Deborah Simmons, The Importance of Sponsoring In Their Words

“The work that the Reentry Initiative does is one bookend and LCJP is the other,” says Deborah Simmons, founder of the Reentry Initiative and proud sponsor of In Their Words. Deborah has served over two decades as a volunteer within the criminal justice system, going on to found the Longmont-based nonprofit. Through this unique perspective, she explains the importance of LCJP’s work.

As a longtime critic of the punitive criminal legal system, Simmons discusses how LCJP stands out as a restorative, educational approach; one that prevents people from even entering this system. “It’s imperative to support this work to prevent people from going into a failed system. Punishment doesn’t work,” says Simmons who echoes the words of Dean Williams, former Director of Colorado’s Department of Corrections. As he says, “people think if you just make prisons a hell-hole, people won’t want to end up there. It just doesn’t work.”

Deborah has also trained with us as a community member, testifying that she’s seen the importance of LCJP’s work in action. She adds that one of the most important impacts she has witnessed is the confrontation of shame: “Honestly I think one of the hardest things that people have to get over when they get in trouble is shame. I would like to help them get over that emotion. Humans do anything to avoid shame, it takes us over. You have to work with people so they aren’t paralyzed by shame. LCJP has such a loving team that helps to make sure people find a healing path forward.”

LCJP is thankful for the relationship and support of folks like Deborah and Wayne Simmons, who are so passionate about challenging our current systems.