Madison Co. inmates celebrate recovery, new beginnings

JACKSON, Tenn. — Women who have served or still are serving time in the Madison County Jail graduated Friday morning from a voluntary recovery program designed to help them make better decisions once they transition into their new lives.

“This is not about just your circumstances right now,” Madison County Circuit Court Judge Don Allen said. “This is about how God wants to use you once you get out of jail.”

Friday morning, 11 women graduated from the Life’s Healing Choices program spearheaded by Judge Allen and Madison County Sheriff John Mehr. The goal of this 10-week, faith-based program is to help the women, most of whom are still incarcerated, learn to make better choices once they are released.

“Put the past behind, look at the future and lead others and say ‘don’t make that same mistake. I’ve learned. Don’t take the hard lesson I had to take,'” Sheriff Mehr said.

Program leaders say when officers inside the jail say they’ve seen a change in these women, it’s confirmation the program is serving its purpose.

“You know they are a different creature,” Life’s Healing Choices program coordinator Raelynn Barahona said. “You’re not the same person you are when you walked in here.”

County leaders and family members were invited to celebrate with the graduates who were given certificates for completing the program. Most of the women who graduated said they’ve changed and they are ready to start their new journey in life.

“Jackson hasn’t changed but you have changed, because I know I’ve changed,” one graduate said.

“Today has been the best day for me in Madison County, ’cause out of four months I get to see my daughter,” another graduate said.

“I think this right here was wonderful for her, I really do,” Vantina Conley, who was celebrating her sister’s graduation, said. “Also it’s going to help her in the long run.”

This is the third graduating class of the Life’s Healing Choices program. The program started in October 2015.