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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTim is creating Kylan\u2019s Light, an advocacy outreach for prison reform. He and others have raised serious public allegations about CoreCivic. If one\u2019s child, spouse, or family member is sent to prison, they rightfully have a reasonable expectation of guaranteed safety and security, which is not always the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One main thrust of Kylan\u2019s Light will be to change the public perception of what an inmate looks like. An inmate could be a neighbor, a friend\u2019s son, a cousin \u2014 someone who made a horrible mistake and finds themselves in prison. And often, as in the case of Kylan Leeper, incarceration becomes a de facto death sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tim Leeper makes the case for revamping the intake process. He believes prisons need behavioral and clinical staff who can ascertain the various reasons that led to a person\u2019s incarceration. That is the time and place to examine these destructive patterns, \u201cSo you can be a different version of yourself when you get out. If you want to be a better father, or if you want to be a better family member, or a better friend to people around you, and you\u2019re tired of this behavioral pattern that you\u2019ve engaged in and you want to change it \u2014 this is where you do that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s the true nature of rehabilitation. And, looking at the scope of prison policy and the rise of private prisons, \u201cWe\u2019re in a bad position right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tim Leeper\u2019s account is both matter-of-fact and impassioned. On the day of Kylan\u2019s funeral, he put his hands on his son\u2019s casket and said, \u201cI\u2019ll do everything I can within my power\u201d to advocate for prison reform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Kylan died, Tim got the strong feeling that his son was speaking to him: \u201cDad, I am OK right now. However, there are a lot of people in prison who are not <\/em>OK. They don\u2019t have anybody to talk for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are lots of \u201cKylans\u201d out there who could \u2014 with help and assistance \u2014 turn their lives around. It is Kylan\u2019s insistent voice that has motivated Tim to keep on advocating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just want,\u201d he concluded, \u201cto make people aware.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tim Leeper\u2019s son, Kylan, was a funny, mischievous child who led a typical kid\u2019s life \u2014 school, church, Little League. When he started exhibiting behavioral issues, his parents obtained counseling for their son. But diligent parenting is not a cure-all. In a moment of horrible judgment, Kylan committed a crime (arson) and was incarcerated at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":22486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n