The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment rebooted a program at the St. Louis City Justice Center earlier this week, helping detainees reintegrate into their communities after being released.
Representatives from SLATE started meeting with detainees on Tuesday, gathering insight into their interests under the Prison to Prosperity initiative. About 20 detainees are currently participating in the program, whom they’ll be visiting twice a week in small groups.
Members of the organization met with a handful of detainees a second time in a small room inside the jail Friday morning as local news outlets also attended and jail officials stood by.
Shannon Johnson, executive assistant at SLATE, said they are providing resources for detainees to overcome barriers to obtaining housing or jobs. They’re also helping them obtain their GED, go to college, get into trades or find other opportunities for success. The approach is holistic, Johnson said.
“If they're just looking for employment, or they already have credentials that they would like to go into specific fields — we are here to guide them into that direction,” Johnson said Friday.
The Missouri Department of Corrections last reported in fiscal 2023 that the recidivism rate in the state had decreased by at least 10% since fiscal 2014.
Opportunities and resources provided by SLATE are needed to help those who end up in the system coming from broken homes, said Brandon Jones Sr., 37. He’s been in custody at CJC for seven months. He said he wants to be a motivational speaker in his community.
“When I was coming up, we had recreations,” Jones said. “Now they shutting them down. So we lead these broken-home young men to the streets (and) negativity. I'm trying to shift all that. I know it's going to take more than me, but I’m a lead by example.
“I'm a walking testimony, but it's still things that I have to get done within myself,” he said.
Caylen Gordon, 31, has been in custody at the St. Louis City Justice Center for five months as a pretrial detainee and works in the kitchen at the jail. He’s facing felony charges that include first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. He has a counsel status hearing scheduled for March 24.
“The things I'm looking to get out of the program with SLATE is to reenter back into the kitchen because I had multiple jobs working in the kitchen,” Gordon said. “You know I come from a family of cooking; we cooked every Sunday – soul food, you name it. I feel real strong about the program.” He said he’s working on his pride, and being the best he can for his 14-year-old daughter motivates him.
The city’s corrections division first partnered with SLATE in 2015 for a similar initiative under former Mayor Francis Slay, but the program was paused due to funding issues, Johnson said. It wasn’t immediately made clear how much the revamped initiative costs. The organization will stay in contact with detainees even if they’re sentenced.
Kelvin Shermon, 39, known as “Nephew,” has been in custody at the city jail since August. He faces felony charges of stealing, stealing a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and stalking. He has a pre-trial conference scheduled for May 1.
Shermon said he’s looking forward to working with SLATE to obtain his security license to make more money when he’s released. He said he developed a passion for being a protector after having to stand up to bullies as a child.
“Every time I see somebody that's in dire need, I like to help them, whether it be getting to a car safely or making sure they get to the Uber or whatever the case may be, as long as you make it home to see the next day,” Shermon said. “That's always been my life goal — protection, or you can say, serving others.”
Marion Keenan, 62, says he’s looking forward to his release in May. He’s been in custody at the CJC for nearly a year. He was charged with trespassing in December 2023.
He said he’s struggled with drug addiction in the past and owes thousands in child support — something he has struggled to get past. His primary goal is getting out of debt.
“That's what kept me making those wrong choices all the way around,” Keenan said. “I can't go buy a house. I can't own nothing over $500; they take it.”
Keenan said there’s been a big change since Doug Burris became interim commissioner at the jail.
“If we wanted to ask a question, we could ask, but we couldn't ever really get a right answer,” Keenan said. “Miss (Correctional Officer Felita Bain) has been the only person who's really helped me out a lot inside here, and then now (Burris) and (Deputy Commissioner Tammy Ross). That's what makes a big difference.”
Burris said in addition to bringing the SLATE program back, they’re working on expanding an existing GED program at the jail, and adding a veterans resource program.
Addressing rumors
Burris has been at the helm of the city jail — where 18 detainees have died since 2020 — since late January after his predecessor, Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah, was fired in December.
Burris is credited with bringing change to the St. Louis County Justice Center, but some community advocates have expressed skepticism about his efforts.
In recent weeks, rumors have circulated online that detainees are still being mistreated at the jail under Burris’ reign. One rumor is that an unhoused, mentally unstable man was left sitting naked in his feces for 24 hours in February.
Burris addressed the claim Friday, stating that he doesn’t know when the picture was taken and how long ago that event occurred. He acknowledged that some in custody do soil themselves but said the staff keeps a close eye on individuals struggling with mental health.
“If we had a name and an exact date, of course, we would investigate it, but we have over 200 people here on psychiatric medicines,” Burris said. “We also have laundry workers, and we have a cleaning crew that deals with things like this, and then we offer them additional services.”
A federal class-action lawsuit filed in 2022 against the city jail is still making its way through the courts.
