Two officers from the Department of Corrections, Forrest Day and Tracy Engdahl, recently sat down with staff from the Union Gospel Mission to explain what they value about the Mission and its service to the community, particularly with regard to the men under their supervision who stay at the shelter.

UGM:  When did you start working with the Mission?

Tracy:  I started with the Department of Corrections about ten years ago, and I think I met Doug Munday (UGM Chaplain) shortly after that because, at least in my recollection, we’ve always had someone (who was on supervision) living at the Mission.

Forrest:  Same with me.  I started eleven years ago, and I think from the very beginning, we’ve always had a working relationship with the Mission.

UGM:  What does it mean to “be on supervision”?

Tracy:  You’ve been convicted, you’ve gone to prison, you’ve come out, and you’re on supervision.  Or you just got a period of supervision (without first serving a period of incarceration).

UGM:  How often do you have contact with your clients?

Tracy:  The general expectation is once or twice a month in our office and twice a month in the field and then collateral contacts with people who know them.

UGM: So is it helpful just to know where they are?

Tracy:  Yes, absolutely.

Forrest:  Very helpful.

UGM:  What are some of the specific ways your men have benefitted from the Union Gospel Mission and its services?

Tracy:  Medical is huge.  One man got a complete set of teeth, and that leads to the whole job issue. The clothing – when they come into my office, they look good. (You must have one great clothing bank.) The spiritual love and support they get from each other and from staff is huge. Everyone’s in the same boat as you, so nobody’s judging you; yet they’re holding you accountable, so you kind of get both. I think that’s a healthy thing.

UGM:  Is it rare to find that combination of accountability without judgment?

Tracy: Definitely . . . then there’s the obvious – shelter, food.

Forrest:  Making them accountable for their behavior and what they’re doing, and also the regimentation, the structure. So many of them have not had any structure for so long in their lives, and it goes a long way toward getting them back on the right track, doing something with their lives.

Tracy:  They’re in a clean and sober environment. When I first became involved with the Mission, I didn’t understand that you had expectations . . . I thought, ‘Well, it’s a Mission. You’re supposed to be Christian. You’re supposed to open your doors to everybody.’ Then, as I got to know the program, I was so thankful that you had the expectations, that you do expect people to be clean and sober when they come in or return from somewhere.  There are other places they can go if they don’t want to rise to that expectation. 

Tracy:  Another thing I really appreciate about the Mission is that you have the different levels. You’ve got the full board program that people can look at and work toward. You’ve got the good workers program, and then . . . you’re not closing the doors on people who just need a place for a month to get some rent together to get on their feet. I appreciate that there’s those different levels, that it’s not all or nothing.

UGM:  What about specific help for sex offenders?

Forrest:  To be able to come here and participate in the program, that’s the key. Having that sense of community is very important because sex offenders as a whole are shunned.

Tracy:   I’m not sure who has access to which classes, but the ones who are in the program and take the classes about what it means to be a man – that’s awesome stuff.  Most of these people are in sexual deviancy treatment outside of here anyway, so some of that is being addressed.

UGM:  The two work together?

Tracy:  Yes, absolutely.

Forrest:  It’s an adjunct to it.

Tracy:  I can’t emphasize enough that most of these people don’t get positive feedback in their lives, and it just means the world to them when they know that there’s people behind them who are trying to support them and say good things about them.

UGM:  What problems arise for your men who are not at the Mission?

Tracy:  They will violate. You know Maslow’s Basic Needs?  If you’re staying at another shelter and you’re kicked out all day, but you can go there at night to sleep or whatever, what are you doing all day?  You know you’re not getting a job. You might be trying to pound the pavement, but maybe you can’t even get a shower or get cleaned up to go apply for a job. Being homeless, they usually end up violating. Something happens or they start drinking or they start drugging or couch surfing or get involved with the wrong crowd again. So it’s terrible to have homeless offenders.

UGM:  It sounds as though the Mission is adding to what you’re trying to do . . . or coming alongside your efforts. Is that right?

Tracy:  Oh absolutely!

Forrest:  Everyone I’ve ever had in the Mission’s program – I’ve never had them back.

Tracy:  I tell men who are considering coming here that they will have the opportunity to address their lives and their emotions and their relationships and everything – so much more than your average person on the street. So you talk about turning a negative, i.e., homelessness, into a positive, it’s just amazing.

Forrest:  This is a very valuable program. It’s a great asset to the Department of Corrections. It makes our job easier. It makes the community safer.