Impact

RTA’s ongoing success is dramatic: less than 3% of RTA participants return to prison within three years, compared to the national recidivism rate of over 60%. RTA participants often pursue higher education after participating in the program. Upon release, hundreds of RTA alumni are giving back to their communities, becoming social workers, advocates, academics and entrepreneurs.

WE ARE BREAKING THE CYCLE OF INCARCERATION

<3%

Less than 3% of RTA participants return to prison, compared to 60% nationally

1,000+

1,000+ incarcerated individuals have participated in RTA’s programs

$1.5B

State savings when recidivism is reduced by 10%—RTA’s proven impact saves taxpayers

ALUMNI STORIES

Meet some of our outstanding alumni who are thriving in their personal and professional communities after incarceration.

LAWRENCE BARTLEY

Lawrence Bartley is the publisher of The Marshall Project Inside and the host and executive producer of Inside Story, a video series investigating the criminal justice system in the US. Lawrence has served as founder and director of News Inside, the print publication of The Marshall Project that is distributed in prisons and jails throughout the US. He is also an accomplished public speaker and has provided multimedia content for CNN, PBS, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, and more. Lawrence also serves on RTA’s Board of Directors.

SEAN DINO JOHNSON

Sean “Dino” Johnson is one of RTA’s Board Directors and the Director of Program Marketing at the Council for Unity. Working for positive change, Dino works to reduce violence in schools and communities by giving new purpose to youth searching for belonging and a sense of family.

HECTOR RODRIGUEZ

Hector “Bori” Rodriguez works as a professional artist and has been recently selected as a fellow at Yale Prison Education Initiative’s College-to-Career Fellowship. Hector currently focuses on developing his professional practice in the arts and youth justice.

Sammie Werkheiser

An artist, mother, and activist, Sammie is the Co-Founder of Mothers on the Inside which helps and empowers incarcerated women in New York State. Sammie received artist grants from Creatives Rebuild New York and New York Foundation of the Arts. With other justice-impacted individuals, Sammie recently produced a show, Sunflowers in Razor Wire, which had a successful debut in September 2023.