Jessica’s Story: Breaking Barriers and Rebuilding After Incarceration

Reentering society after incarceration comes with daunting realities, compounded by systemic barriers that make finding employment difficult. For Jessica Carter, securing stable employment and housing was a challenge that weighed heavily on her mental health after serving her sentence. Bond restrictions such as curfews and the stigma of a criminal record created barriers at every turn. Determined to rebuild her life, Jessica faced these challenges head-on through us at Mission: St. Louis. 

Jessica was first introduced to our organization in 2019 through Beyond Justice, a program dedicated to providing alternatives to incarceration and equipping people with the resources needed to navigate the criminal justice system. David Baker, the Beyond Justice Manager, helped fight a previous case Jessica was facing in court. Following that, when Jessica experienced incarceration for 7 months on a separate charge, she was enrolled into our Beyond Justice program and has been a participant for a year, where her Success Coach Shirla Caldwell advocated on her behalf to lift her bond restrictions which were serving as limiting factors to obtaining employment.  

“They were advocating for me, letting the judge know that I was doing everything I needed to do,” Jessica said. “I completed the program, I was at every class, I was participating.” With her curfew restrictions lifted, Jessica looked forward, determined to find a job. Beyond Justice stepped in to address practical barriers and helped provide bus passes, gas cards and assisted with housing deposits during this time.  

Through her determination, Jessica got a job at Popeyes and quickly impressed her employers with her strong work ethic. “They said I was a great worker, a fast learner,” she said. “Within 20 days, they promoted me to manager. I follow rules. I’m very determined and ambitious.” 

For Jessica, this promotion reflects her resilience after experiencing hardship. Her story has made an impact on those around her and was honored at our 2024 Staying Power Awards for her commitment to change and staying on a positive path, even when presented with life’s challenges. 

Shirla, who has worked closely with Jessica, boasted about witnessing the progress and success Jessica has achieved since becoming a manager at Popeyes. “She has accomplished moving into a better home, becoming Safe Serve qualified and has completed her Saint Louis City case,” Shirla said. “I am very proud of her success and hopeful for her future.” 

Looking back at her journey, Jessica believes programs like Beyond Justice are important for those who have similar life experiences to hers but also feels it is important to have the drive and motivation within yourself. “When you’re incarcerated, everything stops. But on the outside, life keeps going. Programs like this help you catch up and keep moving forward.” 

Jessica takes pride in her hard work and motivation but is also thankful for the support she received during this difficult period. 

“Thank you for giving people like me a chance, a second chance at life, because life be life,” Jessica said. “Any of us can be at the wrong place at the wrong time and anything can happen, but they believed in me. They guided me, they gave me advice and they were patient with me. We all need to be taught something, no matter how old we are.” 

If you want to learn more about our Beyond Justice program, please visit https://www.missionstl.org/beyondjustice.