Formerly incarcerated speakers urge stronger reentry supports, changes to expungement rules

A panel hosted by the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety on reentry and rehabilitation featured formerly incarcerated Indianapolis residents and service providers who described obstacles to returning to the community and urged policy changes, including broader judicial review of expungement records and more consistent reentry programming inside prisons.

Andrea Iyetta, reentry manager at the Office of Public Health and Safety, moderated the discussion and introduced the panel of volunteers and reentry advocates. Panelists included Damon Lane, Carla Duffy, Raymond Boutia Powell, Sharon (last name not specified), and Ladessa Sparks, each of whom described their criminal‑justice histories and the supports they used on release.

Panelists said common obstacles after release included extremely low in‑prison wages, small “release funds,” lack of stable housing, employer and landlord discrimination, disrupted family bonds and uneven availability of programs inside prisons. Several speakers urged lawmakers and local officials to narrow the gap between time served and long‑term collateral consequences.

“My first interaction with the judicial system was at age 14 … I actually signed a 28 year plea bargain, when I was 19,” said Damon…