Group of Former Gang Leaders in California Addresses Inmates in Shelby County

Introduction

Shelby County correctional facility was visited on Monday by a group of ex-gang leaders from California, who are now serving as rehabilitative role models for the inmates. These former gang leaders were here as part of Inside Circle, a counseling program designed to aid the system-affected individuals in healing from traumas and learning peaceful resolution methods for conflicts.

Transforming Lives through Rehabilitation

Danyell Miller, formerly an active North Memphis gang member, is an example of the positive turn around that can occur through such rehabilitative programs. At just 29, Miller had found himself serving a 12-year sentence at the Shelby County Jail for offenses such as identity theft, fraud, and gun-related charges. However, Miller’s encounter with the Inside Circle while incarcerated initiated a transformative change in his perspective.

A Tale of Personal Transformation

“I learned how to stay out of the way, don’t get into anybody’s business, be my own person and don’t participate in anything else,” said Miller. Just released earlier in March, Miller is now practicing an honest lifestyle. “I’m out of jail, have a job, I’m doing well. I don’t have any kids, so all my resources go towards supporting myself,” he added.

Miller and another inmate are currently celebrating the successful completion of the program and also their recent releases, which have been without any instances of re-arrests.

Preparing Inmates for a Peaceful Life Beyond Bars

Al Lewis, one of the program facilitators, emphasized that the success of these rehabilitative systems is largely reliant on the inmates’ will to change. He said, “We hold these guys to a different account of self-accountability, and when we do that with nothing but truth and love, care, and respect, then they rehabilitate themselves. You can’t rehabilitate anybody, that has to want to come from the inside.”

The Inside Circle initiative, which initiated at 201 Poplar Avenue in 2023, has been a beacon of hope for inmates aiming to change their lives. Its success has prompted consideration to expand this program to the Shelby County Juvenile Jail.

Conclusion

The former gang members from California, who are well-versed with the tumultuous lifestyle that these inmates are trying to renounce, are set to meet with the Shelby County Jail inmates. The experiences they share, the wisdom they offer, and the example they set with their own transformation stories stand to instill lessons of self-change and peaceful co-existence in the reintegrating members of society.