BALTIMORE — For Michele Little John, her over seven years in prison wasn't hard for just her.
"I went in more than one time. I'm a mother, and through this process, what hurt the most is that I took my children through a lot. And we have to realize that as moms, when we're locked up, your children are locked up. No one is going to treat your children the way that you can," she said.
And the struggles continued after she was released.
VIDEO: Previously incarcerated women say agencies must improve reentry issues for women
"Nobody wants to hire you, nobody wants to give you a chance. It's like you're automatically just written off."
It's a story other previously incarcerated people relate to.
Monica Cooper, executive director of the Maryland Justice Project, says for her the obstacles seemed never-ending.
"A lot of red tape because, unfortunately, the nonprofit industrial complex has become pretty large, and just the term 're-entry, some people think it's for a paycheck, so when you go to different agencies, you're not really getting the help you need," Cooper said.
These women shared their stories at an event Tuesday night hosted by the Maryland Public Defender's Office looking at barriers women face when they reenter society.
The event also provided resources for people facing the same issues.
Marsha Briley-Savage, re-entry coordinator with the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities, says while all previously incarcerated people face problems finding jobs and housing, when helping women with re-entry, the housing, services, and treatment all need to be gender appropriate.
"Even with our physicians, even when it comes down to that and taking trauma into consideration. I may not want a male OB-GYN. I may not want a male addiction counselor. I may not be able to respond well to a male probation officer," she said.
Shareese Kess, Chief of Staff with the T.I.M.E. organization, says that's why her group's 27 transitional homes, transportation, and on-site clinics are catered to each person's needs.
"We are client-focused, so the services we provide are provided by individuals and providers that are the preference of the actual client. So if a female client has some trauma related to males and prefers a female, we will assign them to a female therapist," Kess said.
"We also look at any adverse child experiences they've had prior to prison and while being in prison, and we take that into consideration also and connect them with a provider in our organization."
Michele told WMAR 2 News that thankfully she's in a better place now with her own home, but there's still much more work to do.
"I'm going to do everything I have to do; I'm going to have to put the work in. When you really want something, that's what you do; you put the work in."
People also said the first step towards making reentry into society easier for women is for agencies to improve their communications across the board.
