| Prison Fellowship 385 West Shaw Avenue #225 Fresno CA 93704 (209) 224-8020 R. Nielson Board of Prison Terms 428 "J" Street #64 Sacramento, CA 95814-2329 |
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To the Board of Prison Terms, As Area Director for Prison Fellowship, Central California, I am writing in support of Mr. Timothy Leon, C-29681. I first met Tim while he was incarcerated at Avenal State Prison. Tim attended, faithfully, one of our weekly Bible studies there. I found Tim to be a quiet but capable man and creative with his music. Since both of us are from Fresno we would on occasion discuss mutual friends and acquaintances. As an organization--Prison Fellowship--we are prepared to assist Tim through weekly support group meetings for ex-inmates. The meetings which have a religious content also consist of job leads, community service projects, small group interaction, and accountability teams. The meetings are led by ex-inmates, off of parole, who are living stable lives and are making contributions to society. These leaders can provide both modeling and confrontation when needed. In addition to what Prison Fellowship can provide Tim has the support of Alan Doswald and Doug Lanier. Alan is the founder and executive director of Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) in Fresno. Doug Lanier is pastor of the Downtown Church which is an inner-city church. The church specializes in ministering to ex-inmates and others that have had social problems. With Prison Fellowship, ESA, and the Downtown Church joining together we can offer Tim a strong support system. We can arrange for Tim to live at the Maroa Home, a respected Residential Home in Fresno, which provides a structured environment, training and jobs if needed. This is an excellent program for reentry. Tim would most likely stay there for six months to one year. Also there is a job for him at Standard Brand Paints. The owner has a history of hiring men out of prison. In the event that a transfer of Parole cannot be made to Fresno County, we have alternate plans for Madera County. The city of Madera is about 35 miles from Fresno. Pastor Doug Lanier is in discussion with a halfway house there that would accept Tim. Prison Fellowship has a smaller support group in Madera that meets on a regular basis. My office receives several requests a month from prisoners in the Central Valley. They are requesting referrals for housing, programs and support groups for locations all over the state. In my opinion, Tim will have a better support system through friends and organizations than most prisoners requesting out help. Sincerely, Austin D. Morgan Area Director Prison Fellowship Central CA |
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