#39: Reimagining Reentry | Terah Lawyer on Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration

In this powerful episode of the INNOVAT3 Podcast, host Ted Hahs sits down with Terah Lawyer, President of CROP Organization (Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs), a nonprofit founded by formerly incarcerated leaders that is transforming how we think about reentry.

Every year, 35,000 people come home from prison in California, and over 54% return, at a cost of more than $133,800 per person, per year. But Terah and her team at CROP are proving there’s a better way.

From personal leadership development to job training, housing and mentorship, CROP’s holistic model is helping people successfully reenter society, with a 0% recidivism rate among nearly 200 participants served.

Terah shares about:

Why the reentry system is broken and what it really costs society.

How CROP’s founders turned prison into a place of transformation.

The connection between incarceration and homelessness (75% of the unhoused have a record).

Why personal accountability and trauma-informed care are crucial for lasting change.

How businesses can tap into this talent pool and benefit from fair chance hiring.

This is more than a conversation about prison reform, it’s a blueprint for building healthier communities, reducing crime and unlocking human potential.

Show Notes:

Host: Ted Hahs

Guest: Terah Lawyer — President, CROP Organization

Location: California

Topics:

Recidivism and the cost of incarceration.

Holistic reentry programs that work.

The link between incarceration and homelessness.

Data-driven solutions and prevention strategies.

How employers can engage with fair chance hiring.

→ Learn more at croporganization.org

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Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:22 Broken Reentry System

05:33 Prevention & Homelessness

07:29 Founding CROP

13:24 Rehabilitation & Accountability

21:35 Healing & Transformation

30:00 Fair Chance Hiring & Impact

37:12 Upcoming Event & Closing

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