Hope for Prisoners suspends most programming at Nevada prisons

Hope for Prisoners has suspended the bulk of its programming with the Nevada Department of Corrections as the organization’s founder faces allegations he sexually abused female inmates, the state agency told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The comments by the state corrections department mark a sharp deviation from a statement the prison reentry nonprofit made less than two months ago when it said, “The need for second chances has not changed, and neither has our dedication to meeting it,” following founder Jon Ponder’s Aug. 18 arrest by the Metropolitan Police Department.

“The past couple of weeks has brought challenges and questions for those who care deeply about HOPE for Prisoners,” the organization wrote in a newsletter on Sept. 8. “We recognize the concerns that may arise during moments of organizational transition, and we want to reaffirm what defines HOPE for Prisoners: our unwavering commitment to those rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Our programs remain fully operational.”

Hope for Prisoners did not respond to a request for comment.

Ponder’s most recent arrest represented a fall from grace for the man who showcased his own redemption story from convicted bank robber to reformed convict who built a nonprofit praised by attorneys, judges and law enforcement officials for its ability to reintegrate incarcerated people into society.

Metro had originally arrested Ponder on suspicion of nine felonies and 11 gross misdemeanors, including sexual assault, before Ponder was indicted in late September on additional charges as new accusers and allegations surfaced.

In the arrest report, detectives wrote that Ponder used his relationship with the Nevada Department of Corrections and his position of authority to sexually prey on female inmates at the Jean Conservation Camp and the Casa Grande Transitional Housing Center seeking rehabilitation, including targeting mothers who were trying to maintain custody of their children.

In the immediate aftermath of Ponder’s arrest, Hope for Prisoners tried to assure supporters that the organization was still fulfilling its mission, even as it placed Ponder on administrative leave.

“The mission is here. The people are here. The need is here. And HOPE remains,” Hope for Prisoners wrote in its newsletter.

However, several prominent organizations began distancing themselves, including the Engelstad Foundation, Kenneth Copeland Ministries and the Woodson Center, whose late founder Robert Woodson, Sr. — a prominent civil rights activist — once sat on Hope for Prisoners’ board.

The latest blow levied against Ponder and Hope for Prisoners came on Oct. 29 when one of Ponder’s alleged victims filed a federal lawsuit against them and the state corrections department that outlined how Ponder allegedly groomed the woman and sexually abused her at Hope for Prisoners’ Las Vegas headquarters, while prison administrators and the nonprofit’s board also allegedly failed to address complaints about Ponder’s conduct.

In response to the lawsuit, a corrections department spokesperson said Ponder had received limited access equivalent to other contract employees.

“The Nevada Department of Corrections maintains strict policies and procedures governing visitors to its facilities,” department spokesperson Teri Vance said. “Protocols are in place to ensure compliance with these requirements and to review adherence to applicable policies and procedures.”

Will loss of programming leave a void?

The Department of Corrections did not respond to questions about how many programs Hope for Prisoners offered at prison facilities or how the agency planned to offset the losses.

Alexandra Nur, an assistant professor in UNLV’s department of criminal justice, said, “re-entry programs are a crucial component of successful and safe return to the community for our incarcerated folks,” adding that they provide hard and soft skills that make it less difficult to transition from prison back into the community.

“People with a history of incarceration often struggle to find housing and employment that will support them, many times because of statutes that limit affordable housing eligibility and stigma during the job application process,” Nur said. “Importantly, some of the reentry programs offered by Hope are specifically related to job-matching and reentry planning that helps them identify appropriate housing or community resources, like those that help people remain sober or connected to mental health care.”

Nur also said parole boards use information about program participation to gauge rehabilitation and an inmate’s suitability for returning to the community.

For example, in the Nevada Parole Recidivism Risk & Crime Severity Guidelines, program participation and completion could indicate that inmates pose a lesser threat if they return to the community and a lower risk of re-offending.

Nur added that fewer programs could lead to fewer inmates participating, which in turn could result in increased spending on housing and detention if inmates remain in prison longer.

“Without these programs, parole will likely see a drop in the number of people who have completed a reentry program simply because there is not enough room to cycle people through a more limited number of programs,” Nur said. “This may harm parole chances for hundreds of incarcerated Nevadans, which will likely lead to longer stays if the Parole Commissioners see lack of program participation as a sign that the individual is not ready to reenter.”

Nur said if Hope for Prisoners can no longer provide programming, she hoped alternatives would be available to help inmates transition back into the community.

“If the point of our correctional institutions is to ‘correct’ issues that led individuals to offend, then reentry programs offer the best way to achieve this while behind bars,” Nur said.

Contact Devan Patel at [email protected].