Words by Pam George | Reporting by Olivia Montes
Psychotherapist Emily B. Evans treats clients for a range of issues, including trauma, anxiety, addiction, and attachment disorders related to foster care and adoption. It didn’t take long for her to notice a common thread among them.
Working closely with foster children, adoptive parents, and people struggling with substance abuse, Evans realized how much the criminal justice system impacts vulnerable communities across the state—and how much her clients needed her to be in their corner.
“I saw so much injustice that I was like, ‘Somebody’s got to do something about this,’” says Evans, whose practice is in Middletown.
In 2019, she became involved with the ACLU’s Smart Justice in Delaware, which examines issues in the criminal justice system, including overrepresentation of people of color in state prisons and jails compared to resident populations. When a forensic psychologist asked Evans to visit a young client in the New Castle County Detention Center, she didn’t hesitate.
Today, Evans works with the Partnership in Reentry Coalition of Delaware (PIRCOD), a consortium of community, state, and faithbased organizations. The group addresses addiction, homelessness, behavioral health, domestic violence, employment, family engagement, education, licensing, acquiring identification, transportation, and legislation.
The Reentry Resource and Information Network (TRRAIN) branch of PIRCOD provides direct care to individuals and families impacted by incarceration. The nonprofit also helps people transition from prison to society.
A Negative Trend
The United States criminal justice system is a mix of federal, state, local, county, and tribal jurisdictions, notes the Prison Policy Initiative, an organization addressing mass incarceration and its impact. The bulk of incarcerated people worldwide are in the U.S. system, according to the National Institute of Corrections.
In 2024, there were 5,492 people in jails, immigration detention, prisons, and juvenile facilities in Delaware—or 539 people per 100,000 residents, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.
About 2 in 5 incarcerated people have a history of mental illness—37% in state and federal prisons, and 44% in local jails. That’s twice the prevalence of mental illness in the overall adult population, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“These systems are not created for traumatized people,” Evans points out. Prisons are crowded, and there’s little to no autonomy. The incarcerated are separated from their loved ones, and they might witness or experience violence or be suffering from previous trauma.
All or any of these factors can cause higher rates of stress, depression, and anxiety. Consequently, people often have difficulty making decisions, building trust, and maintaining relationships in prison and after reentry into society.
Filling the Gaps
Research consistently shows that supporting better mental health in prison and post-release can lower recidivism. Generally, the facilities that detain or incarcerate the patients provide treatment. The Delaware Department of Correction, for instance, offers a behavioral health program, but resources are insufficient, says Sylvester Shockley, strategic adviser and coordinator for the Compassion Prison Project.
Shockley spent a total of 50-plus years in prison, including a 37-year stint. While incarcerated, he initiated wellness programs to address addiction, violence prevention, anger management, and the 12 steps used in various sobriety programs.
Treatment options and access, however, might be limited. Jy’Aire Smith-Pennick, who was incarcerated at Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown, was referred to a psychologist and eventually went on medication that he didn’t feel was necessary. He felt pushed aside, he says. Many programs are more about correcting behavior than finding the root of a problem, adds Michael, a client of Evans who prefers not to use his full name.
To fill the gap, Smith-Pennick became a certified peer counselor. “Oftentimes, people know what they need—they just want someone to listen,” he explains. Behavioral health providers need to ask more open-ended questions, he says.
Research consistently shows that supporting better mental health in prison and post-release can lower recidivism.
Admittedly, they might be reluctant to talk. Evans meets clients in a safe place to discuss their trauma history, explain her role, and reassure them that she is there for them—she does not represent the prison system. She understands their reluctance and assures them she will keep coming back to hear what they say.
Since incarcerated people can feel isolated, the organization Link to Love initiates ongoing contact through letters and phone and video calls. Founded by Lori Alberts, Link to Love also helps “walk them through” the reentry process, she explains.
Back in Society
The need for services doesn’t stop when someone is released, asserts Barbara White, a former inmate at Baylor Correctional Institution. “I don’t care whether you are there one month, a year [or] years—there are scars left there because, again, it’s really [an] adjustment over and over,” she says.
As members of PIRCOD, White and Shockley bring “something unique to the table,” Evans says. They understand the need for continued compassion. Reentry programs without it are “putting the Band-Aid on the bullet wound,” maintains Metetwa Shakur, an ambassador for the Smart Justice program. He says current efforts focus on getting the individual out of prison; there isn’t enough emphasis on reducing the recidivism rate.
Obstacles to success include matters involving mental health, family support, mentorship, and housing. To give reentering citizens a leg up, Terrie M. Williams Expansions Inc. connects them with food, clothing, housing, tenant assistance, and substance abuse resources.
Williams, an Army veteran, has worked in human services for more than 20 years and has a certification in trauma-informed approaches from Wilmington University. Her training helps prevent professionals from unintentionally exacerbating trauma while treating it.
While sensitivity and compassion are essential, so are fundamental skills. Priscilla Turgon founded New Start in 2013 to help people transitioning out of incarceration make better decisions. The 10-week program includes resume preparation, technology training, and job certification. Personal development programs focus on conflict resolution, parenting, and cognitive behavioral restructuring.
Looking Ahead
Turgon strives to address program participants’ mental health needs. “To me, trauma-informed is looking at an individual and not saying, ‘What’s wrong with them?’ but rather, ‘What happened to them?’” If participants progress, they are welcomed back with “open arms” if they need help in the future.
What else can be done? Smith-Pernick is lobbying for increased access to a well-equipped behavioral health department and the implementation of a certified peer specialist program in every prison. He also recommends mental health training for corrections officers. In addition to increased access to care, advocates want to reduce the use of solitary confinement and implement community-based treatment.
Given the disproportionate amount of people of color in prisons, a cultural response to mental health is critical, says ACLU justice ambassador Kenjuan “KJ” Congo. People are more receptive in an environment in which they feel safe. Evans adds that all specialists should handle a realistic caseload to avoid burnout.
Last year, state Sen. Marie Pinkney and Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown introduced legislation to support people navigating the reentry process and modernize the probation system. Backers maintain that change is possible.
“It does take bodies and minds to come together to be able to advocate for people,” Williams says. “I’m hopeful that there are many more people who love people and really, truly care.”