'You have a guitar'

Usually, the sounds of weights clinking and basketballs ricochet off the walls of the Hutchinson Correctional Facility gymnasium.

But Friday was something special, even beautiful, one inmate said.

Country-singer and movie actor Mark Collie, dressed in all black like his inspiration Johnny Cash, performed with his acoustic guitar to a group of roughly 50 inmates, another 50 or so staff, volunteers and even Gov. Sam Brownback.

Most of the crowd could be seen tapping their foot or singing along as Collie played country songs and worship music.

“I know that I have seen music change lives, inmates today that I know are out,” he said.

Collie said his prison-ministry began over 15 years ago, when he asked the late Waylon Jennings why people were not ministering to inmates.

“He said ‘you have a guitar,”’ Collie remembered.

Collie’s performance was part of a 10-week tour that started at a Tennessee prison. This is Collie’s first performance for Kansas prisoners in the pilot sponsored by Corizon Health, which offers medical services at HCF and many other prisons nationwide.

The concert coincided with the Kansas Department of Corrections’ celebration of lower recidivism rates. Events were held all week at KDOC prisons highlighting different reentry programs that have helped lower rates from 55 percent in 1999 to under 35 percent in the 2010s, according to KDOC Director of Reentry Services Margie Phelps.

Phelps said 98 percent of inmates are not serving life sentences and preparing them for reentry through the five core programs — substance abuse, parenting, mentoring, job training and thinking for change — is paramount.

“Our goal is to give them hard and soft skills and new thinking patterns … so they can go out and be productive, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens,” she said.

Most of the staff and volunteers at the concert were part of the reentry program; same with the inmates.

“It was definitely encouraging,” said Miller. “It was a milestone for those serious about not coming back.”

Miller said that because of the reentry program he feels more confident about being released in 16 months. 

“Another day farther from the past and closer to the future," he said. "Trying to stay away from … triggers. All the crap I used to be involved with back and the day.”

William Dickerson also feels more prepared.

“I came out in 2005, got out and I was lost,” Dickerson said. “I went back to the old lifestyle and where I was before. Now I know there is other programs and others things I can do.”

Brownback told the inmates “we are both equal in the eyes of God and we are both accountable for how we live our lives.”

After a short tour where Collie serenaded inmates in a couple cell blocks, Brownback spoke about his help implementing the reentry program, Mentoring for Success. He also talked about the more than 320 job vacancies at Kansas prisoners as of July 5, according to the KDOC. HCF has 37 open positions.

“We’ve raised corrections wages a couple years ago … Overall I think we just have to be out there competing for people,” Brownback said. “And that’s what we gotta do and that’s what I think we are doing.”