Inmates Raise Awareness

It's sexual assault awareness month and many people in the Tri-state are spending time bringing the serious issue to light, but some advocates who may be the last people you expect to talk about sexual violence. The unexpected advocates are inmates at the Branchville Correctional Facility in Perry County. Tonight they held an art show to benefit victims of sexual crimes. With just 15 hours, some colored pencils and a white handkerchief this is what Rex Hammond can create "You just take a pattern with an ink pen and blend. I dont know what else to say." But Hammond didnt learn how to draw like this in a studio - he learned it in prison. "Its freedom. A way to escape." Hammond lost his freedom at the age of 19 - spending more than 20 years of his life in prsion for different armed robberies. But he hasnt spent his time wasting away Thought a special faith based program called PLUS Hammond is able to create this artwork. Its really a community service raising awareness and money for the Crisis Center - a safe place for sexual violence victims. "I had somebody close to me raped once so I did it in honor of her." Of the 108 men in the program 15 created works of art, but theyre not keeping them. Theyre going to the Crisis Center raising awareness from the people you least expect. "Guys in here even though theyre labeled still have people out there mothers, sisters, wives, friends, kids." All these men will someday walk the streets again including hammond who has three years left in his sentence. Hes always thinking of what he can do when he walks free. After this project hes thinking of creating works like this on the streets and selling it for charity. The Crisis Center is only one of the many organizations that benefit from the PLUS program. In the 19 months since it was introduced inmates have also done projects like build a handicapped ramp at the helping hand horse ranch in Newburgh. Theyre also working on a vegetable garden and plan on giving the produce to local food banks.