Blog Posts

Nancy Cotterill co-founded 2nd Chance Indiana (as UNITE INDY) in late 2016. She was editor and later publisher of Indianapolis Business Journal, and then created a not-for-profit online news outlet for the four million wheelchair users in the U.S. As an award-winning journalist, Nancy uses her talents to promote efforts to fight the causes of overall poverty throughout our area while working to spread the specific message that second chance employment is lowering recidivism, changing lives, and raising families out of poverty.

December 6, 2024

In three years, 68% will return to incarceration. In six years, 79%, and in 9 years, 83%. We fail miserably at helping people get back on their feet. But, we can reduce recidivism and save $millions for the state, as we rebuild lives...


July 22, 2024

Incarcerated people have few if any decisions to make about their daily life. They are told what to wear, and are given the food someone else has decided to provide. The days are ordered according to the facility's schedule, and visits are determined by the visitor, not the inmate. Eventually the ability to make decisions is impacted.


April 21, 2024

The effort is so successful that we are contacted weekly for more van transportation help.Yet with some funding at an end, and the need continuing to grow, more support is needed. Without continued funding, many of the vans we already have will stop running and a large portion of those who need transportation will lose their jobs. We've found a program that really works, and we're doing all we can to continue.


March 7, 2024

Adjusting to a culture so different from living inside a prison or jail is no small thing and it takes time. Your loved one needs to get a license, or get a schedule with a parole agent, find a job, learn to help out around the house, and get used to his or her new life. Remember they've been told what to do for a long time, and won't want to be told much from you. Go gently, but firmly, and ask for their help.


January 22, 2024

When it comes to reentry, housing can be one of the most difficult needs to be met. Reentrants often leave the highly structured environment of prison or jail with no preparation or place to live, yet, study after study shows that unstable or nonexistent housing heightens the risk of being incarcerated again and about 10% become homeless on day one after release.


December 7, 2023

Most people in prison are not lifers, most are not dangerous, and as Sister would say, all are far more than the worst thing they have done. I can tell you from experience, that there is more hope, goodness, optimism, and energy in most reentrants than they will be given the opportunity to use. But as a society, we have given the deep freeze to people coming out of incarceration for as long as I can remember.


December 21, 2022

For all those working with reentrants, or related to someone who is incarcerated, I end this year with my take on some of the important lessons I've learned about the pitfalls that sidetrack even the most success-oriented returnees. Here you go...


Contact Information

2nd Chance Indiana
241 West 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208

317-279-6670

Our Mission

Our mission is to reduce recidivism and rebuild lives through the dignity of work.