at ultimately abolishing the criminal punishment system.
Aliah Wright:
Wow. We're going to talk a little bit about Unchained Scholars and what that is after the break. But before that, I want to talk to you about what types of resources do you provide to key people from re-offending?
Monique Bingham:
Wow. We cover so much ground from policies, housing. Our life coaches really spearhead that movement. They're walking alongside members, which we can also say clients, in order to assist them in whatever needs that they may have.
My key role at this time is acting as the therapist, really just to be supportive, a sound board. But I really like to say really walk alongside members and suggest to them if there's areas that might make the most sense for them to pursue. Because what I find in my work, the members that have the most challenges usually have the least support.
Aliah Wright:
And by members you're meaning?
Monique Bingham:
Clients.
Aliah Wright:
People who have been in...
Monique Bingham:
Yeah, the ones...
Aliah Wright:
Okay. Who have been incarcerated. Okay. Just wanted to clear it up for our listeners in case they were wondering like...
Monique Bingham:
Yes, absolutely.
Aliah Wright:
"What members is she talking about?" Okay.
Monique Bingham:
Yeah. We call our clients members and they've been previously incarcerated.
Aliah Wright:
And so, these things that you offer them, how successful would you say that that is in helping them keep from reoffending?
Monique Bingham:
It came about because a colleague of mine, by the name of Deidre Wilson, found this project that she wanted for us at Unchained Scholars to participate in. She and I both kind of spearheaded the project.
My task was to locate a filmmaker and whatever other needs there needed to happen in order to get things done, as well as organize who was going to be in it, et cetera, as well as help with writing the script for us to kind of follow as the filmmaker documented everything.
So we ended up sharing it with UCLA and we found, however, that it was not a completed piece. So right now, I'm still working to get funding so that we can really also share additional stories. Because one of the goals was really to normalize our experiences, rather than... What I find oftentimes is that whether directly impacted or system impacted, oftentimes, it's very much met with stigma, having an incarceration experience. So in this way, we're able to really give light to what happened before that fateful day, as well as... It gives life to redemption was really what we were trying to showcase.
Aliah Wright:
So your work helps people realize second chances are real. How important has that been to you?
Monique Bingham:
Extremely. It's my life. My father, he did 20 years. I've gotten the pleasure to see him really, really thrive. And I can't say that I know, personally, having watched him, how difficult that was. And at the same time, I also recognize that he did have support that many of the men that I work with don't have. I find that the ones who don't have the level of support that he has, it's very easy for you to fall through those cracks. And so, it's my life's work to act as a very steady support as well as to encourage members, clients, using this interchangeably, those with previous incarceration experiences, to really be there and allow for them to recognize that they do have someone who will be for them unconditionally. Whether they do decide to return, we're still there.
Announcer:
Join NASW's national Connect to End COVID-19 effort. It's a CDC-funded initiative to support social workers and their clients in informed vaccine decision-making. NASW is collaborating with its partner, the University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide national webinars, chapter trainings, tools, and information that promote vaccine confidence among social workers and equip social workers to support clients in informed vaccine decision-making. Visit NASW's website to learn more.
Aliah Wright:
In what ways can social workers help make an impact in this area?
Monique Bingham:
Policy. So much at the crux of incarceration is poverty. From personal experience, again, I do recognize that yes, there is a certain romanticizing of gang lifestyle. But at the same time, I don't know that, as a young man, perhaps if my father had other models to model after, his life may have been different. Maybe it wouldn't have a appealed to him as much as it had at that very young, very impressionable time in his life. But again, I can say, speaking about his life, I'm very careful because I wasn't there.
Aliah Wright:
Right. Okay. That makes sense. I suppose that he was involved in gangs and that's how he was incarcerated. And so, coming from that though, he had a support network outside that could help him focus on the future and...
Monique Bingham:
Very much so.
Aliah Wright:
... what that could mean instead of going back. Let's talk about the documentary just briefly. How have some of the social workers featured in the documentary fared? And do you cover that?
Monique Bingham:
Can you repeat that? I'm sorry.
Aliah Wright:
How have some of the social workers featured in the documentary fared? How are they...
Monique Bingham:
Oh, very well. Oh, they're doing amazing. Deidra, she's going for her licensure. She relocated to be closer to her family in the state of Nevada. Her journey has been amazing. She's absolutely just so happy about being able to not only give back, but really, again, just be with her family.
Aliah Wright:
And I guess part of... I'm sorry, go ahead. I was wondering though, if part of the appeal too is these are social workers who've had this experience and now, they're able to impart their knowledge to encourage others so that they can see that there is a possibility that there's life on the other side, a better life on the other side.
Monique Bingham:
Absolutely. And I've also seen this with other members, like you said. Yahuda he's very much in the fight. He's also a therapist at this time and he's a strong force. He's very involved as well with the podcast Trauma-Informed LA. And Fabi, she's also working in substance abuse, and she's the supervisor over there and just amazing work. And really, I feel that in our profession as a social worker, we relate to them on another level because of our direct and system-impacted experiences.
Aliah Wright:
That makes a great deal of sense. The documentary, as you mentioned, hasn't been completed yet because you need more funding so everyone can see it and benefit from it. Where to people go to contribute?
Monique Bingham:
To traumainformedla.org. You will see, on the right hand of that screen, it's going to say, "Donate." And what you would do is simply write in that you would like to donate to the Unchained Scholars documentary film.
Aliah Wright:
That's wonderful. And listeners, we're going to make sure that the link to traumainformedla.org and resources are linked in our show notes. Ms. Bingham, are there any final thoughts?
Monique Bingham:
I would say just that we need more social workers that have direct experiences with incarceration as well as more people of color.
Aliah Wright:
And you're hoping that that will...?
Monique Bingham:
Mm-hmm.
Aliah Wright:
And why do you say that?
Monique Bingham:
I personally see that, again, with the experiences I've had with clients, members, I've noticed that they really sometimes are more receptive when they feel that you understand what they are going through, and they see that you got through it and it gives so much hope.
Aliah Wright:
Wonderful. Well, we'd like to thank you so much for joining us. Listeners, you can find details about NASW's advocacy around these issues and resources on our website. Thank you so much for listening. And, Ms. Bingham, thank you for joining us.
Announcer:
You have been listening to NASW's Social Work Talks, a production of the National Association of Social Workers. We encourage you to visits NASW's website for more information about our efforts to enhance the professional growth and development of our members to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies. You can learn more at www.socialworkers.org. And don't forget to subscribe to NASW Social Work Talks wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next episode.