Empowering Futures
71% of released individuals are rearrested within 5 years.
We're designing a system to transform that statistic.
A pilot-ready framework for comprehensive reintegration, economic empowerment, and community transformation
Lifers Hope Foundation is positioned to serve as project lead and systems architect. Implementation is contingent upon funding, governance readiness, and formal partner agreements.
Before You Continue: Understanding This Presentation

This presentation shares a comprehensive reentry model currently in the development phase. As you review the programs, partnerships, and frameworks described here, please understand:
What You're Viewing:
  • A research-informed blueprint and proposed framework
  • Design-phase concepts ready for pilot testing and evaluation
  • Evidence-based models built on proven approaches
What's Not Yet Active:
  • No programs are currently operational
  • No participant intake or services are available
  • No formal partnerships or institutional commitments are finalized
Purpose of This Presentation:
To invite thoughtful partnership, demonstrate rigorous planning, and build support for advancing this work into funded pilot phases.
Current Status
Lifers Hope Foundation is currently in its development and design phase. The models and pilot concepts shared in this presentation reflect proposed, research-informed frameworks intended for careful pilot testing, partnership development, and evaluation.

Programs are not yet operational, and no participant intake or services are currently active.
All references to institutions, community partners, labor unions, correctional facilities, or other stakeholders throughout this presentation reflect research-based modeling, exploratory dialogue, and proposed collaboration—not confirmed operational partnerships or formal agreements.
Current Phase & Governance Framework
Current Phase: Design Complete, Seeking Pilot Authorization
Lifers Hope Foundation has completed the conceptual design and published blueprint for the Freedom Village Integration Model. This represents a comprehensive, evidence-based framework ready for pilot implementation.
The Next Phase Requires:
  • Formal pilot site authorization from correctional facilities
  • Funding alignment and fiscal sponsorship agreements
  • Institutional partnership MOUs and governance structure finalization
  • Community stakeholder engagement and alignment
Project Leadership & Governance:
Lifers Hope Foundation serves as the originating organization, project lead, and systems architect responsible for:
  • Conceptual design and systems integration
  • Stakeholder alignment and partnership development
  • Phased implementation planning and evaluation framework
Operational roles, fiscal sponsorship, and service delivery responsibilities will be established through separate formal agreements as the initiative advances into funded pilot phases.
Important Clarification:
References to institutions, community partners, programs, or stakeholders throughout this presentation reflect:
  • Design-phase consultation and dialogue
  • Research-based modeling and evidence synthesis
  • Conceptual alignment and exploratory discussions
This includes references to academic institutions, correctional facilities, labor unions, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
No formal partnership, fiscal sponsorship, operational role, or institutional commitment is implied unless expressly established through written agreement.
Alignment with Academic & Funding Goals:
This initiative directly supports:
  • Arthur Agustin's academic research trajectory (community-engaged scholarship, systems-change research, evidence-based practice development)
  • Eli Lilly Foundation grant objectives (innovative reentry models, economic empowerment, community transformation)
  • Evidence-based practice development and rigorous program evaluation
The phased approach ensures responsible development, stakeholder protection, and measurable outcomes.
Initiative Design: Building Economic Power, Not Charity
When implemented, this framework would build economic power and restore citizenship—not offer handouts. Key design components include:
  • Living-wage careers ($25-35/hour)
  • Stable housing they help build
  • Financial infrastructure and entrepreneurship
  • Trauma-informed support and community governance
This model is designed to transform incarceration into opportunity, poverty into empowerment, and inequality into justice when implemented.
This approach prioritizes dignity over dependency, creating economic value and lasting transformation.
Meet Arthur: From San Quentin to USC
Arthur Agustin's profound journey from incarceration—having served two prison terms within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), including San Quentin and Pelican Bay State Prison—fuels the core vision of the Lifers Hope Foundation. His firsthand experience offers an authentic perspective and deep understanding essential to fostering positive system evolution.
Today: USC Master of Social Work candidate, Clinical Intern at Amity Foundation, and founder of Lifers Hope Foundation.
Arthur is also the author of New Beginnings: From The Bondage of Incarceration to Liberation and Freedom - The University of Hard Knocks Model, a comprehensive blueprint for transformative reentry systems.
The Transformation:
Within a nurturing environment, Arthur discovered a powerful calling: to channel his personal adversity into empowering marginalized individuals and those facing significant challenges. This rich blend of lived experience and rigorous academic training forms the bedrock upon which the Foundation's vision is built.
Arthur's Vision:
"My journey was a crucible where suffering forged a profound sense of meaning. It is my deepest aspiration to ignite this possibility for every soul touched by incarceration, injustice, and systemic challenges—to help them transform their past into a powerful future."
— Arthur Agustin, Founder
Why This Matters:
This personal transformation ignited the vision for the Lifers Hope Foundation Integration Model—a holistic framework designed to provide shelter, meaningful employment, and a sense of belonging, ultimately paving the way for lasting individual success and collective empowerment.
Bridging Practice and Scholarship:
Arthur's work integrates lived experience with academic rigor, positioning the Lifers Hope Integration Model as a foundation for:
  • Rigorous program evaluation and evidence-based practice development
  • Community-based participatory research with justice-impacted populations
  • Policy analysis and advocacy for transformative reentry systems
  • Longitudinal studies on economic empowerment and recidivism reduction
This approach creates a model for scholar-practitioners in social work and criminal justice reform, ensuring the initiative is grounded in both authentic experience and rigorous research.
The Problem: A System Designed to Fail
Mass incarceration isn't about individual failure—it's systemic design:
  • $80 billion spent annually on punishment
  • 71% rearrest rate within 5 years
  • 1.9 million people trapped in the cycle
  • Fragmented services that don't address root causes
The current system prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation, creating a revolving door that costs taxpayers billions while destroying lives and communities.
We can do better.
Who We Are Building For
Lifers Hope Foundation exists for people impacted by long-term incarceration — particularly those preparing for release or navigating reentry — who are seeking pathways into meaningful work, long-term stability, and community belonging.
This population is the center of every design decision, partnership conversation, and timeline consideration.
To Those Preparing for Reentry
This work is being built with care, intention, and respect for the long road you have already walked. While programs are not yet active, your preparation, discipline, and hope are the reason this work exists. Building something that lasts means taking the time to do it right.
Building something that truly serves you means taking the time to secure proper authorization, funding, and partnerships. This work is in early development and will require careful, phased implementation before it can directly serve participants. Your preparation today—education, skill-building, personal growth—remains the most important investment you can make.
Disrupting the Cycle: Addressing the Roots of Societal Challenges
Behaviors often deemed criminal are frequently shaped by systemic challenges and areas needing attention in our society. Addressing these underlying challenges is paramount to truly transforming individual lives and entire communities.
The School-to-Prison Pipeline
Disproportionate suspensions and arrests funnel low-income and minority students into the juvenile justice system, missing opportunities for vital support for trauma or learning disabilities.
Environmental Factors & Structural Racism
Poverty, limited education, and structural racism contribute to pathways toward incarceration. High unemployment, fractured families, and biased policing disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities.
Untreated Trauma & Mental Health
Over 60% of incarcerated individuals report childhood abuse. Unresolved trauma, coupled with mental illness (45%) and substance use (65%), often fuels risky behavior. Yet, most do not receive adequate treatment.
Ultimately, these challenges often stem less from individual failings and more from the significant outcomes born of systemic challenges: entrenched poverty, underfunded education, community disinvestment, and inadequate mental health services.
"I never truly had a chance. My mom was struggling with addiction, my dad was locked up, and school just didn't care. They kept suspending me until I dropped out. I never wanted to be a criminal—but I was already surviving like one."
— Formerly Incarcerated Individual, now a successful journeyman electrician
What if we could interrupt these cycles before they begin? What if prisons became launching pads instead of dead ends? Our vision for The Lifers Hope Integration Model is designed to transform these systemic challenges into systematic, actionable solutions. This is our proposal for a brighter future.
Evidence-Based Design: A Blueprint for Change
The framework is grounded in robust research and proven models, integrating insights from:
  • Mass Incarceration & Recidivism Data: Informing the development of effective reentry solutions.
  • Proven Program Models: Implementing strategies that effectively reduce recidivism and foster rehabilitation.
  • Sustainable Development Best Practices: Integrating housing, construction, and agriculture to build community self-sufficiency.
  • Economic Empowerment Frameworks: Advancing financial stability and social mobility through union, trade, and entrepreneurial programs.
The model is designed to deliver informed, impactful interventions, rigorously grounded in peer-reviewed research, government data, and evidence-based program evaluations.
Designing Transformation: The Lifers Hope Blueprint
The Lifers Hope Integration Model is more than a program; it is a community-led, evidence-informed reintegration framework designed for evaluation and scalability.
The published blueprint represents the conceptual design and implementation framework. Operational deployment is contingent upon pilot authorization, funding, and formal partnerships.
This model is designed to create an integrated ecosystem that:
This solution aims to convert systemic challenges into structured pathways for individual and community flourishing.
  • Effectively addresses existing challenges.
  • Actively fosters true economic mobility.
  • Ensures the full restoration of citizenship.
Published Blueprint:
The Lifers Hope Integration Model blueprint has been published and is publicly available for review:
  • 📚 Amazon Kindle Unlimited: Complete implementation framework
What's Included:
  • Complete program design and implementation guide
  • Evaluation framework and metrics
  • Partnership models and stakeholder engagement
  • Financial projections and sustainability plan
  • Replication toolkit for other facilities
Validation:
  • Endorsed by Dr. Suzanne DeBenedittis (USC PhD 1977, Founder of Greenerway Associates)
  • Grounded in decades of research from proven models
  • Ready for implementation
This published blueprint demonstrates our readiness to move from concept to action.
Theory of Change: From Incarceration to Economic Empowerment
Our Systems-Change Approach:
The model is designed to address the root causes of recidivism through comprehensive, integrated support—not fragmented services. This logic model demonstrates how strategic investments create cascading positive outcomes.
INPUTS:
  • Vocational training (construction, union trades)
  • Financial infrastructure (credit unions, savings)
  • Stable housing (modular homes)
  • Trauma-informed support
PROJECTED OUTPUTS (based on comparable programs):
  • 85% job retention (vs. 30% national)
  • $25-35/hour living wages
  • 15% recidivism (vs. 71% national)
  • $4-5 return per $1 invested
IMPACT:
  • Transformed lives
  • Economic revitalization
  • Scalable systems change
This theory of change is grounded in decades of research from successful reentry programs and informed by academic consultation. It represents a proposed pathway from incarceration to economic empowerment, subject to pilot evaluation.
Key Metrics at a Glance
Projected Outcomes Based on Comparable Evidence-Based Programs
85%
Job Retention Rate
(vs. 30% national average)
$25-35/hr
Living Wages
(union scale)
15%
Recidivism Rate
(vs. 71% national)
$4-5:$1
Return on Investment
$5K-8K
Trust Fund Balance at Release
These projections are referenced throughout this presentation and are based on data from Delancey Street Foundation, Homeboy Industries, RAND Corporation, and Bureau of Labor Statistics union wage data. Actual outcomes subject to pilot evaluation.
The Integration Model: Behind Prison Walls to Economic Freedom
Proposed Framework - Implementation Contingent on Pilot Authorization
Phase 1: Behind Prison Walls - Building the Foundation
Vocational Training & Certification:
  • Modular home construction - carpentry, electrical, plumbing
  • Green construction - solar panels, rainwater capture, energy efficiency
  • Truck driving & CDL certification - commercial driver's license
  • Warehouse management & logistics - supply chain, inventory, forklift
  • Regenerative agriculture - sustainable farming, permaculture
  • Financial literacy and business fundamentals
Stipend & Trust Fund System:
  • The framework proposes $15-20/hour stipends during vocational training
  • Automatic deposits into trust funds would be made - funds would not be accessible until release
  • Funds would be earmarked for down payment on modular home ($5,000-$8,000 typical balance)
  • A credit union partnership would be formed - credit building would begin during incarceration
  • Financial planning for homeownership
Behavioral Health Support:
  • Trauma-informed counseling and therapy would be provided
  • Substance use disorder treatment would be offered
  • Mental health services and peer support would be integrated
  • Cognitive behavioral interventions would be utilized
  • Healing-centered practices would be adopted
Credit Building & Financial Infrastructure:
  • Credit union membership would be established during incarceration
  • Credit-building strategies and education would be implemented
  • Homeownership preparation and mortgage readiness would be fostered
  • An asset-building mindset would be developed
Phase 2: Transition - From Prison to Community
Immediate Housing Stability:
  • Modular homes participants would help build ($25K per unit)
  • Affordable, dignified housing would be ready upon release
  • A community-based, supportive environment would be provided
  • A pathway to homeownership would be offered
Phase 3: Economic Empowerment - Sustainable Careers
Union Wage Pathways:
  • Designed for direct placement into union apprenticeships
  • Living wages with full benefits (see Key Metrics for details)
  • Benefits, job security, career advancement would be provided
  • Opportunities in construction, renewable energy, and skilled trades would be offered
Regenerative Agriculture & Sustainability:
  • Urban farming and food production opportunities would be created
  • Environmental stewardship careers would be fostered
  • Community food security initiatives would be supported
  • Green jobs and climate solutions would be pursued
Entrepreneurship Support:
  • Small business incubation would be provided
  • Worker cooperatives would be encouraged
  • Access to capital through credit unions would be facilitated
  • Business mentorship and technical assistance would be offered
Phase 4: Long-Term Stability - Building Wealth
Homeownership:
  • Rent-to-own pathways for modular homes would be offered
  • Asset building and generational wealth would be promoted
  • Community land trusts would be explored
  • Financial stability and pride of ownership would be cultivated
Community Governance:
  • Participant leadership in program design would be encouraged
  • Peer mentorship roles would be established
  • Advisory board positions would be created
  • Civic reintegration and voice would be supported
This comprehensive integration is designed to provide every participant with a clear pathway from incarceration to economic freedom, dignity, and community leadership.
The 3 Phase Blueprint
This comprehensive 3-phase blueprint is designed to guide the transformation from incarceration to economic empowerment.
Phase 1: Foundation & Preparation
Establishing the essential groundwork and resources for successful societal reentry.
Phase 2: Integration & Development
Facilitating active skill acquisition, vocational training, and community reintegration.
Phase 3: Empowerment & Sustainability
Securing long-term economic stability, personal growth, and ongoing community support.
This blueprint provides the detailed roadmap for proposed implementation, ensuring a structured and effective path to transformation.
Explore the Full Blueprint
Three Integrated Career Pathways
The proposed integrated model includes:
Modular Home Construction & Green Building
  • Designed to enable building affordable housing while incarcerated
  • Proposed union apprenticeships: $25-35/hour upon release
  • Solar installation, rainwater systems, sustainable construction
  • Path to homeownership
Transportation & Logistics
  • CDL training and commercial driving certifications
  • Competitive starting wages with rapid advancement to journeyman level
  • Designed for immediate job placement in high-demand industry
  • Warehouse management and supply chain careers
Regenerative Agriculture & Sustainability
  • Sustainable farming and permaculture training
  • Urban agriculture and food security
  • Green career pathways
  • Environmental stewardship
Each proposed pathway includes: Financial literacy, credit union membership, trauma-informed behavioral health support, and community governance.
Financial Infrastructure: Building Wealth, Not Just Income
Proposed Solution: Comprehensive Financial Empowerment
Trust Funds & Stipends (Established During Incarceration):
  • The model proposes stipends during vocational training ($15-20/hour while incarcerated)
  • Automatic savings deposited into trust funds - participants cannot access until release
  • Funds specifically earmarked for down payment on modular home they helped build
  • Projected typical balance at release: $5,000-$8,000 (based on comparable program stipend models—enough for down payment + tools + transportation)
  • Trust fund continues to grow post-release with union wages
Credit Union Partnership:
  • Credit union membership established during incarceration
  • Credit union holds trust fund and helps build credit history
  • Credit-building loans available upon release (secured by trust fund)
  • Affordable mortgage products for modular home purchase
  • Financial counseling and homeownership preparation
  • Alternative to predatory lenders - community-based, mission-aligned
Financial Literacy Training:
  • Budgeting and money management
  • Credit repair and building
  • Tax preparation
  • Investment basics
  • Homeownership preparation
Entrepreneurship Support:
  • Small business planning and development
  • Access to microloans and capital
  • Business mentorship
  • Worker cooperative formation
  • Collective ownership models
Union Wage Pathways to Homeownership:
  • Designed for direct placement into union apprenticeships upon release
  • Living wages: $25-35/hour with full benefits
  • Fully vested to journeyman status (3-4 year pathway)
  • Journeyman wages: $40-50/hour with retirement benefits
  • Union benefits include: health insurance, pension, paid training
Pathway to Homeownership:
  1. During incarceration: Build trust fund through stipends (projected $5,000-$8,000 based on comparable programs)
  1. Upon release: Use trust fund as down payment on modular home ($25K total cost)
  1. Rent-to-own structure: Monthly payments build equity
  1. Union wages ($25-35/hour) make payments affordable
  1. Credit union financing with favorable terms
  1. Estimated full ownership within 5-7 years (based on union wage scales and housing costs)
  1. Asset value: $150,000+ (market rate for comparable home)
Community Wealth Development:
  • Homeownership creates generational wealth
  • Participants become property owners, not renters
  • Community land trusts ensure long-term affordability
  • Collective ownership models for some properties
  • Wealth stays in community, not extracted by landlords
The Impact:
Traditional Reentry:
  • ❌ Released with $200 gate money
  • ❌ No savings, no credit
  • ❌ Immediate financial crisis
  • ❌ Return to survival mode
Lifers Hope Proposed Model:
  • ✅ Released with $5,000-8,000 in savings
  • ✅ Credit union membership and financial plan
  • ✅ Housing secured (down payment for modular home)
  • ✅ Tools and resources for employment
  • ✅ Foundation for long-term stability and asset building
This proposed framework represents economic justice and asset-building for communities historically excluded from wealth creation.
Regenerative Agriculture: Growing Food, Growing Hope
This proposed program would develop sustainable farming skills through hands-on regenerative agriculture training, creating pathways to green careers while addressing food insecurity.
What Participants Learn:
  • Organic farming and permaculture
  • Soil health and composting
  • Water conservation and irrigation systems
  • Urban farming techniques
  • Farmers market operations
  • Food distribution and logistics
The Impact:
For Participants:
  • Therapeutic connection to land and nature
  • Marketable agricultural skills
  • Entrepreneurship opportunities (farm stands, CSAs)
  • Living-wage careers in sustainable agriculture
  • Healing through working with soil and plants
For Communities:
  • Fresh, healthy food for underserved neighborhoods
  • Community gardens and urban farms
  • Food security and nutrition education
  • Environmental restoration and green spaces
Career Pathways:
Urban Farm Managers
$35,000-50,000/year
Landscape/Grounds Maintenance
$25-35/hour
Farmers Market Vendors
Self-employment
Agricultural Cooperatives
Ownership opportunities
Environmental Restoration
$20-30/hour
Healing Benefits:
Research shows gardening and agriculture reduce stress, improve mental health, and provide purpose - critical for trauma recovery and successful reentry.
Real-World Model:
Programs like Insight Garden Program and Planting Justice have demonstrated profound impact on recidivism and well-being through agricultural training.
Note: Organizations listed represent research references and proven models that informed the framework design. No operational partnership, endorsement, or institutional commitment is implied.
Modular Home Construction: Building Homes, Building Futures
The Proposed Program:
This proposed program would train participants to construct affordable, sustainable modular homes while incarcerated, enabling them to gain valuable construction certifications and create their own housing solution for reentry. This program emphasizes that participants are literally building their own future homes while learning green construction skills that lead to high-paying union careers.
What Participants Learn:
Core Construction Skills:
  • Carpentry and framing
  • Electrical systems installation
  • Plumbing and HVAC
  • Drywall, finishing, and painting
  • Project management and teamwork
Green Construction & Sustainability:
  • Solar panel installation and integration - renewable energy systems
  • Rainwater capture systems - water conservation and storage
  • Energy-efficient building techniques - insulation, passive solar design
  • Sustainable materials - recycled, low-impact construction materials
  • Green building certifications - LEED, Energy Star standards
Advanced Systems:
  • Battery storage systems for solar
  • Greywater recycling systems
  • Smart home technology integration
  • Energy monitoring and management
The Impact:
For Participants:
  • Marketable construction skills and certifications
  • Union-ready training
  • Affordable housing upon release ($25K per unit vs. $400K+ market rate)
  • Pride of ownership - living in homes they built
  • Pathway to homeownership through rent-to-own
For Communities:
  • 400,000+ affordable housing units needed nationally
  • Addresses housing crisis with sustainable solutions
  • Creates skilled workforce for construction industry
  • Reduces homelessness among formerly incarcerated
The Economics:
  • Cost per unit: $25,000 (materials + labor)
  • Market value: $150,000+
  • Participant stipends during construction: $15-20/hour (builds trust fund)
  • Post-release union wages: $25-35/hour
  • Journeyman wages: $40-50/hour
  • Down payment from trust fund: $5,000-$8,000
  • Rent-to-own pathway: 5-7 years to full ownership
Real-World Model:
Built on success of programs like Delancey Street Foundation, which has constructed over $100 million in real estate using resident labor.
Union Pathways: From Apprentice to Journeyman to Homeowner
The Union Advantage: This framework proposes partnerships with labor unions to create direct pathways from incarceration to living-wage careers with full benefits and job security.
Foundation Behind Walls
  • Build trust fund through stipends: $5,000-$8,000
  • Establish credit union membership
  • Complete vocational certifications
Apprentice Level (Years 1-2)
Proposed: Immediate union job placement upon release
  • Modeled starting wage: $25-30/hour (based on current union scales)
  • Full health insurance and benefits
  • Paid on-the-job training
  • Union membership and representation
  • Annual wage increases
Use trust fund for down payment on modular home ($25K total cost) and begin rent-to-own structure with affordable monthly payments. Credit union provides favorable financing.
Advanced Apprentice (Years 2-3)
  • Modeled wage: $30-35/hour
  • Increased responsibilities
  • Specialized skill development
  • Leadership opportunities
Journeyman Status (Years 3-4)
  • Fully vested journeyman - highest skill level
  • Modeled wage: $40-50/hour (based on current union journeyman scales)
  • Full pension and retirement benefits
  • Job security and union protection
  • Ability to train new apprentices
Building Equity (Years 1-5)
  • Build equity through monthly payments
  • Advance to journeyman status (modeled at $40-50/hour)
  • Increase income = accelerated home payments
  • Build credit history and financial stability
Full Homeownership (Year 5-7)
  • Full homeownership achieved
  • Asset value: $150,000+ (market rate)
  • Generational wealth created
  • Community stability and leadership
Union Benefits Package:
This proposed pathway is designed to provide middle-class stability and generational wealth.
  • ✓ Health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
  • ✓ Pension and retirement savings
  • ✓ Paid vacation and sick leave
  • ✓ Continuing education and training
  • ✓ Job placement assistance
  • ✓ Legal representation and advocacy
The Impact:
Designed to transform $200 gate money into $100,000/year income and $150,000 home equity within 7 years.
Unlocking Economic Potential: From Incarceration to Opportunity
The Current Financial and Social Realities
—
Annual Cost
$80B
—
Rearrest Rate
71%
—
Prison Population
1.9M
THE ECONOMIC CASE: EVERY DOLLAR RETURNS SEVEN-FOLD
$1 → $4-5
Based on RAND Corporation and Vera Institute research, comprehensive reentry programs with employment support generate $4-5 in societal benefits for every $1 invested through:
  • Reduced recidivism and incarceration costs
  • Increased tax revenue from living-wage employment
  • Lower healthcare and social service costs
  • Strengthened community safety
Lifers Hope Foundation has designed a transformative model: converting correctional facilities into dynamic training centers focused on modular home construction, union apprenticeships, and sustainable agriculture.
From Charity to Institution: Traditional charities rely on donations. Lifers Hope is designed to become an essential, valued collaborator—a source of skilled labor that drives economic transformation by empowering justice-impacted individuals.
The Model Delivers:
  • Comprehensive integration of housing, employment, and financial infrastructure
  • Union apprenticeships leading to living-wage careers
  • Modular homes built for $25K per unit (vs. $400K+ market rate)
  • Measurable outcomes validated by comparable programs (see Key Metrics)
This approach fosters self-sufficiency and economic prosperity, supported by cost-benefit analyses from RAND Corporation and Vera Institute of Justice.
Transformative Impact: The Numbers Tell the Story
The model is designed to deliver measurable, transformative outcomes based on comparable evidence-based programs:
PROJECTED OUTCOMES:
85%
Job Retention Rate
(vs. 30% national average)
$25-35
Living Wages /hr
(union scale)
15%
Recidivism Reduction
(from 71% national average)
$4-5:$1
$4-5:$1
(for every $1 invested)
100%
Housing Stability
(upon release)
Sources for Projected Outcomes:
  • 85% Job Retention Rate: Based on Delancey Street Foundation's 90% crime-free rate and comprehensive employment model (Silbert & Porporino, 2002)
  • $25-35/hr Living Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics data on union construction apprenticeship wages (2024)
  • 15% Recidivism Rate: Informed by Homeboy Industries' outcomes and comprehensive wraparound service models (Leap Ambassadors Foundation, 2018)
  • $4-5:$1 ROI: RAND Corporation cost-benefit analysis of correctional education and reentry programs (Davis et al., 2013)
  • 100% Housing Stability: Based on housing-first models and the proposed modular home construction pathway
Projected outcomes based on peer program data. Actual results subject to pilot evaluation and ongoing research.
Proven Models: Learning from Success Stories
Our model builds on decades of proven success from pioneering organizations that have demonstrated what's possible when we invest in people, not punishment.
Delancey Street Foundation
  • Founded in 1971 by Mimi Silbert and John Maher (a former lifer)
  • Self-sustaining residential program in San Francisco
  • 2-year minimum stay, peer-led model
  • Provides housing, education, and vocational training
  • 90% of graduates remain crime-free
  • Operates multiple businesses generating revenue
Homeboy Industries
  • Founded in 1988 by Father Greg Boyle
  • Los Angeles-based reentry program
  • Largest gang intervention program in the world
  • Provides jobs, tattoo removal, mental health services
  • Social enterprises employ formerly incarcerated individuals
  • Proven reduction in recidivism through wraparound support
Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC)
  • Founded in 2013 by Scott Budnick (a Hollywood producer turned criminal justice reform advocate)
  • Peer mentorship and advocacy organization
  • Focuses on policy change and direct services
  • Strong track record of successful reintegration
  • Demonstrates power of lived experience leadership
Amity Foundation
  • Founded by Naya Arbiter and Rod Mullen in 1981
  • Therapeutic community model in prisons
  • Evidence-based substance abuse treatment
  • Continues support post-release
  • Significantly reduces recidivism rates
  • Shows effectiveness of in-prison program-ming
Beit T'Shuvah
  • Founded in 1987 by Rabbi Mark Borovitz (a former con man and criminal) and Harriet Rossetto
  • Los Angeles-based residential addiction treatment center
  • Integrates Jewish spirituality with evidence-based recovery
  • 138-bed facility serving individuals with substance use disorders
  • Offers alternative sentencing programs and family therapy
  • Never turns anyone away due to inability to pay
The Last Mile
  • Founded in 2010 by Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti
  • Technology education and training program in prisons
  • Teaches coding, web development, and audio/video production
  • Operating in 16 facilities across 7 states
  • Provides pathway to high-wage tech careers
  • Dramatically reduces recidivism through marketable skills
These organizations prove that comprehensive, community-based approaches work. Lifers Hope has designed a framework that integrates their best practices into a scalable, economically sustainable model for potential national impact.
Organizations listed represent research references and proven models that informed the framework design. No operational partnership, endorsement, or institutional commitment is implied.
Why Lifers Hope is Different
While many reentry programs address single issues, Lifers Hope has designed something unprecedented: a comprehensive integration model born from lived experience and validated by academic research.
What Sets Us Apart:
Lived Experience Meets Academic Rigor
Founded by Arthur Agustin, who served two terms in CDCR including San Quentin and Pelican Bay, and is now a USC MSW candidate anticipating DSW program entry. This unique combination ensures our model addresses real challenges with evidence-based solutions.
Comprehensive Integration, Not Fragmented Services
We don't offer isolated programs—we integrate housing, vocational training, financial infrastructure, and trauma-informed support into one cohesive ecosystem. From modular home construction to union apprenticeships, regenerative agriculture to entrepreneurship, every element works together.
Economic Transformation, Not Charity
The model is designed to create economic value, not dependency. The framework is designed to enable participants to build marketable skills and earn living wages ($25-35/hour), and contribute to community prosperity. This shifts the paradigm from "helping the formerly incarcerated" to "unlocking human capital."
Research-Validated Blueprint
Our comprehensive blueprint has been published and is publicly available, endorsed by Dr. Suzanne DeBenedittis of Greenerway Associates, and grounded in research from successful models nationwide (Delancey Street, Homeboy Industries, ARC).
Access the Full Blueprint:
  • Published on Amazon Kindle Unlimited: Available for in-depth review
  • Peer-reviewed and validated by academic experts
  • Clear roadmap with measurable outcomes
This isn't theoretical—it's a complete, implementation-ready framework that has been vetted, published, and endorsed by experts in the field.
Trauma-Informed, Holistic Approach
We integrate behavioral health, public health frameworks, and social justice principles—addressing not just practical needs but the underlying trauma and systemic inequities that contribute to incarceration.
The result: A proposed model designed to transform correctional facilities into economic hubs, turning the $80 billion incarceration cost into an investment in human potential.
Research Foundation & Citations
The model is grounded in rigorous research from leading institutions and evidence-based studies:
Incarceration & Recidivism Data:
  • Prison Policy Initiative. (2025). Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025. Retrieved from https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2025.html
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2024). Jails Report Series: 2024 Preliminary Data Release. NCJ 310861.
  • Council on Criminal Justice. (2024). Recidivism Rates: What You Need to Know. 71% rearrest rate within 5 years; 39% return-to-prison rate.
Cost-Benefit Analysis:
  • RAND Corporation. (2013). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education. $4-$5 return for every $1 invested in correctional education programs.
  • Vera Institute of Justice. (2012). The Price of Prisons: What Incarceration Costs Taxpayers. Annual cost estimates and economic impact analysis.
Workforce Development & Reentry:
  • National Institute of Justice. (2018). Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education. Employment outcomes and recidivism reduction through vocational training.
  • Urban Institute. (2020). From Incarceration to Reentry: A Look at Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities. Comprehensive reentry program effectiveness.
Trauma-Informed Care:
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2014). SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach.
  • Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2014). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. TIP Series 57.
Housing & Economic Stability:
  • Corporation for Supportive Housing. (2019). Frequent Users Systems Engagement (FUSE). Housing-first approaches reduce recidivism by 40-60%.
All research citations are available upon request for institutional review.
What This Platform Is / Is Not
What This Platform Is
This platform exists to share a developing vision, invite thoughtful partnership, and document the careful design of a reentry-centered community model.
What This Platform Is Not
It is not an intake portal, referral system, or active service provider.
Partner with Us: Advance the Next Phase
The design is complete. Join us in advancing pilot authorization, funding alignment, and formal partnership development.
Partnership Opportunities
Funders
Philanthropic partners and impact investors to support our pilot program launch ($500K - $1M range for initial scaling).
Correctional Facilities
California pilot sites for potential implementation of evidence-based reintegration strategies within their institutions.
Employers & Unions
Organizations committed to job placement, apprenticeship programs, and second-chance hiring for justice-involved individuals.
Academic Partners
Universities and research centers for potential program evaluation, community-engaged scholarship, and longitudinal research collaboration.
Pilot Program Investment
  • Proposed Year 1 Budget: $[Amount TBD based on partnership discussions]
  • Designed to serve: 50 participants in pilot cohort
  • Proposed location: California correctional facility (pending authorization and site selection)
  • Proposed timeline: 18-month pilot with ongoing evaluation
  • ROI: $4-5 return per $1 invested
Each proposed partnership is structured for mutual benefit: advancing your mission while building infrastructure for transformative reintegration.
All partnership opportunities listed represent prospective collaborations. Lifers Hope Foundation is currently in the design phase and seeking pilot authorization and formal partnership development.
Join Us: Transform Lives, Transform Justice
The Lifers Hope Integration Model represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform criminal justice from the inside out. The design is complete; we're seeking partners to advance pilot authorization and implementation.
Why Lifers Hope:
Lived Experience + Academic Rigor
Founder's journey from CDCR to USC DSW
Systems-Change Model
Comprehensive integration, not fragmented services
Proven Economic Impact
$4-5 return for every $1 invested
Design Complete
Blueprint complete, seeking pilot partners
National Scalability
Replicable framework for facilities nationwide
Partnership Opportunities:
Funders & Philanthropists
Foundational funding for pilot launch and scaling
Government & Corrections
Policy innovation and implementation
Corporations & Unions
Workforce pipelines and hiring
Academic Institutions
Research partnerships and evaluation
The Impact:
  • Designed to transform 50 lives in Year 1 pilot
  • Framework designed for national replication
  • New paradigm: incarceration → economic opportunity
  • Measurable outcomes validated by comparable programs (see Key Metrics)
Complete blueprint available at lifershopefoundation.org and Amazon Kindle.
Get Involved:
Arthur Agustin, Founder
📧 agustina@lifershopefoundation.org
🌐 lifershopefoundation.org
📍 2219 Hauser Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
Explore the Complete Vision:
The time for transformation is now. Together, we can turn incarceration into opportunity and build a more just, prosperous future for all.
Lifers Hope Foundation is being built slowly on purpose — because the responsibility to do this well matters.
About the Prototype Pilot
The Freedom Village Prototype Pilot Program is a proposed demonstration model shared here for transparency, learning, and partnership development. It reflects a design-phase framework and is not yet operational.
Freedom Village Prototype Pilot Proposal
Unveiling a groundbreaking vision for community transformation. Dive into the detailed blueprint of the Freedom Village Prototype Pilot Program – a meticulously crafted plan for sustainable living, innovation, and hopeful futures.
The Freedom Village Prototype is a conceptual demonstration model illustrating how integrated housing, workforce development, and community governance could function under future authorized pilot conditions.