Philip P.

“I used to be a no-good S.O.B.,” says Philip. “But people can change. It took me 47 years to figure out I could. And if I can change, anybody can.” 

Philip endured abuse as a young child, and he began acting out. When he was just 8 years old, Philip received probation for robbing a house. At age 14, he was sent away to a children’s home. A year later, he went back to his mother, but spiraled into drug and alcohol use. He experienced several stretches of homelessness as teen. Then in 1991, not yet 18 years old, he received two 14-year sentences, to be served concurrently. He spent the next 11 years in maximum security. Still struggling with alcohol when he got out, Philip violated parole with a DWI and spent another 1.5 years behind bars. Upon release, his lifestyle continued to revolve around partying, drinking, and drugs, he says. In 2009, he was arrested and charged again, this time receiving a 12-year sentence.

“I was filled with hate. It was consuming me,” Philip says. “I had to let it go.” The catalyst was his daughter, born in 2003. “The second time [in prison], they took the most important thing away from me – nine years of my daughter’s life.” 

Upon his release in 2019, Criminal Justice Ministry (CJM) made Philip’s transformation possible. “I’d never met people who help you without judging you,” he says. “Never! I got out this time and realized I ain’t gotta do it on my own, I got CJM and my family. I learned to accept help. I was truly broken, and CJM, they put me back together. But I had to learn to ask.”

CJM found Philip a 2-bedroom apartment, which allowed his daughter to stay with him. She’s now 18 years old and in college, he says with delight. He completed job training courses and got an interview. He researched the company thoroughly beforehand, which impressed the owner, and was hired to do upholstery work specializing in barstools, chairs, and restaurant booths. He loves his job and today he and the company owner are friends, he says. “I was really blessed in all this. Not once has he judged me for my past.” With CJM’s help, Philip opened a bank account, and a line of credit to establish a credit history. That allowed him to be approved for an auto loan and buy a car. After he pays off the car, he plans to buy a house. 

Philip continues to deal with the adjustment to life beyond prison by attending counseling and focusing on being a responsible parent. Regularly attending a peer support program helps. “We talk about what we’re struggling with and get advice. The facilitator is really good.” After years of drinking, he can no longer stand the smell of alcohol. And any time drugs seem tempting, “I think of my kid.” It’s a stark contrast to his experience behind bars. “There’s nothing about prison that’s rehabilitative,” he said. “You’re set up to fail.” 

These days, Philip feels content spending time with his family. He has a good relationship with the three women he considers his moms (his biological mother, his stepmom, and an older sister who helped raise him), two dads, one brother, and four more sisters. His advice to other young men who are putting themselves at risk for incarceration: “It’s not worth it. Listen to your family – they’re not lying to you.”