Living as a convicted felon
We are choosing this subject to humanize a topic that’s often lost in labels. With these stories, we also aim to dispel misconceptions related to the difference between felonies and misdemeanors. Because our area is in the heart of crimes related to the ‘opioid epidemic’ and other offenses, we think this topic achieves the news pegs of timeliness, proximity and human interest. We also chose this topic because we wanted to find out more about Matt Gillespie; a convicted felon who now works as a probation officer in Portage County. We were inspired by his story — how someone could turn their life around to help others. We want to bring the struggles these convicted felons go through when obtaining a job, or maintaining relationships with family and friends.
As it relates to public policy, felons don’t have the right to vote against the policies implemented that decide what they can do when they get out of jail. In this project are several ways the community is trying to make a difference.
