BRENHAM RESIDENTS INVITED TO GIVE INPUT ON CITY POSSIBLY HOSTING PRISONER RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS
(courtesy Randy Wells)
The Brenham community is invited to give its thoughts on if the city should provide resources for former inmates working their way back into society.
Dr. Logan Yelderman, a psychology professor at Prairie View A&M University, is partnering with Faith Mission to host a series of community surveys in Brenham through July and August.
A resident of Brenham, Dr. Yelderman said the surveys will ask Brenham residents their opinions of the city hosting prisoner re-entry programs.
According to Dr. Yelderman, these programs typically involve services where former inmates are taught skills and accountability, and work to ensure support for former inmates once they are out of prison. He said it would depend on what kind of program Brenham gets involved with, but the former inmates would likely come from surrounding counties. They could also be inmates with release plans to come back to Brenham.
Dr. Yelderman is looking to get several hundred responses on the surveys, from residents with a variety of backgrounds.
Residents, at the end of the survey, have the option to opt-in to an email notification list for further information on the project.
The first chance residents have to take part in the survey is Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library. There will also be survey collections next Monday from 9:30 to noon at the library, Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Faith Mission Health and Service Center, and again Thursday at the library, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be additional collections in August at Brenham First Baptist Church, and potentially Calvary Baptist Church.
Dr. Yelderman said to be on the lookout for large banners outside of these locations indicating the survey is being held that day, or for flyers with detailed schedules in restaurants and other community locations.
The surveys are roughly five to ten minutes long, and everyone who fills one out will receive a free gift valued at $25.
Anyone who has questions or wants to complete a survey outside of typical hours can call 936-261-5214, or email layelderman@pvamu.edu.
Surveys will also be collected at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library on Saturday from 10am to 1pm in Blubonnet Media Room A. This will be for those who are unable to leave work and complete a survey on the other days and times. – Dr. Logan Yelderman
Bluebonnet Media Room*
what else is Washington County thinking of supporting? How much more of our resources are going to be used to help people with issues that did not come from our county. Yes, we ARE our Brothers Keepers, but we have people right here in Brenham commiting crimes and going to prison who will be right back here, why aren’t our resources being devoted to their re entry into society..this is too much..one thing after another, the sex trafficking victims facility that saw a disturbance from their in the first weeks it was opened, the state school which our school district already helps, and now this..and these are the ones that I can think of from memory..I say enough is enough. People raised enough hell about the new retail center being planned for along 290East, but no one wants to put a stop to MORE criminal activity possible for the citizens of Washington County..we are going to end up being a blight to our surrounding neighbors because of the facilities and helping that is going on here. To say nothing of our property values going down.