[O'CONNOR] On Sunday, June 14, young girls and boys spent the morning putting on their fanciest dresses and suits. Houses were filled with nerves and excitement as the children got ready to spend face-to-face time with their dads, some having not seen them in person in months, and some traveling hours to participate in the Eastern Correctional Institution's Father-Child Dance. I'm Jenny O'Connor. When driving your kids to one of their first dances, you might not expect to be met with giant barbed wire fences and high-security pat downs. But once inside, the kids were met with grand tables with royal blue table runners, gold-lined plates, goodie bags, dance décor, and posters, all for the Eastern Correctional Institution's Father-Child Dance. Monica Brittingham is the acting warden for ECI.
[BRITTINGHAM] "It's just about making memories. It's about love. It's about preparing to go home."
[O'CONNOR] After the kids had all filtered in and gotten situated, the dads were ready for their big reveal. The incarcerated men walked out in their matching suits and lined up in a few rows, making eye contact with their kids with no blockades between them. And to the kids' and mothers' surprise, the dads had put together a synchronized dance for their families. As the music faded, the kids were greeted with a flower and open arms. Carolyn J. Scruggs is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. She stood in the front of the room to give her opening remarks.
[SCRUGGS] "You just don't know how important it is for family reunification. These dads are going to come back home, so it is important that they know their children, that they're able to embrace their children."
[O'CONNOR] Both Secretary Scruggs and Warden Brittingham agreed that the event was a valuable opportunity for fathers to forgive themselves and begin rebuilding relationships before returning home.
[BRITTINGHAM] "I just want to say today, life doesn't always go as we planned. We all face challenges, we make mistakes, and we experience setbacks. But no matter what brought you here, one thing remains the same — you are still a father. And like the secretary said, your future is sitting right beside you today."
[O'CONNOR] The fathers who participated had to meet specific criteria to attend the dance. ECI offers educational courses, and these dads had to successfully complete cognitive programming focused on fatherhood and family responsibility, remain infraction-free, and maintain a job assignment. Fathers like Timothy Leewell were excited about the opportunity to show up for their families and begin preparing for their release in the coming months.
[LEEWELL] "I just want to let them know I'm trying to change for the better for them. Keep coming here, it's not good because I'll keep missing time out in their life and I don't want to keep doing it. I just want to better myself for them and let them know that I love them."
[O'CONNOR] The families were also able to participate in activities together. ECI partnered with Fathers Forward and organizations like Lead for Life so families could enjoy cupcakes, snow cones, popcorn, and a catered meal. Brandon White is the program coordinator with Lead for Life and a violence prevention program called The Better Way.
[WHITE] "Lead for Life is a nonprofit organization. We provide services from returning citizens to violence prevention programs to PRP services. Today we were helping the kids with these cupcakes. Maybe their fathers can help the kids design the cupcakes. So the idea was for them to have fun and let the kids make a whole bunch of mess that we have to clean up."
[O'CONNOR] Attendees were even able to take home a complimentary Build-A-Bear, allowing fathers to send their children home with a message that would last beyond the day. Events like these create meaningful moments for families and have proven to be motivation for many incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. According to a study from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, felony reconviction rates were 13 percent lower for incarcerated individuals who received visits compared to those who did not, and parole revocation rates were 25 percent lower. Events like the Father-Child Dance are designed to strengthen family bonds, giving fathers a reason to keep moving forward and children a chance to make once-in-a-lifetime memories with their dads.
For Delmarva Public Media, I'm Jenny O'Connor.
