Episode•January 4, 2024•23 min

Can Economic Freedom After Incarceration Be Achieved? Insights from Victor Vincent | Ep. 291

Are you tired of seeing the revolving door of incarceration in our communities? Want to make a change and reduce the high costs of corrections? Then, join us as Victor Vincent, founder of the Reentry Expert organization, shares his insights on breaking the cycle of re-incarceration. In this candid conversation, Victor highlights the importance of providing economic opportunities for ex-convicts and exposing young individuals to the consequences of illegal activities. He also addresses the influence of outside forces on crime within African American communities and the need for open discussions around these taboo subjects. You will be inspired! About Our Guest Victor M. Vincent Jr. is a man of determination and resilience. He has experienced the highs and lows of life, from being an ex-offender to becoming the President of the Student Government Association at Guilford College. This remarkable journey has shaped him into who he is today - The ReEntry Expert. Since his release from prison in 1994, Victor has been on a mission to turn his life around. He obtained his GED and pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice from Guilford College. Along with his education, Victor worked hard to obtain various certifications, including a forklift and a class A CDL endorsement. His hard work did not go unnoticed as he became employed as a Sales Rep for some of the biggest brands in the world. Victor has worked full-time for the City of Greensboro for over 16 years. But that's not all - Victor is also the founder and President of Victor M. Vincent, Jr. The ReEntry Expert, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping others looking to turn their lives around like he did. His passion for reentry work is evident in everything he does, and his empathetic nature makes him stand out as someone who truly cares about making a positive impact in people's lives. With his friendly demeanor and informative approach, Victor continues to inspire and guide individuals through their personal transformation journey. From inmate to President to The ReEntry Expert - Victor M. Vincent Jr.'s story is filled with determination, perseverance, and hope for a brighter tomorrow. Connect with Victor Visit his website Email: [email protected] Facebook: The ReEntry Expert Connect with Tiffany Website: https://moneytalkwitht.com Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff Additional Links & Resources Gate City 180 by Dana Daughtry CanTag Solutions - Will Dungee <a href="https://moneytalkwitht.com/donate"...

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Key Takeaways

1
Economic opportunity is the key to breaking the cycle of incarceration
Victor emphasizes providing real opportunities in communities rather than just jobs, especially for those coming out of prison
He advocates bringing manufacturing and opportunities back to inner cities where they were removed after 1968
The philosophy: 'God gave every man a talent... let's figure out what those talents are and let's get you earning income based on that particular talent'
2
The criminal justice system is a profit-driven 'monster' that needs to feed on itself
US has 5% of world population but 25% of world prisons; spent $80.7B on prisons in 2020
White collar crime causes more damage but is least prosecuted; system targets poverty
Solution: 'keep people of color out of prison... have that monster turn on itself'
3
Four devastating periods explain current community challenges
Slavery, Jim Crow, mass incarceration, and community chemical infiltration are interconnected root causes
Black communities didn't create heroin, cocaine, or crack - these were imported from outside
Need to stop treating symptoms with 'Band-Aids' and address these root causes
4
Expose youth to the full consequences of crime, not just the glamour
Bring incarcerated individuals in orange jumpsuits to schools to show the reality
Show the ending of the lifestyle, not just the 'hot Mercedes' phase
Also bring in families who lost loved ones to provide perspective
5
Community-led solutions require honest, taboo conversations
Elderly Black people need to 'come out of the church, come out of corporate America' and engage
Address internal issues like workplace bullying that push people toward crime
Provide alternatives when removing illegal opportunities: 'You can't take something from somebody without giving them something'

Intro

Tiffany Grant hosts Victor Vincent, founder of The ReEntry Expert, to discuss breaking the cycle of incarceration through economic opportunity and community engagement.
Victor M. Vincent Jr. is an ex-offender turned President of the Student Government Association at Guilford College. Since his release in 1994, he earned a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice, worked 16+ years for the City of Greensboro, and founded The ReEntry Expert nonprofit to help formerly incarcerated individuals achieve success.

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– What is The ReEntry Expert?

Victor explains his nonprofit helps formerly incarcerated men and women achieve success by identifying their talents and setting them on career paths based on what they love to do.

God gave every man a talent, every woman a talent. Let's figure out what those talents are and let's get you earning income based on that particular talent.
– Victor Vincent

– The Criminal Justice System as a Profit Machine

Discussion of staggering statistics: US has 5% of world population but 25% of prisons; $80.7B spent on prisons in 2020. The system is 'unregulated, unmonitored, and a monster that just eats up everything in its way.'

White collar crime goes on all day long. And most of the time it's not even addressed.
– Victor Vincent

– Four Devastating Periods & Root Causes

Victor identifies slavery, Jim Crow, mass incarceration, and community chemical infiltration as interconnected causes. Communities didn't create the drugs that infiltrated them - heroin came via the French Connection, cocaine via Iran-Contra.

You're trying to treat a gunshot wound with a Band-Aid.
– Dana Daughtry (via Victor)

– A Three-Prong Approach to Crime Prevention

Engage communities to understand what people want and need
Work with schools from elementary level to provide clear pathways and alternatives
Go into prisons and ask inmates what would prevent them from reoffending

Proposal to bring top street dealers (in orange jumpsuits, shackles) into schools to show youth the real ending of that lifestyle, not just the glamorous Mercedes phase.

– Taboo Conversations & Internal Accountability

Need for honest dialogue about internal community issues - workplace bullying that pushes people toward crime, the 'crabs in a barrel' mentality, and how people end up in desperate situations.

It's hard to hate someone once you get to know them.
– Tiffany Grant

– Practical Community Solutions

Victor stresses that change doesn't require millions - just 'the will and the want.' Emphasizes providing alternatives when removing illegal opportunities: 'You can't take something from somebody without giving them something.'

God didn't design everybody to get rich... Money is not the end to our problems.
– Victor Vincent

Resources

Topics

reentrycriminal justice reformmass incarcerationeconomic opportunitycommunity developmentAfrican American issuesprison reformyouth mentorshipsystemic racismnonprofit work